Prerogative powers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Closure of parliament Granting pardons Head of state Form treaties Commander-in-chief Appointments Conducting foreign relations

Pm Powers: Appointing & dismissing ministers Chairing cabinet meetings Granting peerages & other honours Appointing judges & bishops Commanding the armed forces Conducting foreign relations

Pm Roles: o o o o o o o Commander-in-chief Head of state Chief policy maker Chief Government spokesperson Head of Government Head of Parliament Chief foreign policy maker

PM Dominant: Prerogative powers essentially head of state, closure of Parliament, pardons, treaties, commander-in-chief, appointments, foreign relations Growth of 10 Downing Street machine backed by civil servants Media focus on PM not cabinet or Parliament becomes essentially spokesperson for Parliament as well as Government Spatial leadership -> distance from Cabinet & Govt, even criticising sometimes e.g. Thatcher & Blair Increasing control over cabinet as they become less essential the PM becomes more dominant Dominant in foreign & military relations e.g. Thatcher & Reagan, Blair & Bush

PM not dominant: Role is flexible, its style over substance e.g. Thatcher dominant but Major was not Still powers which can reign a PM back in e.g. size of parliamentary majority, vote of no confidence, personality & unity of Govt Not actually head of state

No permanent change Why are ministers chosen? Friends Represent a certain section of the party e.g. Trade Unions Represent ideology of party e.g. Ed Miliband Political Allies Rebels to silence with collective responsibility Great potential Popular Extremely able

Why do they leave? Can no longer follow the party line Too much pressure Not doing a good job Scandal Individual ministerial responsibility

PM control cabinet: Limits: I. II. III. IV. First among equals/just another member of the cabinet Ministers in charge of large departments have own powerbases e.g. Brown Special problems under coalition Can be challenged by a dissent majority Controls appointments & dismissal (Patronage) Growth of 10 Downing Street Machine (no longer need cabinet) Bilateral meetings/sofa politics Chief policy maker (no longer needs cabinet) Controls agenda

Enhanced by: a. Popularity b. Unity of cabinet/Government (hard with coalition) c. Pms dominance of party Cabinet important? Settling interdepartmental disputes Making decisions that cant be made elsewhere Domestic emergencies Determining presentation of policy Legitimising policy

 Not:

Discuss important issues Provide advice to PM Sometimes make big decisions

PM dominant Committees Meetings short, less frequent & staged Large departments more independent Bilateral meetings/sofa politics Growth of 10 Downing Street Ministers act alone with advisors Collective responsibility