The Politics AssociationThe Politics Association

AS Government and PoliticsAS Government and Politics

Powerpoint Presentation Powerpoint Presentation

The Prime Minister

The Prime MinisterThe Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher

Conservative1979 - 1990

John MajorConservative

1990 - 1997

Tony Blair Labour

1997 - ?

Head of the Head of the executive branch executive branch

of the of the government and government and

chair of chair of the Cabinetthe Cabinet

The History . . .The History . . .

• 1688 – Glorious Revolution.1688 – Glorious Revolution.• 1689 – Parliament passes Bill 1689 – Parliament passes Bill

of Rights to curb powers of of Rights to curb powers of monarch.monarch.

• Tax, laws – now needed Tax, laws – now needed consent of Parliament.consent of Parliament.

• Monarch remained Head of Monarch remained Head of Executive and appointed a Executive and appointed a Cabinet to run country.Cabinet to run country.

• When the monarch stopped When the monarch stopped attending Cabinet meetings, attending Cabinet meetings, the First Lord of the Treasury the First Lord of the Treasury took over.took over.

• The First Lord of the Treasury The First Lord of the Treasury became known as the Prime became known as the Prime Minister.Minister.

Robert Walpole was First

Lord of theTreasury from 1721 to 1742.

Walpole wasprobably Britain’s

first Prime Minister.

• Do anything to Do anything to defend the UKdefend the UK

• Make treatiesMake treaties

• Take and give Take and give away territoryaway territory

• Control the armed Control the armed forcesforces

• Make use of Make use of emergency powersemergency powers

• Confiscate / Confiscate / destroy propertydestroy property

• Intern non-UK Intern non-UK citizenscitizens

• Control how the Control how the civil service workscivil service works

• Control patronageControl patronage

The PM and the ROYAL PREROGATIVEThe PM and the ROYAL PREROGATIVE

An important aspect of the roles/powers of the modern PM.

These powers were originally held by the monarch, and formally, they still are.

As PM, Tony Blair can –

POWERS of the Prime MinisterPOWERS of the Prime Minister

Head of StateHead of State&&

Head of GovernmentHead of Government

the difference between thethe difference between the

two roles istwo roles is

not always clear . . .not always clear . . .

Formal Powers

MainlyPREROGATIVE POWERS

There is also a distinctionbetween Head of State

and Head of Government

Informal Powers

•Chief policy maker.•Chief government spokesperson•Leader of the Parliamentary Party

Head of StateHead of State

• Head of armed forces.Head of armed forces.

• Negotiate treaties.Negotiate treaties.

• Grant honours.Grant honours.

• Head of Civil Service.Head of Civil Service.

• Appointment of senior Appointment of senior

judges, archbishops or judges, archbishops or

bishops of the Churchbishops of the Church

of England.of England.

duties that would normally

be carried out by a President

in an elective system and are therefore outside party politics and

are conducted for the whole nation

Head of GovernmentHead of Government

Appointment of Appointment of ministersministers

Dismissal of Dismissal of ministersministers

Appointment of Appointment of heads of public heads of public bodiesbodies

Dissolution of Dissolution of ParliamentParliament

Chair of CabinetChair of Cabinet

Concerns party

politics

‘‘Prime Ministerial Prime Ministerial

Government’ DebateGovernment’ Debate• Shift from Cabinet to Prime Shift from Cabinet to Prime

Ministerial government.Ministerial government.

• Party system centralised under Party system centralised under

the control of the PM.the control of the PM.

• PMs more closely involved in PMs more closely involved in

foreign and economic affairs.foreign and economic affairs.

• Electorate encouraged to identify Electorate encouraged to identify

government policies with party government policies with party

leader.leader.

• Downgrading of Cabinet and Downgrading of Cabinet and

committees.committees.

Too much power?Too much power? Is the Prime Minister now

effectively a President?

Does the Prime Minister now have too much power?

‘‘PM as President’ Debate – FORPM as President’ Debate – FOR

• Thatcher as PM – ‘quasi-monarchical’ Thatcher as PM – ‘quasi-monarchical’ (Johnson).(Johnson).

• Thatcher’s as ‘mother of the nation’.Thatcher’s as ‘mother of the nation’.

