Revision topic: The core executive

DO NOWMatch the 2015 manifesto pledge to the political party: 1. Migrants must wait four years before they can claim benefits or get access to social

housing.2. Migrants illegally in the UK for over five years will be allowed to remain unless they pose a

serious danger to public safety.3. Raise the rate at which income tax becomes payable to £12,500 and raise the rate at

which the higher rate becomes payable to £50,000.4. Reintroduce the 50p top rate of income tax for earnings over £150,000.5. An extra £1bn for the NHS every year, to be funded by - amongst other things - making

higher earners pay more tax on their shares.6. Reduce the number of senior managers in the NHS by 25%.7. As many young people to go on an apprenticeship as currently go to university by 2025. 8. Extend the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds in elections across the UK. 9. Extend the right to buy to more than 1 million social housing tenants. 10. Scrap tuition fees for students from poorer backgrounds who take degree courses in the

sciences, technology, maths or engineering.

Revision topic: The core executiveDO NOWMatch the 2015 manifesto pledge to the political party: 1. Migrants must wait four years before they can claim benefits or get access to social housing.

Conservatives2. Migrants illegally in the UK for over five years will be allowed to remain unless they pose a

serious danger to public safety. Greens3. Raise the rate at which income tax becomes payable to £12,500 and raise the rate at which

the higher rate becomes payable to £50,000. Conservatives4. Reintroduce the 50p top rate of income tax for earnings over £150,000. Labour5. An extra £1bn for the NHS every year, to be funded by - amongst other things - making

higher earners pay more tax on their shares. LibDems6. Reduce the number of senior managers in the NHS by 25%. SNP7. As many young people to go on an apprenticeship as currently go to university by 2025.

Labour8. Extend the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds in elections across the UK. Labour9. Extend the right to buy to more than 1 million social housing tenants. Conservatives 10. Scrap tuition fees for students from poorer backgrounds who take degree courses in the

sciences, technology, maths or engineering. UKIP

Learning objectives

• To reinforce our understanding of the roles and powers of the prime minister

• To relate these to the other key topics studied to-date

Key concepts and required readingDates Topic Key concepts Essential reading

Apr 13-19

The core executive

• The prime minister: main roles, powers and resources.

• Prime ministerial and presidential systems: a brief comparison.

• The effects of coalition government.

• The Cabinet system: composition, roles and functions of Cabinet, Cabinet Committees and Cabinet Ministers. The Cabinet Office.

• Ministers and civil servants: main characteristics, roles, resources and relationships.

• Special advisers.• Government departments.

• What makes prime ministers powerful?' Politics Review November 2012

• 'Prime ministerial power: the impact of coalition government' Politics Review February 2015

• McNaughton & Magee, UK Government & Politics Annual Update 2015, Ch.7 'The cabinet reshuffle: a ruthless display of prime ministerial power'.

• Heywood, Essentials of UK Politics (2011) Ch.8 'The prime minister and cabinet‘

• Buckley, The Prime Minister and Cabinet (2006) Ch.5, 8, 9

• Heffernan, Cowley & Hay, Developments in British Politics (2011) Ch.3 'Changing patterns of executive governance‘

• Watts, British Government & Politics (2012) Ch.4. 'The executive‘

Policy makingUntil the late 1990s, Conservative Party policy was largely determined by the leaders of the day. Although the party leader was expected to canvass the views of senior colleagues on the front benches, the 1922 Committee, party elders and the grassroots membership, it was an unashamed top-down process. As John Major famously said of the party’s 1992 general election manifesto: “It was all me.”In 1998 the system appeared to have been democratised somewhat as part of William Hague’s ‘Fresh Future’ initiative. This process saw the creation of a National Policy Forum, alongside a number of other initiatives ostensibly aimed at enhancing participation within the party. Critics argue that these changes have been more style than substance.

Adapted from Lynch and Fairclough (2013)

1. Explain the term participation as used in the extract. (5)2. Using your own knowledge as well as the extract, consider the extent to which

ordinary members can influence Conservative Party policy. (10)3. ‘Ideological and policy differences within both the Conservative and the Labour

parties are now greater than the differences between them.’ Discuss. (25)

Generic mark scheme – 10 marksAO1 (4 marks) AO2 (4 marks) AO3 (2 marks)

The student demonstrates an excellent knowledge and understanding of political concepts/theories/institutions and processes. The student deploys relevant knowledge and understanding to fully address the requirements of the question and produces accurate and/or relevant examples to illustrate points made.

Level 4 (4 marks) The student applies an excellent range of developed concepts and uses appropriate political theory to construct a clear and cogent explanation or argument.

Levels 3–4 (2 marks) The student communicates clearly and effectively, in a structured and sustained manner, making excellent or good use of appropriate political vocabulary. There are few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar and the response should be legible. The answer has a clear sense of direction, is focused on the question and, where appropriate, has a conclusion which flows from the discussion

‘Ideological and policy differences within both the Conservative and the Labour parties are now greater than the differences between them.’ Discuss. (25)

Three sub-questions: • What are the ideological and policy differences

within the Conservative and Labour parties? Give examples.

