The Cabinet
- Created by: Isabella
- Created on: 18-05-13 10:17
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- the Cabinet
- What is the Cabinet?
- A committee of senior ministers who represent various government departments or ministries
- PM makes decisions with the Cabinet
- Without a Cabinet a government can be viewed as a personal tool of the PM
- In Britain, the Cabinet is the apex of the Executive
- The principle of a Cabinet government
- PM forms part of the Cabinet
- However,it is considered that the position of PM has now subverted the Cabinet
- Cabinet organisation
- Consists of between 20 and 25 members
- Controlled by the PM through powers of patronage
- PM also sets the agenda for meetings, which means they can leave off anything they don't like
- Cabinet committees
- Generally chaired by the PM
- Members drawn from the Cabinet as appropriate they have experience in the area
- Typical caterogies
- Foreign and Defense
- Economic
- Home Affairs
- All Cabinet decisions have to be agreed by full Cabinet- rubber stamped
- The Cabinet Office
- Coordinates activity
- Strenghtened by Blair in 2001
- Comprises over 2000 staff
- Offices are in and around Downing Street
- A minister, cabinet Secretary and 4 secretariats
- Seen as a virtual PM's department
- Roles
- Coordinating departments
- Coordinates the activities of government departments
- Secretaries of State report on the activity of their departments in Cabinet meetings
- Forward planning
- Addresses problems arising from policy and/or events
- A talking shop
- A place to raise serious concerns
- Decision making
- Bageshot described the Cabinet as the efficient secret of the government
- However, the rise of prime ministerial power overshadowed its role
- Some decisions are presented ready made- a fait accompli
- Coordinating departments
- Cabinet Government
- Where the PM is primus inter pares- first among equals
- Cabinet operated under the doctrine of collective responsbility-have to support all cabinet decisions publically
- Departments had control and autonomy but were held responsible for their actions
- Kitchen Cabinet
- Emergence of a clique of advisors-
- Membership is fixed
- Cabinet merely rubber stamps decisions
- Started in Wilson's era, but really utilized under Thatcher
- Prime Ministerial Government
- PM dominates the cabinet
- Dominates certain areas of policy (like economics)
- May dominate the whole structure of government
- Common examples are Thatcher and Blair
- Advantages/Disadvantages of Cabinet
- Advantages
- Encourages full and frank policy debate within the democracy of cabinet meetings, subjecting proposals to effective scrutiny
- It guratees the unity and cohesion of government, since the makes decisions collectively and stands by them
- Discuss, debate and refines policy
- Genuinely irons out problems
- Disadvantages
- It acts as a cloak from Prime Ministerial power because it forces dissenting ministers to support agreed government policy in public
- Hides the fact that the PM and kitchen cabinet are pulling the strings
- The government policy becomes incoherent and inconsistent, as decisions are based on compromisesbetween competing ministers and departments
- Advantages
- What is the Cabinet?
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