POWERS OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Is the Prime Minister All-Powerful?

POWERS OF THE PRIME MINISTER

All PMs have certain constitutional powers.

How well they use these powers depends on their personality and political style.

Although, there is Cabinet government in the UK, the PM’s power is assured through ‘primus inter pares’: first among equals.

HER MAJESTY’S PRIME MINISTER

The PM does not have the constitutional authority a US President has.For example, the PM is Her Majesty’s PM.

The PM is not directly elected by all UK voters.In theory, the Conservatives could replace David Cameron as PM at any point without consulting the electorate.

Gordon Brown was not elected as PM. The Labour Party selected him to be PM when Tony Blair resigned in 2007.

2010 State Opening of Parliament

PUBLIC OPINIONUntil recently, the PM could call a General Election at any point within the lifetime of a Parliament.

Choosing the right time for the PM and his party was a political skill.

Gordon Brown really should have called a General Election in 2007 when Labour was 10% ahead of the Conservatives in the opinion polls. He didn’t, chose to hang on and Labour lost the 2010 General election.

David Cameron has pledged that the UK will now move towards fixed-term Parliaments, with the next General election to be held on 7 May 2015, however this plan was recently defeated in the Lords.

BROWN V BLAIR

Tony Blair had to keep Gordon Brown in the Cabinet, despite his reservations over him. Brown had too much political support to be left plotting and complaining “outside the tent”. Blair gagged Brown through the Cabinet custom of “collective responsibility”.

A minister who will not publicly support the agreed Cabinet decision has to resign. Brown never resigned during the Blair years.

Peter Mandelson “The Third Man”

“The relationship with Gordon was very, very difficult...I’m afraid I stopped taking his calls.” Tony Blair

THE FRACTIOUS BROWN CABINET

A PM will promote his most trusted allies into the Cabinet

Most MPs seek promotion. The PM can use this ambition to promote loyalty.

Sometimes a PM has to appoint rivals into the Cabinet for a variety of reasons.

COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY

Gordon Brown included “Blairites” within his own Cabinet. His term as PM was characterised by one botched coup after another. The most significant attempted coup happened in June 2009 during the disastrous Euro Election campaign.

Caroline Flint resigned, accusing the PM of using female Cabinet members as “window dressing”.Hazel Blears resigned on the eve of the Euro elections, rocking the boat by “returning to the grassroots”.

James Purnell resigned, telling the PM to quit, in order to save the Labour Party from defeat at the next General Election. He didn’t. Influential Cabinet ministers, such as Harriet Harman, Ed Balls and the Milibands would not overthrow the PM.

SPECIAL ADVISERS

Tony Blair famously confided in SPADs, such as Jonathan Powell, more than Cabinet colleagues. He was always at Tony Blair’s side, just below the radar.

Blair made decisions outside of Cabinet in bilateral meetings with his Special Advisers. This approach was termed “sofa government”.

In 2009, Gordon Brown had 11 SPADs in his “kitchen Cabinet”.Tony Blair and Jonathan

Powell

Gordon Brown with disgraced SPAD Damian McBride

Special advisers (“SPADs”) are defined as "temporary civil servants", who are exempt from the traditional requirement of officials that they should behave impartially and with objectivity, freeing them to brief politically for Ministers.

DAVID CAMERON HAS HAD HIS SPAD PROBLEM TOO

David Cameron appointed former NOTW editor Andy Coulson to be his Director of Communications.

However, he had to resign over phone hacking allegations. This has undermined the credibility of David Cameron.

Andy Coulson resigns

PATRONAGE

The PM can appoint many others outside of the Cabinet e.g. senior civil servants, judges and heads of government bodies.

The PM can also appoint members of the House of Lords.

Tony Blair was accused of giving peerages in return for donations to the Labour Party.

Gordon Brown, famously, gave a peerage to former arch enemy Peter Mandelson in order to bring him back into government.

INTERNATIONAL STATESMAN

The PM can dominate the news agenda by going on the international stage.

For example, by hosting meetings at Number 10 or going to NATO/UN summits.

This can make an Opposition leader appear less important.

Barack Obama’s 2011 three day State Visit to the UK saw both the President and the Prime Minister redefine the traditional special relationship as ‘the essential relationship.

Obama’s State Visit

THE PRESS

The media is a double edged sword.

