Recap: Parliament
and the Core Executive
DO NOW
Define each of the following key
terms in a single sentence:
• Scrutiny
• Legitimacy
• Accountability
• Representation
• Collective Cabinet responsibility
• Individual ministerial
responsibility
• Party discipline
Self-evaluation
I would describe my performance in last
Thursday’s assessment as . . .
0
Insultingly
poor
1
2
3
Weak
4
5
Credible
Self-evaluation
I would describe my performance in last
Thursday’s assessment as . . .
0
Insultingly
poor
1
2
3
Weak
4
5
Credible
Abdi, Clinton, Humza
Loshell, Loretta
Troy, Tanique
Tyreek
Learning objectives
• To improve on our (mostly dreadful)
performance in our mock examination
Feedback on your first essay – 23rd Sept
• Read the question – ‘Discuss’ implies
engagement with both sides of a debate
• Key terms should be defined in a way that is
not simply descriptive
• Points should be rather more specific than
they are general and more developed than
superficial
• Use evidence rather than speculation to
support your key points
Feedback on your first essay – 23rd Sept
• Read the question – ‘Discuss’ implies
engagement with both sides of a debate
• Key terms should be defined in a way that is
not simply descriptive
• Points should be rather more specific than
they are general and more developed than
superficial
• Use evidence rather than speculation to
support your key points
Writing with clarity and specificity
What I’m seeing
The HofC can come across
as bias because a majority
of MPs are working with
the government.
0 marks
What I want to see
Writing with clarity and specificity
What I’m seeing
The HofC can come across
as bias because a majority
of MPs are working with the
government.
0 marks
What I want to see
The ability of the HofC to
scrutinise the executive is
limited by the extent of the
payroll vote, or the number of
MPs who derive a salary
directly from government.
These MPs are effectively
guaranteed to vote for
government policies.
2 marks
Writing with clarity and specificity
What I’m seeing
The HofL is more likely to
scrutinise the government
because it isn’t so closely
tied to it.
0 marks
What I want to see
Writing with clarity and specificity
What I’m seeing
The HofL is more likely to
scrutinise the government
because it isn’t so closely tied
to it.
0 marks
What I want to see
The HofL can provide more
effective scrutiny of the
executive because party
discipline is less strong among
peers than among MPs. The
party of government is
therefore less able to sway
peers from voting their
conscience.
2 marks
Develop your responses
What I’m seeing
A free vote is a vote in the
House of Commons in which
the executive stays strictly
neutral and doesn’t attempt
to influence the outcome.
1 mark
What I want to see
Develop your responses
What I’m seeing
A free vote is a vote in the
House of Commons in which
the executive stays strictly
neutral and doesn’t attempt
to influence the outcome.
What I want to see
A free vote is a vote in the
House of Commons in which
party discipline plays no
role. MPs are able to vote
their conscience and the
party of government and
official opposition do not
resort to the whip to
influence the outcome.
1 mark
3 marks
Use evidence appropriately
What I’m seeing
The ability to determine who
sits in cabinet is a source of
power, but constant reshuffles
can make a prime minister
look weak and unsure. This
was the case in Gordon
Brown’s time in office, which
was notably short. This
outlined his weakness
massively.
What I want to see
Use evidence appropriately
What I’m seeing
The ability to determine who
sits in cabinet is a source of
power, but constant reshuffles
can make a prime minister
look weak and unsure. This
was the case in Gordon
Brown’s time in office, which
was notably short. This
outlined his weakness
massively.
What I want to see
The ability to determine who
sits in cabinet is a source of
prime ministerial power, but
constant reshuffles can make a
prime minister look weak. This
was a feature of Gordon
Brown’s tenure in office.
Brown’s decision to force
major reshuffles three times in
under three years, made him
appear indecisive and failed to
stem briefings against him.
Guided reading
• Read the article by Anthony Seldon
• Summarise the key points of the article; aim
for three
• Highlight/underline examples of how the
author uses evidence to support and develop
his points
Identify the key words
Evaluate the factors that can give the
prime minister power over other
cabinet members.
Identify the key words
Evaluate the factors that can give the
prime minister power over other
cabinet members.
Powers of the prime minister
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
Re-draft the following
One example of the prime minister’s power over
Cabinet members is the power to discuss
whatever he/she wants. The prime minister can
tell the cabinet what to talk about and not talk
about anything that he doesn’t want. This
means that a cabinet member who wants to
discuss something the prime minister doesn’t
can’t make much progress in cabinet.
Identify the key words
‘The House of Lords can often be more
effective than the House of Commons in
the scrutiny of the executive.’ Discuss.
Identify the key words
‘The House of Lords can often be more
effective than the House of Commons in
the scrutiny of the executive.’ Discuss.
Examples of scrutiny instruments
• The tools that Parliament uses to hold the
executive to account are sometimes called
“scrutiny instruments”.
• In pairs, list as many scrutiny instruments as
you can.
Examples of scrutiny instruments
•
•
•
•
•
Question time
Select committee inquiries
Public readings
Public bill committees
Full house debates
Which of these are available to the HofL?
•
•
•
•
•
Question time
Select committee inquiries
Public readings
Public bill committees
Full house debates
Factors that favour the HofL
• Peers usually lack further political ambitions
• Peers don’t have to face the electorate
• Peers don’t have to face the media to the same
degree as MPs
• Higher percentage of peers sit as cross-benchers
(independents)
• Peers have often ‘earned’ their appointments
through professional distinction, hence may have
greater expertise than MPs
• Peers have more time for debate and discussion
Section A
Answer all of the questions in this section
• Using the sources and your own knowledge,
outline the convention of collective ministerial
responsibility. (6)
• Using the sources and your own knowledge,
outline the convention of individual ministerial
responsibility. (6)
• Using the sources and your own knowledge,
discuss the importance of collective and
individual ministerial responsibility to the UK
system of government. (28)
Section B
Answer one question in this section
• Discuss the view that the rule of law is the
most important underlying principle of the
UK’s constitution. (30)
• Discuss the increasing importance of the
judiciary in the UK system of government. (30)
• Discuss the reasons why membership of the
EU has been such a divisive issue in British
politics. (30)