Transcript The Prime Minister - St. John's High School

The Prime Minister
p.127-155
The role of the Prime Minister

PM is the head of the executive branch of government and chairmen of the
Cabinet

Overseer of security services and meets with the Monarch weekly

Leader of his party in his country and in Parliament (cant grow without party
support)

Appoints and dismisses members of the Cabinet and other positions in
Government

Leader of the government at Home and abroad

Has a power of patronage and appoints people to other positions such as
Bishops to higher judges, from the chairmen to the BBC to members of the
Privy Council
Appointment of Ministers

Same party as the PM

Big Figures – appoint themselves to their positions

Balance of party opinion

The need to reward loyalty – who had their backs

Blend of youth and experience

Inclusion of members who represent different groups in society

Ability – can they handle it?
The Debate about Prime Minister Power

R.H.S Crossman a former Labour MP, made the original claim the PM had
supreme power

Professor John Mackintosh “The Government is run by the PM, his colleagues,
his junior ministers, and civil servants, with the cabinet acting as a clearing
house and court of appeal”.

Since 1960 the British PM was accused of having too much power and called
the ‘government by Prime Minister”

Margaret Thatcher was the example of an PM that stretched the power of the
PM.
Presidential Qualities in the PM

Assume much of the responsibilities over substantial parts of the government
during times of need

The way that the policy gets presented to the people and the other members
of government

Elections become a duel between two figures, with national support and
attention

“spatial leadership” – talking about key polices and direction and guiding
them when they had no part in it
Prime Minister and President compared
Prime Minister

Separated “pomp from power”

Can adjust term length

Parliament meets frequently, and
have strong party loyalty


Polices and ideas are judged by
people and parliament during
Question Time and debates in the
House of Commons
Power in foreign policy is restricted
President

Both chief executive and head of
state

Serves a four year term

Meet less frequent, party loyalty is
less committed then UK

Policies and ideas are protected,
has to prove himself during
elections

Have more power on foreign policy
Constraints on the British Prime Minister

The power of the PM is very circumstantial, every PM has great over-ruling
power, and every PM has no say on certain policies.

The Cabinet – tries to be unified for the PM’s benefit but it is tough to control
during major events

Party – members of Parliament and the people of the party may find more
loyalty on the party rather then the PM

Parliament – The PM needs to keep everyone unified and happy, must go to
question time every Wednesday

Events – no PM what is going to happen with worldwide events

Hostility in the Media – PM will be watched by all the people all the time on
his decisions, and policies
Minsters at Work

Ministers have two main roles

MP’s, elected politicians with duties in Cabinet and Parliament

Also administers of large Whitehall departments consisting of civil
servants

Politicians – normal duties as MP’s but as ministers they speak in the
House of Commons in debates, and take their turn at the Despatch
Box in Question Time

Heads of a Whitehall Departments – supervise and take interest in the
work that is being done.
Senior civil servants at work

800 leading officials , led by the Permeant Secretary in
each department

Prepare legislation, draw up parliamentary questions and
briefing the minister

Oversee and carry out the daily work of the department,
or a part of it.

Help to develop the departments attitudes and work,
surveying the advantages and difficulties of these, foresee
political problems
What sort of people become higher civil
servants?

Based on merit, graduates in the top of their class at
university

Requirements became harder to fill

Broadening of the requirement included:

More requirement of non-Oxbridge universities

Movement away from the arts subjects

Greater scope for women and members of ethnic
minorities
Conventions of ministerial responsibility

Two aspects
1.
The collective responsibility of ministers for the work of the
government
2.
The individual responsibility for the work of the department they
head

Collective – responsible to the House of Commons for governmental
policy

“sing from the same hymn sheet”

Individual – the responsibility a minister for his or her department

Must inform parliament of the work and conduct of their department
The Case of Brazil

History of military rule

President can:

Issue decrees for a 60 day period without parliament
involvement

Declare bills to be urgent, so congress must act upon
them

Propose a budget which is effective on a monthly basis

Difficult to follow through on promises
The case of Holland

Proportional method of voting which results in the
representation of several small parties

Collegial rather than hierarchical

14 or so members are given control to appointment their
own department members

Takes power away from the PM

“more than a chairperson, but less than a chieftain”
The case of the USA

Presidential power has grown and diminished depending on the
presidency

Some presidents are elected because of their strong ideals and polices
and are needed in office

Powers have grown from the constitutional limit

“The President is rightly described as a man with extraordinary
powers. Yet it is also true that he must wield those powers under
extraordinary limitations”

JFK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-neVSgeEe0w
David Cameron Fun Facts

Columist for the “Guardian”

Went to the same similar school

David Cameron has something to do with King William IV. He is considered as
the direct descendent of the king

A avid soccer fan, a fan of Aston Villa