• Reduction of Cabinet meetings.Reduction of Cabinet meetings.

• PM as the ‘focal point of the modern PM as the ‘focal point of the modern Cabinet’ similar to stature of US Cabinet’ similar to stature of US President.President.

‘‘PM as President’ Debate – AGAINSTPM as President’ Debate – AGAINST

• Practical restrictions on PM’s power to Practical restrictions on PM’s power to hire and fire.hire and fire.

• Limits on involvement of PM in initiation Limits on involvement of PM in initiation of policy.of policy.

• Limits to the extent that a PM can Limits to the extent that a PM can control all government business.control all government business.

• PM’s PM’s can can be powerful – but need to have be powerful – but need to have colleagues all on board. Good examples colleagues all on board. Good examples – Thatcher’s downfall and Major’s – Thatcher’s downfall and Major’s weakness after 1992.weakness after 1992.

The ‘PM as President’ debate looks mostappealing when used to analyse PM’s with

large majorities – such as Thatcher and Blair.

KEY ARGUMENT . . . KEYARGUMENT

from ‘TALKING POLITICS’ thejournal of the Politics Association

M. Foley, in ‘Presidential Politics in Britain’, TalkingPolitics, Vol.6.3, Summer 1994, identifies four key

features of the American presidency that have beenadopted by Prime Ministers in the UK.

Foley’s argumentFoley’s argumentPublic LeadershipPublic Leadership

• US Presidents – increased appeals to public over heads of Congress.US Presidents – increased appeals to public over heads of Congress.

• UK Prime Ministers – a less strict social order, impact of television as key to political UK Prime Ministers – a less strict social order, impact of television as key to political communication – communication – ‘leader’s relationship with public now central and decisive.’‘leader’s relationship with public now central and decisive.’

Spatial LeadershipSpatial Leadership

• US Presidents – attempts to distance themselves from presidency when expedient thing US Presidents – attempts to distance themselves from presidency when expedient thing to do.to do.

• UK Prime Ministers – similar ‘distancing’ to give impression of being on the side of the UK Prime Ministers – similar ‘distancing’ to give impression of being on the side of the citizen: i.e. Major + Citizen’s Charter, Blair’s willingness to disown ‘corrupt’ MPs and citizen: i.e. Major + Citizen’s Charter, Blair’s willingness to disown ‘corrupt’ MPs and councillors prior to any investigation.councillors prior to any investigation.

The Personal FactorThe Personal Factor

• US President – represents image of party and its programme.US President – represents image of party and its programme.

• UK Prime Minister – office now personalised with personality central to public evaluation.UK Prime Minister – office now personalised with personality central to public evaluation.

The Cult of the OutsiderThe Cult of the Outsider

• US President – Nixon, Reagan, Clinton - positioned as ‘outsiders’ without the vested US President – Nixon, Reagan, Clinton - positioned as ‘outsiders’ without the vested interests of ‘insiders’.interests of ‘insiders’.

• UK Prime Minister – Thatcher, Major, Blair – all have positioned themselves as outsiders, UK Prime Minister – Thatcher, Major, Blair – all have positioned themselves as outsiders, either from Whitehall or their respective parties.either from Whitehall or their respective parties.

Foley’s conclusion . . .

UK Premiership has turned into an authentic British presidency – not a version of the US presidency.

Prime Ministerial StylesPrime Ministerial StylesFOURFOUR possible types of Prime Minister – the type reflects their possible types of Prime Minister – the type reflects their ambitions and their particular path to power.ambitions and their particular path to power.

INNOVATORSINNOVATORS• Wish to achieve some future goal.Wish to achieve some future goal.• Ideologically motivated.Ideologically motivated.• Will risk being unpopular.Will risk being unpopular.• Not all his/her party may agree.Not all his/her party may agree.• Goal / aim – very personal to the innovator.Goal / aim – very personal to the innovator.

REFORMERSREFORMERS

• Seek power in order to achieve future goal.Seek power in order to achieve future goal.

• Ideologically motivated.Ideologically motivated.

• Goal formulated with, and agreed by, the party. Goal formulated with, and agreed by, the party.

• Goal / aim – not as ‘personal’ as the innovator.Goal / aim – not as ‘personal’ as the innovator.

