1. GP4B GOVERNING MODERN WALES – THE CORE EXECUTIVE THE GROWTH OF PRIME MINISTERIAL POWER Government and Politics As

2. IN THIS SESSION You will: Gain an understanding that prime ministerial power has been steadily growing over the past 50 years. be able to present and explain a number of different theories about how, why and to what extent prime ministerial domination has increased. understand the distinction between a president and a head of government, and are able to examine more critically the status of the prime minister.

3. PRIME MINISTER IS HISTORY Exercise 1 – The History of the UK Prime Ministers (12.30 minutes)The History For prime ministers 46 onwards: State their name, party, years in office, constituency and three things they were famous for? We also need to note that the growth of prime ministerial power is not always consistent It depends, to some extent, upon both circumstances and personalities.

4. Exercise 2 Sources of Prime Minister power: PM’s power has evolved gradually as the result of the ASSIMILATION of the ROYAL PREROGATIVE POWERS. As the Monarch’s power declined, the role of prime minister developed to fill the vacuum. Powers assigned to monarch –royal prerogatives- now exercised by PM on monarch’s behalf. Examples of R.P.-ability to control the armed forces, declare war, make treaties,appoint ministers, exercise patronage, and controls the civil service. Powers that have emerged through convention – It is through convention that citizens, party, parliament, cabinet and key officials have come to submit themselves to prime ministerial authority. Powers based upon the PM’s role as leader of the majority party in the HOC. The Prime Minister’s power and authority rests upon the confidence of the Commons which is, in turn, dependent upon the confidence and support of those sitting on his/her own benches.

5. THEORIES OF PRIME MINISTERIAL GOVERNMENT Exercise 3 – Write each theory in the box Michael Foley’ s spatial leadership theory This is that prime ministerial power is based on the increasing tendency of prime ministers to separate themselves from the rest of government and to claim a separate source of authority. This makes them appear to be presidential. We will look more at this later.

6. THEORIES OF PRIME MINISTERIAL GOVERNMENT George Jones’ ‘elastic theory’ This suggests that individual prime ministers can stretch the formal powers of the office to suit their own style and ambition. However, the more they stretch those powers, the stronger the forces become that seek to restrain him or her.

7. THEORIES OF PRIME MINISTERIAL GOVERNMENT The (Peter) Hennessy view that the holder of the post can make of it what he or she wishes — that prime ministers who wish to dominate have the means to do so, but not all wish to. Some will prefer to govern in a more collective way.

8. PRESIDENTIAL THEORY The ‘presidential’ theory is that the prime minister is effectively a president in all but name. This is close to the Foley view, although Foley emphasises the limitations too. The presidential theory suggests few limits to the role.

9. 1. Chief Executive: PM is responsible for government organisation and head of the civil service. PM can create or merge government departments and reform the civil service. 3. Chief Diplomat: PM visits other countries to establish good relations and develop trade links. Note DC has not done well in Europe or Iraq recently. 4. Public Relations Chief : PM uses the media and his Press Office to create positive images (‘spin’) at home and abroad- e.g. David Cameron doubled the money being spent (£81 million) on the 2012 opening of the Olympics. 5 Party Chief: Looking after the party image is a role that suffers in the national interest -the ‘least important’ role except that TWO of the last FOUR PMs have been removed by their party rather than by the electorate. 2. Chief Legislator: PM appoints government, decides its political direction, sets priorities and broad strategies. High- profile issues will be shaped by PM. Chairs cabinet, sets its agenda and steers its decisions. Makes statements to and answers questions in HOC. Shapes the government legislation. There were concerns around the lack of clarity about the roles and powers of the Prime Minister and of the Prime Minister’s Office. The current position is in effect that "…the roles, including the exercise of power under the Royal prerogative, have evolved over many years, drawing on convention and usage, and it is not possible precisely to define them... " (Tony Blair PM, written answer, 15 October 2001). Roles of the P r ime Ministe r

10. Powers of the Prime Ministe r 3. Powers over Parliament : PM has considerable power as leader of majority party- can control the parliamentary tt & impose the government’s agenda. The PM is the public face of party and government. 4. Powers over the agenda: PM has control of the executive and control of Parliament through powers of patronage and as party leader giving him a key role in agenda- setting and policy-making. The ‘Queen’s Speech’ to open each new session is really the PM’s Programme for the country. 5 Powers on the world stage: the PMleader is rooted in the prerogative ’s position as a world leader is rooted in the prerogative powers to make war and conclude treaties enhanced by the rise of the mass media. 2. Powers over cabinet, government and the civil service: PM can -promote, demote or dismiss any cabinet appointment. -controls cabinet agenda and minutes. -Composition of cabinet committees -appoints higher ranked civil servants 1.Powers of patronage: PM Appoints government ministers Judicial appointments (No longer) Ecclesiastical appointments Head of public bodies Honours system (Reduced) Life peers

11. PRESIDENTIAL THEORY The ‘presidential’ theory is that the prime minister is effectively a president in all but name. This is close to the Foley view, although Foley emphasises the limitations too. The presidential theory suggests few limits to the role.

12. EXERCISE 4 – BEING PRIME MINISTER Watch the TV documentary and determine:the TV documentary The differing leadership styles of: 1.Harold Wilson 2.Edward Heath 3.James Callaghan 4.Margaret Thatcher 5.John Major

13. THE GROWTH IN PRIME MINISTERIAL POWER Prime ministers since Harold Wilson in the 1960s and 1970s have increasingly seen cabinet as an extension of their power rather than a constraint on it. Prime ministers have therefore tended to ‘manipulate’ cabinet meetings to reach their desired conclusions. This includes so-called ‘kitchen cabinets’ or ‘sofa politics’. Sources of independent advice and support for the prime minister have grown over the same period. These include the Policy Unit, other committees and policy units in Downing Street, and individual private advisers.