When the PM is in control, the media will be on his side.

But it can put the PM on the defensive too e.g. the expenses row. The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail are Conservative supporters. But even The Guardian called on Gordon Brown to resign. The Sun and other News International titles switched to the Conservatives for the 2010 General Election.

PRESIDENTIAL PROFILE

While the PM is not directly elected the way a US President is and does not have the powers of a US President, the modern media increasingly personalise politics.

The personality of the PM is exposed 24/7, especially at election time. The success of a Government can depend on the public image of the PM.

PRESSURE GROUPS

Joanna Lumley’s Gurkha campaign made Gordon Brown’s Government look silly.

David Cameron’s coalition government have faced revolt from groups over issues concerning health reforms, changes to pensions and cuts to public services.

In 2011, over ½ million people demonstrated in London over the coalition government’s cuts and austerity measures.

TUC Rally 26th March 2011

PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY

Government whips usually ensure that the Executive usually wins Parliamentary votes

The larger the Government majority, the less power back benchers have

But, a Government with a small majority and low opinion poll ratings will encourage back bench revolt.

David Cameron does not have a parliamentary majority and is reliant on Liberal Democrat whips as well as his own Conservative ones, to maintain parliamentary support for his Executive.

PRIME MINISTER’S QUESTION TIME

A dominant PM can use PMQT to raise Government morale and demoralise the Opposition.However, a weakened PM will find PMQT an uncomfortable experience.

As Opposition leader David Cameron “scored points” in his debates with Gordon Brown in a way his predecessors never did with Tony Blair. Question Time became something of an ordeal for Gordon Brown.

After a shaky start, Ed Miliband is becoming more confident at PMQs and has managed to put the Prime Minister on the spot on several occasions.

EVENTS….THE ELECTION THAT NEVER WAS

Above all, a PM’s authority will rest on his ability to make good decisions in response to the many unforeseeable social/economic and political events which will come his way.

Gordon Brown dithered in October 2007 in the election that never was.

He never really recovered.

Former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was asked by a young journalist what can most easily steer a government off course. He replied "Events, dear boy. Events".

EVENTS…THE CREDIT CRUNCH

Some “events can also be good for a PM, if he reacts well. For a brief spell Gordon Brown enjoyed a “bounce” as he appeared to take control of the credit crunch.

But as the credit crunch turned into a recession, the Labour Government was blamed.

Gordon Brown applauded in Congress

EVENTS… THE EXPENSES SCANDAL

Politicians from all parties have been implicated in the expenses scandal.

But it impacted on the Labour Government more. It simply had more MPs and proportionately more who had acted improperly.

Does the public expect higher standards from Labour MPs?

EVENTS…EURO ELECTION DISASTER

The 2009 Euro elections further weakened PM Brown’s authority.

“A long, dark night of humiliation”.

Labour won less than 16% of the vote and came 3rd, behind UKIP.

CAN ALL LEAD TO A PRIME MINISTER LOSING CONTROL

Tuesday 2 June 2009

There is no single formula for understanding PM power.

The PM has certain constitutional and personal powers he can utilise.

But, these can all come undone if he does not use these powers wisely.

COALITION CABINET

The Coalition Cabinet

It is early days for the new Coalition cabinet. The PM is, in theory, “first among equals”.

As PM, David Cameron has to keep not just the Conservatives on side, but the Lib Dems too.

The “command and control” style of Gordon Brown cannot work for David Cameron.

He must cajole and persuade Cabinet Ministers to support him on a wide range of issues.

A STABLE COALITION?

The Conservatives have been out of power for 13 years. They are desperate for the Coalition to work and unity in support of the PM will not be difficult to find. At least in the early years!

Likewise with the Lib Dems. These are the first Liberal politicians in living memory to serve as Ministers. Big players such as Nick Clegg and Vince Cable have invested too much political capital in the Coalition to bring it down.

But Lib Dem MPs and activists may not be quite so committed….

DAVID CAMERON & PHONE HACKING

For the first time since 2002, Parliament was recalled so that the PM could deliver a statement on the issue.

It was only at this point the PM distanced himself from Andy Coulson. However, his judgement and credibility have been dented by this issue.

David Cameron’s regrets over Andy Coulson

The biggest test of David Cameron’s premiership so far has been his involvement in the phone hacking scandal through his appointment of SPAD Andy Coulson.