PM is presidential

• theme 1: For Prime minsters act like A head of state

  • act like head of state in contact of foreign policy and in emergencies
  • Tony Blair had a very close personal relationship with George bush and drove foreign policy
  • Brexit - PM was a key role for withdrawal agreement
  • PM represents the UK in G7 and G20
  • Covid 19 - Boris Johnson was initially very popular and rallied the country behind him against the pandemic
• theme 1: Against Prime minsters act like A head of state

  • Limited by personality and events outside of their control
  • lack charism and hampered by events makes them less likely to be presidential
  • Hampered by size and majority and personal popularity
  • Rishi Sunak has given signfical control in terms of foreign policy to foreign secretary David Cameron has led the UK in peace negotiations on the conflicts
• theme 2: West wing

  • providing significant administrative support. This leads to less reliance on the cabinet for decision making and determining policy.
  • SPADs These are unelected and are hired directly by the Prime Minister,
  • Rishi Sunak had 43 special advisers working for No 10, with 117 special
  • 2019 election campaign and reportedly played an important role in convincing Sunak to strongly back motorists and u-turn on the governmentʼs net zero targets in the summer of 2023. - Liam booth - smith
• theme 2: West wing against

  
  

  • Prime Minister isnʼt presidential because they ultimately still rely on the cabinet to deliver policy
  • UK Government operates under a core-executive model where power is very fragmented and the Prime Minister canʼt control all of government policy.
  • Sunak - control to both Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Foreign Secretary David Cameron, with both being given the autonomy to shape policy and dominate
  • The cabinet - unity to the public and make important decisions during a crisis, as joined up decision making between departments is essential.
• Theme 3: Personal legitimacy

  • able to use the office to develop personal popularity.
  • This is linked to Michael Foleyʼs concept of ‘Spatial Leadershipʼ
  • They present themselves as outsiders and develop personal popularity with the public using the media in particular.
  • 2019 election Boris Johnson distanced himself from the Conservative Party that had been in power for 9 years and sought to present himself as offering the electorate a change, including a move away from austerity.
• theme 3: Against personal legitimacy

  • ultimately still accountable both to their party
  • Parliament and have to keep both on side in order to effectively pursue their goals
  • Prime Ministers rely on the party in order to pass the governmentʼs legislative agenda and on the cabinet to deliver government policy. If the Prime Ministers distances themselves too much from either/seeks to sideline the cabinet in particular, the cabinet can remove them.
  • This happens in particular when the Prime Minister is no longer popular with the public and therefore would no longer help the party win the next election.
• theme 3: against personal legitimacy part 2

  • The last 3 Prime Ministers May, Johnson and Truss - were ultimately removed by their cabinets and the wider Conservative Party after becoming unpopular.
  • This shows the limits to how much the Prime Minister can be presidential, as they ultimately remain accountable to their party and cabinet
  • It can be argued that the office of the Prime Minister is elastic; the more a Prime Minister attempts to expand the office the more resistance they face.