14. THE GROWTH IN PRIME MINISTERIAL POWER The Cabinet Office, which used to serve the cabinet as a whole, increasingly tends to be the prime minister’s own instrument. The media have increasingly seen the prime minister as the individual spokesperson of the government. This has extended to the public and the electorate, who increasingly see politics in terms of leadership. Political parties in the UK themselves have become increasingly ‘top-down’, with power concentrated at the top levels. This gives the prime minister, when their party wins power, a pre-eminent position. Prime ministers, even as far back as the 1920s, have increasingly used their power of patronage to extend their influence.

15. THE GROWTH IN PRIME MINISTERIAL POWER These developments represent a general trend line, but that different prime ministers have stretched these opportunities to a greater or lesser extent. Some prime ministers are inevitably more dominant than others.

16. EXERCISE 5 WORKING THROUGH EXAM QUESTIONS Using IS 7.5: Illustrations of the position of the prime minister from modern history Article 7.1: ‘Prime-ministerial predominance’, Politics Review, February 2008 1.Why has this growth in prime ministerial dominance occurred? 2.Consider which of the three theories mentioned works in relation to prime ministers you are familiar with. This may be highly speculative or based on firm evidence if there is sufficient.

17. PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT Is the prime minister the same as a president? Can you think of any differences? There is a distinction between a president as ‘head of state’ and a prime minister as ‘head of government’. The former represents the whole nation, irrespective of party, The latter represents a temporary government. The President claims authority directly from the people, The prime minister claims authority through Parliament.

18. PRESIDENTIAL ASPECTS Role in foreign policy and negotiations with foreign powers. Role in international organisations such as the G20, the EU, the WTO, international climate conferences. Role in times of national crisis or emergency (international credit crunch 2007–08). Role in military affairs such as Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Libya. But can be blocked by parliament

19. EXERCISE 6 SYRIA CRISIS: CAMERON LOSES COMMONS VOTE ON SYRIA ACTION Questions What has happened and why? What does this show with respect to the theory that: The prime minister has presidential power? The prime minister can use the royal prerogative powers to declare war? Has this damaged the view that the prime minister is a strong leader

20. LIMITED PRIME MINISTERIAL ASPECTS Exercise of patronage powers, such as ministerial appointments Domestic policy-making role. Presentation of government policy. Parliamentary leadership. Parliamentary rebellion Exercise 7 Prime Ministers question timequestion time Does the prime minister come across as presidential or parliamentary in this question time?

21. PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT Exercise 8 Watch the lecturer by Professor Vernon Bogdanorthe lecturer Take down 15 facts from the lecture but concentrate on those connected to the evolution of presidential government

22. PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT Exercise 9 -British Prime Minister Compared to US President Is the US president status the same as the UK prime minister? Watch the extract and come up with 10 differencesthe extract

23. PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT Exercise 10 Blair as a Presidential Prime Minister Read article 7.2. Read through the article and provide the evidence in the box that Blair was either a presidential or a prime ministerial prime ministers

24. LIMITATIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER Exercise 11 What are the sources of the prime ministers? There are a variety of sources of authority of the prime minister: 1.Their own political party, 2.Parliament, 3.The electorate, 4.The cabinet 5.Prerogative powers. Most, but not all, of these are also sources of limitation.

25. LIMITATIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER Exercise 12 What are the main constraints on the current prime minister power? Being part of a coalition government – The Liberal Democrats restrain his party Not having a parliamentary majority – the first Conservative Prime Minister ever in this position Divisions over Europe which divide his own party

26. LIMITATIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER The following factors are examples of the limitations of prime ministerial power: A prime minister may not enjoy a comfortable Commons majority. This occurred in 1992–97 (Major) and 1974–79 (Wilson and Callaghan). A small or absent Commons majority severely curtails the prime minister’s ability to carry Parliament with him or her. This situation is complicated in a hung Parliament as we would have had in there had not been a coalition government in 2010. Cabinet may be a constraint. This is notably true with coalition government, but both Brown and Major experienced powerful dissident forces within cabinet.

27. LIMITATIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER Exercise 13 – Brown’s cabinet government 1.Give an example of when Gordon Brown blocked cabinet decisions 2.Did the Cabinet ever block Brown’s decisions? 3.Give an example of when the Cabinet disagreed with Brown? 4.Had there been any attempts to remove Prime Ministers Blair and Brown from within the Cabinet?

28. LIMITATIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER The public and media may turn against a prime minister, and this will reduce their authority and therefore their power. This occurred with Tony Blair after 2003 and Gordon Brown in 2008–10. The prime minister’s own party is a potential constraint. If the party is divided or turns against its own leader, their power is limited. Thatcher was removed from office in 1990 by her own party. A coalition prime minister such as Cameron knows that he may ‘lose’ his party if he makes too many compromises. So on occasions such as over House of Lords reform and the issue of a European referendum he has had to let is party have their say regardless of the coalition government

29. LIMITATIONS ON THE PRIME MINISTER There are a range of constraints which may be termed ‘constitutional’ or ‘external’ — these concern the effects of devolution, London government and EU membership. In these cases power is removed from central government and therefore from the prime minister. Ultimately ‘events’ are a constraint. Thus Blair’s experience of Iraq and ‘weapons of mass destruction’ damaged his premiership; the credit crunch and recession constrained Brown.