Pm and executive

• Executive


  The branch of government responsible for policy making and policy implementation. In the UK, the executive comprises the prime minister, cabinet and junior ministers who make up the government.
• Prime minister


  The head of government and of the executive branch. The prime minister chairs the cabinet.
• Cabinet


  The prime minister and senior ministers, most of whom are heads of government departments. It is formally the key decision-making body in British government.
• Minister


  An MP or member of the House of Lords who is appointed to a specific position in the government by the prime minister.
• Government department


  An administrative unit of the executive that is usually responsible for a particular area of policy.
• Proposing legislation


  Propose new laws or amendments, announces new programme at start of parliamentary term, introduced to contend with emergencies, ministers consult relevant parties
• Proposing budget


  Raise revenue to fund public services/ meet spending priorities
• Royal prerogative


  • Historically belonged to crown i.e appoint ministers, declare war, grant legal pardons, sign treaties
• Initiation of legislation


  • Controls parliamentary time available for legislation, usual for important bills to pass through House of Commons first, government with majority relies on whipping system, patronage to pass programme
• Secondary legislation (delegated)


  • Law that can be made without passing a new act in parliament, using powers made by earlier act, enable government to modify/ repeal existing legislation without having to make a new bill
• Prime minister's roles


  Appoint government ministers to a cabinet, direct and influence government policy, manage the cabinet, organise the government, control Parliament, provide leadership
• Prime minister's formal powers


  • Appoint ministers and senior figures, dissolve and recall Parliament, sign treaties, grant honours
• Prime minister's informal powers


  • Patronage, control over the cabinet, party leadership, Prime Minister's and Cabinet Office support, media access
• Cabinet


  Approving policy, coordinating policy, resolving disputes and disagreements between ministers, debating and discussing issues, considering the views of the party MPs, promoting collective responsibility
• Collective responsibility


  The notion that government (as a collective whole) is responsible to Parliament for its actions. If the government was defeated in a vote of no confidence, all of its members would resign. All ministers publically support policy from all departments, even if privately they may have some reservations.
• Individual responsibility


  The notion that ministers are responsible to Parliament for the actions of their own departments. They can be held to account for their department's actions through Question Time or select committee scrutiny. They may resign in the event of mistakes in their departments, or from them personally, or personal scandals.
• Prime ministers increasingly rely on a close circle of senior ministers and advisers
• Prime ministers have created a 'strategic space' between themselves and their governments, distancing themselves from other members of the executive
• Prime ministers appeal to the public directly, through the media, and claim a personal mandate from the electorate
• Policy leadership


  A minister does not have the time or knowledge to play a hands-on role in all detailed policy but plays an important role in policy initiation and selection
• Functions of government departments


  • Providing policy advice to ministers
  • Managing government spending
  • Fostering relationships with interested parties, such as pressure groups
  • Policy implementation
• Majority


  Allows the prime minister to make decisions on their own accord, having a large majority means the pm can set out controversial policies without the fear of a rebellion
• Prime ministers with large majorities

  • Blair and Thatcher only suffered 4 defeats in the House of Commons in their 11 and 10 years as pm in contrast to 33 defeats of May's government in her 3 years
• Prime ministers with a larger majority have greater power as they are secure in their position knowing they can't be removed easily
• Prime ministers with a mandate


  • Boris Johnson had a clear strong mandate as he was elected by the people through elections which allowed him to more easily "get brexit done" than his previous predecessor Theresa May who failed to win a mandate in 2017
• A prime minister with a mandate can be more powerful as they can use the tool of representing the people and will be in a stronger position when it comes to developing policy and passing legislation
• Having a mandate doesn't always secure a prime minister's power as Boris Johnson was eventually removed from office by his MPs
• A prime minister without a mandate, like Sunak, has less power of patronage and faces more limitations in getting legislation passed
• Events affecting prime ministers

  • Thatcher's power increased significantly during the Falklands War, whereas Theresa May's power was reduced by facing the highly salient issue of Brexit
• Other factors affecting the relationship between Cabinet and Prime Minister

  • Management skills of PM
  • PM's ability to set agenda
  • Use of Cabinet Committees and informal groups to take decisions
  • Development of Prime Minister's Office and Cabinet Office
• The relationship between Cabinet and the Prime Minister

  Represents a 'presidential government'
• The PM controls the agenda and length of Cabinet meetings, and doesn't have to inform Cabinet members of things
• There has been a 'presidentialisation' of the PM, with heavier media focus and personalisation of power
• Cabinet still has power as it approves government decisions, conferring legitimacy on them
• Cabinet support is important, as evidenced by the cases of Thatcher and May
• MPs still get sacked if they breach confidentiality
• There is increasing use of referendums where collective responsibility no longer applies
• Parliamentary sovereignty can be overridden with Acts of Parliament (Belmarsh case, Labour post 9/11)