Prime Ministerial Styles (continued)Prime Ministerial Styles (continued)

EGOISTSEGOISTS

• Power is sought for its own end.Power is sought for its own end.

• Key motivation – self regard, Key motivation – self regard, not not ideology.ideology.

• Act and think in the present, not the future.Act and think in the present, not the future.

BALANCERSBALANCERS

• Main aim – peace and stability, in country and party.Main aim – peace and stability, in country and party.

• Some balancers seek office, some do not.Some balancers seek office, some do not.

• Those who don’t – usually ‘compromise’ candidates in leadership Those who don’t – usually ‘compromise’ candidates in leadership elections.elections.

Key point to remember – Key point to remember – PMs may have more than one style or mayPMs may have more than one style or may

change their style to suit the bigger political picture.change their style to suit the bigger political picture.

Margaret Thatcher’s STYLEMargaret Thatcher’s STYLE

• Dominant personality.Dominant personality.

• ‘‘Conviction’ politician.Conviction’ politician.

• ‘‘Radical vision’.Radical vision’.

• Good at leading from the front.Good at leading from the front.

• Party had no choice but to Party had no choice but to follow.follow.

• Good at getting her own way Good at getting her own way when popular.when popular.

• Innovative policies in face of Innovative policies in face of opposition.opposition.

• Good at ‘hiding’ – i.e. kept her Good at ‘hiding’ – i.e. kept her distance from a mess.distance from a mess.

John Major’s STYLEJohn Major’s STYLE

• Initial attempt to NOT be Thatcher.Initial attempt to NOT be Thatcher.

• Early image of a consensus Early image of a consensus leader.leader.

• 1992 Election – contrast with 1992 Election – contrast with Thatcher.Thatcher.

• After After 1992 – difficult for Major to 1992 – difficult for Major to notnot follow practices/styles follow practices/styles associated with Thatcher.associated with Thatcher.

• Major increased formal links Major increased formal links between party management and between party management and Cabinet.Cabinet.

• Continued and developed Continued and developed Thatcher’s radical agenda.Thatcher’s radical agenda.

Tony Blair as PRIME MINISTERTony Blair as PRIME MINISTER

• Government centralised at Downing Street.Government centralised at Downing Street.

• ‘‘Top down’ style, not collegiate.Top down’ style, not collegiate.

• Key agents of advice – Cabinet Office, PM’s Key agents of advice – Cabinet Office, PM’s Office.Office.

• ‘‘Unprecedented centralisation.’Unprecedented centralisation.’ Peter Peter Hennessy.Hennessy.

• 40 Cabinet meetings a year under Major, 40 Cabinet meetings a year under Major, fewer under Blair.fewer under Blair.

• Blair’s preferred style – one to one meetings.Blair’s preferred style – one to one meetings.

• Blair’s emphasised role as government Blair’s emphasised role as government spokesperson – increase in his personal spokesperson – increase in his personal authority.authority.

• Increased role of a ‘core executive’ and Increased role of a ‘core executive’ and personal advisers displaying intense personal advisers displaying intense personal loyalty to him.personal loyalty to him.

Tony Blair as PRIME MINISTER (cont)Tony Blair as PRIME MINISTER (cont)

• Large Labour majorities since 1997 – strengthened Large Labour majorities since 1997 – strengthened Blair’s control over Parliamentary party and Blair’s control over Parliamentary party and ministers.ministers.

• Blair has made significant use of committees, Blair has made significant use of committees, ministerial groups and quangos – substantial scope ministerial groups and quangos – substantial scope for patronage by Prime Minister.for patronage by Prime Minister.

• Blair and Thatcher – Blair and Thatcher – separated at birth? separated at birth? Similarities Similarities include sense of ‘conviction’ politics and lack of include sense of ‘conviction’ politics and lack of distinct ideology. Similarities also in sense of distinct ideology. Similarities also in sense of ‘charisma’ and ‘strong leadership’.‘charisma’ and ‘strong leadership’.

• Differences between Blair and Thatcher – Blair (in Differences between Blair and Thatcher – Blair (in early years in power) willing to apologise and willing early years in power) willing to apologise and willing to experiment with policy making process.to experiment with policy making process.