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Relativity of Prime minister and
Cabinet
Cabinet government or prime ministerial government?
For much of the 1900s, the main debate on this subject was whether the UK still
had a cabinet government(a government with the cabinet at the centre) or a
prime ministerial government(a government dominated by the prime minister
and can bypass the cabinet).
In the classic text ‘The English Constitution’(1867), Walter Bagehot described a
system of cabinet government and described the prime minister as a ‘first
among equals.’
By the end of the 1900s the power of the cabinet had weakened and the Prime
minister strengthened. The consensus now being that the will of the PM
ultimately overrides the cabinet.
This argument is flawed however. The power in the government, whether
unequally or not, is shared. The prime minister needs support of cabinet
ministers to achieve their goals.
The power of the prime minister can also vary due to external factors(e.g policy
success, government popularity) and the leadership style and specific skills of
each prime ministers.
Relativity of Prime minister and Cabinet 1
, John Major and Gordon Brown Case Study
Major and Brown are often overlooked due to their predecessors in Margaret
Thatcher and Tony Blair.
Neither enjoyed the perks of large parliamentary majorities.
Instead both led unpopular and divided parties
The leadership style of both men was also criticised. Major’s being viewed as a
welcome departure from Thatchers dominance however he was then regarded
as weak and indecisive
And Brown’s communications skills, micro-management and temperament were
are criticised
When is a Prime Minister predominant?
Richard Heffernan describes a system in which the prime minister is the pre-
eminent figure because they automatically have four institutional power resources;
Legal head of the government (e.g appointing ministers)
Leadership of the government (e.g setting the policy agenda)
The Prime Minister’s office
Setting the political agenda (e.g through their party and the media)
The prime minister will be predominant (stronger component) if they combine
effective use of these power resources.
Leadership ability and reputation
Association with political success
Electoral popularity
A high standing with their party.
Thatcher and Blair were good examples of predominance within the role of prime
minister.
Has the prime minister become presidential?
Relativity of Prime minister and Cabinet 2
Relativity of Prime minister and
Cabinet
Cabinet government or prime ministerial government?
For much of the 1900s, the main debate on this subject was whether the UK still
had a cabinet government(a government with the cabinet at the centre) or a
prime ministerial government(a government dominated by the prime minister
and can bypass the cabinet).
In the classic text ‘The English Constitution’(1867), Walter Bagehot described a
system of cabinet government and described the prime minister as a ‘first
among equals.’
By the end of the 1900s the power of the cabinet had weakened and the Prime
minister strengthened. The consensus now being that the will of the PM
ultimately overrides the cabinet.
This argument is flawed however. The power in the government, whether
unequally or not, is shared. The prime minister needs support of cabinet
ministers to achieve their goals.
The power of the prime minister can also vary due to external factors(e.g policy
success, government popularity) and the leadership style and specific skills of
each prime ministers.
Relativity of Prime minister and Cabinet 1
, John Major and Gordon Brown Case Study
Major and Brown are often overlooked due to their predecessors in Margaret
Thatcher and Tony Blair.
Neither enjoyed the perks of large parliamentary majorities.
Instead both led unpopular and divided parties
The leadership style of both men was also criticised. Major’s being viewed as a
welcome departure from Thatchers dominance however he was then regarded
as weak and indecisive
And Brown’s communications skills, micro-management and temperament were
are criticised
When is a Prime Minister predominant?
Richard Heffernan describes a system in which the prime minister is the pre-
eminent figure because they automatically have four institutional power resources;
Legal head of the government (e.g appointing ministers)
Leadership of the government (e.g setting the policy agenda)
The Prime Minister’s office
Setting the political agenda (e.g through their party and the media)
The prime minister will be predominant (stronger component) if they combine
effective use of these power resources.
Leadership ability and reputation
Association with political success
Electoral popularity
A high standing with their party.
Thatcher and Blair were good examples of predominance within the role of prime
minister.
Has the prime minister become presidential?
Relativity of Prime minister and Cabinet 2
