UK presidentialism?

• Spatial leadership - there is now a greater distance between the PM, government, and party

  Blair's 'sofa government' and Camerons 'Quad' - better communicaton with inner circle advisers than with most of cabinet

  Separation of executive and legislative bodies is similar to the US presidential style of government
• Public outreach - people vote for the PM as a person rather than the party itself

  Blair's focus on the media in winning the 1997 election

  Johnson's campaigns, presentation in the media, and Covid broadcasts

  They are seen more as a figurehead than a leading legislator
• Personalised leadership

  Thatcherism as an ideology, support for Blairism in the media

  Personal political imprint of a leader on government and their willingness to impose their vision
• Support from the party is not unconditional

  Boris Johnson, David Davies, and Steve Baker resignations under May

  Ministers may leave their PM's cabinet if they have no confidence in them so it is important to maintain party unity
• PM leads government - they dont control it

  Collective responsibility means ministers can either agree or quit

  Under Johnson in 2022, 62 of 179 government ministers quit

  Ministers quitting often means that there isnt a good relationship between PM and the party in parliament, weakening the whole of government, not just the PM
• PM is held accountable to Parliament - executive and legislative branches are fused

  Theresa May was threatened with several motions of no confidence by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn