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U2 - The Core Executive
U2 - The Core Executive
U2 - The Core Executive
GOVP2
GOVP2
TOPIC 3:
THE CORE
EXECUTIVE
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ESSAY PLANS (25
MARKERS)
GOVP2
GOVP2
ADDITIONAL
INFO
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
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EXAMPLE
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EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
INTRODUCTION
The meeting of senior ministers & heads of government departments. It is formally the key-decision making
body in the British government.
Deciding on major policy, Dealing with unforeseen major problems, Co-ordinating the policies of different departments,
Planning for the long term
The members of the cabinet exercise collective ministerial responsibility
Now plays a limited role in decision making, as key decisions are made elsewhere in the exec
Consists of 22 cabinet ministers that receive a full cabinet minister salary
Most cabinet ministers are heads of departments
E.g. Home secretary = Theresa May
CABINET
PRIME MINISTER
CABINET MINISTERS NEEDED FOR THEIR EXPERTISE
BILATERAL MEETINGS & BLAIR SOFA GOVERNMENT
Blair allegedly didnt understand economics reliant
Blair & brown discuss bank of England independence
on his chancellor, Gordon Brown
Ministers within the cabinet, specialise in certain area
Pm doesnt know everything reliant of specialists
Ignore cabinet
expertise
Make decisions themselves
pm cant ignore the cabinet or he/she will be
Cabinet ministers should traditionally be involved
embarrassed for not having the knowledge that is
required, for their job
IF IGNORED, THE CABINET COULD SPARK A
PM CHAIRS CABINET MEETING AUTHORITY IN THE
LEADERSHIP ELECTION
CABINET
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
GOVP2
GOVP2
ADDITIONAL
INFO
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
INTRODUCTION
The meeting of senior ministers & heads of government departments. It is formally the key-decision making
body in the British government.
Deciding on major policy, Dealing with unforeseen major problems, Co-ordinating the policies of different departments,
Planning for the long term
The members of the cabinet exercise collective ministerial responsibility
Now plays a limited role in decision making, as key decisions are made elsewhere in the exec
Consists of 22 cabinet ministers that receive a full cabinet minister salary
Most cabinet ministers are heads of departments
E.g. Home secretary = Theresa May
NO
YES
CABINET MINISTERS NEEDED FOR THEIR EXPERTISE
BILATERAL MEETINGS & BLAIR SOFA GOVERNMENT
Blair allegedly didnt understand economics reliant
Blair & brown discuss bank of England independence
on his chancellor, Gordon Brown
Ministers within the cabinet, specialise in certain area
Pm doesnt know everything reliant of specialists
Ignore cabinet
expertise
Make decisions themselves
pm cant ignore the cabinet or he/she will be
Cabinet ministers should traditionally be involved
embarrassed for not having the knowledge that is
required, for their job
MAJOR POLICY DECISIONS NEED CABINET
CABINET MEETINGS ARE NOT USED EFFECTIVELY - PM
MINISTERS (TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN)
CHAIRS CABINET MEETING AUTHORITY IN THE
APPROVAL, BEFORE BEING PUT INTO PLACE (DEAD
CABINET
NOT RUBBER STAMP)
All decision on HS2 - Patrick McLoughlin (Secretary of
Longest cabinet meeting was about the millennium dome,
State for transport) must be consulted & must approve
in 1997
Held by john Prescott, Blair wasnt even there
all decisions
Sets agenda to what pm want to talk about can ignore
PM may think he can do what he wants & consult who
issues he/she doesnt want to address
he wants (e.g. via sofa government)
Set times, so can put issues he/she wants to ignore so
In the end, needs cabinet approval
he/she will run out of time7meeting not used effectively
May make a decision himself, but cabinet could reject
used to keep cabinet happy
Thus reliant on the cabinet
Just approve PMs decisions, less discussion
CABINET MEETINGS UNIFY THE GOVERNEMNT
PMS OFFICE HAS GROWN IN INMPORTANCE TO THE PM
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
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cabinets role
CABINET MINISTERS MAKES DECISONS WITHIN THEIR
DEPARTMENTS
Michael Gove (Lord chancellor, secretary of state for
justice) known to make major decisions within his
department & use cabinet meetings as a means of
approving the decision rather that making or developing
the decision
DEFINITIO
NS
INTRODUCTION
The idea that UK prime ministers have taken on some of the characteristics of presidents because of the
emergence of a personalised form of leadership. Characterised by spatial leadership & public outreach. The
concept of presidentialism does not claim necessarily that the office of UK prime minister is becoming the same
as that of the US president
POWERS
CONSTRAINTS
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
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EXPLAIN
Michelle Obama
Media sees D.Cs wife as a celebrity, just like 1 st lady
PMS PERSONALITY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
STRONGLY IN GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGNS
USED IN NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING BY OPPOSITE
PARTY
Ed Miliband looked down upon in 2015 general election
campaigns
Conservative used this to promote their party
Media portrayed Ed M, as not tough enough to be PM
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INTRODUCTION
CIVIL SERVANTS An official employed in a civil capacity by the crown, responsible for policy advice or policy
implementation
MINISTERS A member of government with specific responsibilities within a department
THEAKSTON MODELS the four models of ministerial-civil servant relationship identified by Kevin Theakston in 1991
Talking Politics article entitles Ministers & mandarins
MINISTERS POWER > CIVIL SERVANTS
CIVIL SERVANTS POWER > MINISTER
WHIEHALL COMMUNITY MODEL WORK IN
CIVIL SERVANTS = PERMANENT
COLLABORATION
Justine Greening shifted from transport to
GOVP2
WORK TOGETHER
Suggests that ministers & civil servants are convincing & acting in a deceitful
manner to grow their inefficient bureaucracies
Work together to grow dept and gain more of budget
EXPLAIN
POINT
EXAMPLE
EXPLAIN
GOOD
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL DISPUTES
Theresa May vs Michael Gove over Islamic
extremism in schools
Coalition government = 2 parties = more likely to
be more disputes = cabinet meets more often to
settle dispute = cabinet power
BAD
BILATERAL MEETINGS & BLAIR SOFA GOVERNMENT
Ignore cabinet
Make decisions themselves
Cabinet ministers should traditionally be involved
CABINET MEETINGS ARE NOT USED EFFECTIVELY - PM
CHAIRS CABINET MEETING AUTHORITY IN THE CABINET
Longest cabinet meeting was about the millennium dome, in
1997
Held by john Prescott, Blair wasnt even there
Sets agenda to what pm want to talk about can ignore issues
he/she doesnt want to address
Set times, so can put issues he/she wants to ignore so he/she
will run out of time7meeting not used effectively used to
keep cabinet happy
Just approve PMs decisions, less discussion
PMS OFFICE HAS GROWN IN INMPORTANCE TO THE PM
Blair & Alistair Campbell
Traditional role admin & media
Now turned to more for advise & support = should be cabinets
role
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EXAMPLE
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Bodies within the core exec e.g.: inner cabinet, bilateral meetings, PM's Office, Cabinet Office, Kitchen Cabinet etc
What is the function of the cabinet?
What is the role of Ministers?
Ministerial resignations
What is the civil service? & what reforms have occurred?