key factors

• PM as leader

  Power to the PM

  • Perceived as leader and rep. of the nation

  Power to Cabinet

  • Cabinet can ultimately remove the PM from office - Thatcher, Blair and Johnson
  • PM can become less influential if they have a minority government
• PM's patronage powers

  Power to the PM
• PM's patronage powers


  Power to the PM

  • Power over ministers and can demand loyalty
  • PM can bypass Cabinet on certain issues

  Power to Cabinet

  • If the Cabinet is determined, a majority of members can overrule the PM e.g. July 2022 Johnson's support collapsed en masse
• PM's power as chair

  Power to the PM

  • PM chairs the Cabinet and controls its agenda and therfore the governing process

  Power to Cabinet

  • PMs who lead divided parties and have low opinion ratigs face Cabinets more willing to exert their influence over policy making
  • May appointed Brexit ‘big beasts’ such as Davis and Joson, who often defied CMR in openly challenging her Brexit policies
  • 2010-15 - Cameron challenged by influential Eurosceptics