• What are the ideological and policy differences between the Conservative and Labour parties? Give examples.

• Which set of differences do you think are more significant and why?

• L4 – How has any of this changed over time?

Generic mark scheme – 25 marksAO1 (10–11 marks) AO2 (7–8 marks) AO3 (5-6 marks)

The student successfully demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding of political concepts/theories/ institutions and processes and the relationships between them, producing an answer that deploys relevant knowledge and understanding to address the requirements of the question and demonstrates significant contextual awareness. The student’s answer includes relevant evidence and/or examples to substantiate and illustrate points made.

The student evaluates political institutions, processes and behaviour, applying appropriate concepts and theories. The student provides analysis which displays sound awareness of differing viewpoints and a clear recognition of issues. Parallels and connections are identified, together with valid and precise comparisons. The answer includes relevant and convincing interpretations or explanations.

The student communicates clear, structured and sustained arguments and explanations, making excellent use of appropriate political vocabulary. The response should be legible with few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. The student produces answers with a clear sense of direction leading towards a coherent conclusion.

The Prime Minister: roles, responsibilities and key powers

Role Description Key powers Limitations

Chairperson The Prime Minister sets the agenda for the Cabinet and, by extension, for the wider government. (S)He dictates the order or policy meetings and decides what issues are discussed and when.

• Setting the policy agenda

• Party • Public opinion

Chief executive The Prime Minister appoints ministers, including to Cabinet posts, and determines how government departments should be organised. They are also the head of the Civil Service, which implements Government policy.

• Patronage• Managing the

machinery & personnel of government

• Cabinet• Party

Chief communicator

The Prime Minister is the face of the Government--particularly in times of crisis. On issues such as Terrorism or Disasters they are the lead communicator on behalf of the Government.

• Influencing the National mood

• Public opinion

Chief legislator The Prime Minister is the official overall spokesperson for the Government in Parliament. They answer questions in Parliament and can be decisive in pushing through legislation.

• Setting the legislative agenda

• Parliament • Party

Chief diplomat As the head of the Government it is the Prime Minister that acts as the face of Britain Internationally, whether this is at the EU, NATO, UN or other organisations.

• Declare war• Sign treaties

• Britain’s geopolitical and economic position

Cabinet reshuffle 2014

• Read Chapter 7: The cabinet reshuffle (pp.41-45) in UK Government & Politics 2015 Update

• Make notes on the extent to which this was an effective display of prime ministerial power.

• Carefully note what were the prime minister’s objectives in organising the reshuffle.

• Carefully note which of the prime minister’s roles Cameron was fulfilling when he organised the reshuffle.

1. Explain the term Whitehall used in the extract. (5 marks)2. Using your own knowledge as well as the extract, identify and explain

two arguments in support of an enlarged Cabinet Office. (10 marks)3. Evaluate the factors that limit the prime minister’s power over other

cabinet members. (25 marks)

Departmental oversight

The ability of prime ministers to influence developments inside their own administration, let alone outside it, is limited by their shortage of experienced and knowledgeable staff. The Cabinet Office is a small part of central government and, outside of it, very few people in Whitehall work exclusively for the prime minister as distinct from other ministers. As a result, prime ministers often cannot ensure that their own initiatives are followed up. An official from the department of education observed: ‘The centre appears powerful because it makes announcements, but it then gets very frustrated because they are not turned into delivery.' The British prime ministership is under-resourced compared with the headships of government of most other liberal democracies, which usually have what amount to prime ministers’ departments. The German chancellor, for example, commands a large, dedicated staff that works in parallel with the main body of government.

Adapted from King (2015)

Cabinet reshuffle 2014

• Turn to the extract from Anthony King’s Who Governs Britain? (2015)

• Focus on the sections relating to the prime minister and cabinet

• Highlight/underline anything that you do not understand or that is new to you

Constraints on PM’s power

• Party constraints, e.g. Cameron’s need to provide positions for Eurosceptics

• Coalition constraints, i.e. the five cabinet positions promised to the LibDems

• Personality constraints, e.g. the ‘unsackable’ chancellor

• Constraints relating to public opinion• Practical constraints, e.g. the lack of resources

necessary to police all government depts

Evaluate the factors that limit the prime minister’s power over other cabinet members. (25 marks)

The prime minister is the most powerful figure in government—certainly more than ‘primus inter pares’ with regard to his/her cabinet colleagues. But the prime minister is far from all powerful. Serious constraints apply to his/her ability to control the cabinet. In the case of David Cameron, coalition itself provided the most obvious constraint on his power over cabinet. Four of the five Liberal Democrats guaranteed cabinet positions by the coalition agreement technically owed their positions to the fifth—deputy prime minister Nick Clegg—rather than to Cameron directly. LibDems were untouched by the June 2014 cabinet reshuffle, via which Cameron asserted his own influence over the Conservative cabinet members. That said, Clegg and the Liberal Democrats consistently showed themselves more attached to government office and to preserving good relations with their coalition partners than to any individual portfolio. The fact that Cameron did not have to test