Prime Minister and executive

Welcome to the Engine Room: The Prime Minister and the Executive

In this chapter, we are looking at the "Executive" branch of the UK government. If the UK government were a car, the Executive would be the engine. It’s the part of the government that actually "does" things—it makes decisions, proposes laws, and runs the country day-to-day. Don't worry if this seems like a lot of names and roles at first; we will break it down piece by piece!

1. Who exactly is "The Executive"?

The Executive isn't just one person. It is a structure of different people with different levels of power:

• The Prime Minister (PM): The head of the government and the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons.
• The Cabinet: A group of about 20–23 senior ministers who lead the most important government departments (like Health, Education, or the Treasury).
• Junior Ministers: They work underneath the Cabinet ministers, helping to run specific parts of a department.
• Government Departments: These are the actual offices (like the Department for Transport) where civil servants work to carry out the government's plans.

What does the Executive actually do?

The Executive has three main jobs to keep the country running:
1. Proposing Legislation: They decide which new laws are needed and introduce them to Parliament. Most laws that actually pass start with the Executive.
2. Proposing a Budget: The Chancellor of the Exchequer (a key Cabinet member) decides how much tax to collect and how to spend it.
3. Making Policy Decisions: They decide how to handle big issues, like how to improve the NHS or how to respond to a global crisis.

Quick Review: The Executive = PM + Cabinet + Ministers. They propose laws, set the budget, and run the country.

2. The "Superpowers" of the Executive

The Executive has some special powers to get things done. Some of these are very old, and some are more modern.

Royal Prerogative Powers

In the past, the King or Queen had all the power. Today, most of those powers have been "handed over" to the Prime Minister. These are called Royal Prerogative powers. They allow the PM to do things without needing a vote in Parliament first, such as:
• Signing treaties with other countries.
• Deploying the armed forces (going to war).
• Appointing or dismissing ministers.

Secondary Legislation

Sometimes, the Executive needs to change a small detail of a law without passing a whole new Act of Parliament. They use Secondary Legislation (often called Statutory Instruments).
Analogy: Imagine Parliament passes a law saying "everyone must wear school uniform." The Executive then uses secondary legislation to decide that the uniform must be blue this year. They didn't change the big law, just the small detail.

Did you know? Using secondary legislation is often criticized because it allows the government to make changes without a lot of debate in Parliament!

3. Ministerial Responsibility: The "Rules of the Job"

Ministers have to follow two very important sets of rules. These ensure they are "responsible" for what they do.

Individual Ministerial Responsibility

This means every minister is the "boss" of their department. If something goes wrong in that department, or if the minister behaves badly in their personal life, they are expected to resign.
• Example: If a minister is caught breaking the law, they should resign.
• Common Mistake: Students often think ministers resign for EVERY mistake. In reality, many ministers try to stay in their jobs unless the media or their own party forces them out!

Collective Ministerial Responsibility

This is the "All for one, and one for all" rule. It means:
1. Secrecy: Cabinet discussions must stay secret so ministers can speak freely.
2. Unity: Once the Cabinet makes a decision, every minister must support it in public, even if they secretly hate it.
3. The Consequence: If a minister cannot support a government decision, they must resign.
• Example: In 2003, Robin Cook resigned from the Cabinet because he could not support the decision to go to war in Iraq.

Key Takeaway: Individual = My own mistakes/department. Collective = We all agree in public or I quit.

4. The Power Balance: PM vs. Cabinet

Is the Prime Minister a "boss" or just a "team leader"? The official term for the PM is "primus inter pares" (first among equals). However, the balance of power changes depending on the person in charge.

How the PM controls the Cabinet:

• Patronage: The PM has the power to hire and fire ministers. This keeps ministers loyal because they want to keep their high-paying, powerful jobs!
• Setting the Agenda: The PM decides what will be discussed in Cabinet meetings. If they don't want to talk about something, it usually doesn't get talked about.
• The PM’s Office: Modern PMs have a large team of advisors who give them more information and power than individual Cabinet ministers.

Factors that weaken the PM’s power:

• A Small Majority: If the PM only has a few more MPs than the other parties, they have to be very careful not to upset their ministers, or they might lose votes.
• Big Beasts: Some ministers are so popular or powerful (like a "Big Beast") that the PM is afraid to fire them because it might cause a rebellion.
• Events: A sudden crisis (like a pandemic or economic crash) can make a PM look weak and give the Cabinet more power to demand changes.

5. Case Studies: Power in Action

The syllabus requires you to look at two Prime Ministers to see how they used their power. Let's look at one from the past and one more recent.

Margaret Thatcher (1979–1990) - Pre-1997

• Control: Thatcher was known for being very dominant. She filled her Cabinet with people who agreed with her (called "Dries") and sidelined those who didn't (called "Wets").
• Lack of Control: Eventually, her "bossy" style upset her senior ministers. When her Chancellor and Foreign Secretary resigned because they felt ignored, it led to a leadership challenge, and she was forced to resign. This shows that even a very powerful PM needs the Cabinet's support to survive!

Tony Blair (1997–2007) - Post-1997

• Control: Blair used "Sofa Government." Instead of big formal Cabinet meetings, he made decisions on a sofa in 10 Downing Street with just a few close advisors. This made the Cabinet feel left out but allowed him to move very fast.
• Lack of Control: He had a very powerful Chancellor, Gordon Brown. Because Brown was so important to the party’s success, Blair couldn't fire him, creating a "dual power" system where the two men often argued over policy.

Memory Aid: Think of the PM/Cabinet relationship like a seesaw. When the PM is popular and has a big majority, they are "up" (more power). When they are unpopular or have a small majority, the Cabinet is "up."

Final Quick Review Box

• The Executive runs the country and is made up of the PM and ministers.
• Royal Prerogative powers allow the PM to act without Parliament in specific areas like war and treaties.
• Collective Responsibility means the Cabinet must show a united front.
• Individual Responsibility means ministers are accountable for their own actions and departments.
• PM Power is not fixed; it depends on their personality, their majority in Parliament, and how well they manage their "Big Beast" ministers.