UK Government - Prime Minister & Executive

Evaluate the extent to which the Prime Minster dominates UK politics (30 marks) INTRODUCTION (agree) - The prime minister is undoubtedly the most powerful person in the UK political system. However, the powers of the PM are not unlimited. This essay will discuss the constraints and freedoms that the PM is subject to. It will conclude that normally PMs are very powerful. Evaluate the extent to which the Prime Minster dominates UK politics (30 marks) AGREEMENT - The powers of the Prime Minister are not defined by statute, but derive principally from the royal prerogative. Technically the monarch is Head of State, declares war etc., but in practice these powers reside with the PM. Perhaps the most significant of these is the power of patronage. This allows the PM to make appointments to a range of positions throughout the state, from the head of the civil service, to the director of the BBC, and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The power of hire and fire allows the PM to wield enormous influence over their parliamentary colleagues: promises of jobs in government for aspirant backbenchers, and the threat of the sack for those who carry the red boxes is a powerful tool. Evaluate the extent to which the Prime Minster dominates UK politics (30 marks) DISAGREEMENT - However, it should be noted that the power of the PM is variable between, as well as within, premierships. Whilst we can argue that Thatcher was more powerful than Major, it can equally be argued that their respective powers waxed and waned during both of their tenures in Number 10. The elastic nature of the office is not just due to the way in which PMs use their powers, but also due to the wider political climate. Events impact on PMs. The single most important reason that Blair became a liability to his party was Iraq. Equally, the rise of Cameron checked the power of Tony Blair. After inheriting the Tory leadership, Cameron steadily stole much of Blair's patch in the centre ground, with talk of social justice and singing the praises of the NHS. Evaluate the extent to which the Prime Minster dominates UK politics (30 marks) AGREEMENT - Nevertheless, the Prime Minister is by the far the most well-known politician in the government and their personal stature, allied with a good media image, can be used to help secure a personal mandate. PMs have exploited the media by, for instance, staging photo opportunities with