The Core Executive

• Prime Minister
• Cabinet: 20-24 ministers to propose legislation and implement policy
• Civil Service: advise on and put policy into practise e.g. Job Centres, Ofsted, DVLA, MI5
  • Supported and advised by think tanks, Quangos, Lobbyists, Bank of England, Army Officers

The Cabinet

•20-24 leading ministers (i.e. run a department)

•Supported by junior ministers

•Meet once a week 

•Relationship between PM and Chancellor crucial

•Mostly HOC MPs (some SPADs)

In Theory

• Decisions are made by the WHOLE CABINET- Prime Minister is "first among equals" or "primus inter pares"
• Work with the legacy left and have a long-term strategy
• Meet regularly- once a week on Tuesday for 2 hours

In Practise

• Decisions are not unanimous e.g. Coalition in 2010-15; if it impacts certain departments; Blair undermined Cabinet
• Unforseen Circumstances- e.g. EU referendum; cabinet changes or reshuffles; resignation; terrorist attacks; inflation/deflation etc.
• Ministers may face emergencies- e.g. meetings and summits; election campaigning; death of monarch; COBRA meetings

• People believed May revived traditional collegiate government 

• BUT Heathrow decision cabinet committee was “ceremony”

• May had announced the timetable for invoking article 50 at the Tory Party conference without consulting the Cabinet

• Clement Attlee went behind the back of his cabinet to authorise the building of Britain’s nuclear weapons

• Cameron was forced to work with Clegg in the coalition- usually used the QUAD containing 2 Tories and 2 Lib Dems

Formal- created in 1916 after the Battle of the Somme

Secretary: senior civil servant and policy adviser to PM and Cabinet. Also responsible for all civil servants of various departments e.g. Jeremy Heywood since January 2012

• Responsibility can vary
• Acts as support
• See papers from previous PM
• Day to Day running the cabinet
• Intelligence services

Secretariat: supports the prime minister and ensures the effective running of government

• Organises meetings
• Takes minutes of the meetings
• Prepares agenda

Informal

Prime Ministers periodically hold meetings with small groups of ministers, advisers and officials.

• In times of crisis, a select group of ministers may meet regularly to discuss developments and formulate policy

• Select group of ministers (Chancellor, Foreign Sec., Home)

• Use a meeting to “rubber stamp” decisions

• E.g. Harold Wilson created a short-lived cabinet to deal with the 1968-69 sterling crisis

• “War Cabinets” of senior ministers and defence chiefs were in place during the Falklands War, Iraq and Libya intervention

Informal

• Advisers and members of staff at No. 10 who form “inner circle” who helped PM make decisions
• Ministers, advisers and SPADs
• Bigger the Kitchen Cab more PM faces accused of “presidentialism”
• Blair- Clair Short attacked in her resignation speech
• Cameron and Osbourne

• Formal
• Appointed by the PM to consider aspects of government business
• Standing committees (permanent for PMs term)
• ad-hoc (temporary with particular issue)
• ministerial subcommittees (report to standing committees)
• Offical committees of civil servants

• Informal
  • meant to be a formal part of policy making --> coalition

• Meant to be an executive committee

• made up of 2 Liberal Democrats and 2 Conservatives
  • Danny Alexander and Nick Clegg; David Cameron and George Osbourne

• meetings not always in the Cabinet
  • in evening over dinner

• Idea was that discussion could be honest

• limited other ministers

• Informal

• meeting between PM and a department minister in which policy is agreed

• intended to keep difficult issues off the cabinet agenda

• Tony Blair's preferred style (av. 45 minutes with Cabinet)

• Mo Mowlam "he killed Cabinet government"

Why did he need to restore it?

• rejected Blair's "sofa government" style
• coalition required a close relationship between Cameron and Clegg (first since 1945)

Evidence he restored Cabinet Government

• all papers must state what has been done to ensure collective approval
• chair and deputy must sign off the papers (one from each party)
• cabinet met every Tuesday for 2 hours

Evidence he did not

• operated day to day under coalition committee ("quaterback coaltion")
• The Quad
• In-Cabinet split over issues such as tuition fees, HOL reform etc.

• members agree that there is more discussion and consultation (has to be due to EU)

• Theresa May and Philip Hammond don't work as a joint project
  • "the finance minister, not the chief executive"

• three new cabinet committees- possibly where all the power resides

• Convention --> Cabinet has to show public unity
• All ministers are collectively accountable and responsible
• If ministers feel that they cannot publicly support they must RESIGN
• necessary to maintain confidence from the electorate

Examples

• David Cameron suspended CCR for the EU Referendum in 2016
• AV referendum campaign 2011
• Iain Duncan Smith resigned over disability cuts in 2016

• ministers are answerable to Parliament for all that happens

• They must
  • accept responsibility for actions of their deparment
  • behave appropriately in their personal life
  • must be competent

• ministers required to inform Parliament about work/ conduct of deparments

• more than accountable- responsible because they may lose office if the fault is serious

Why do ministers resign?

• Sexual or financial impropriety
  • Maria Miller (Culture Sec.) 2014 --> claimed £14,000 p.a. on her home claiming it was 2nd
• Misjudgements/mistakes
  • Andrew Mitchell (Govt. Chief Whip) 2012 --> Plebgate

Significant

• principles of integrity still remain --> for this reason Liam Fox and Andrew Mitchell had to resign
• Bluknett resigned due to breeches of ministerial code --> fast-tracked lover's nanny's visa 2004

Not significant

• When May was Home Sec. (2011) she refused to accept responsibility for failings of Border Control Agency --> blamed Brodie Clark 
  • she remained in office while Clark was forced to resign

• Ministers are also expected to be competent
  • Jeremy Hunt had 4 Jr Drs strikes

• Selflessness: should act soley on terms of the public interest

• Integrity: should not place themselves udner any obligation (fiancial or otherwise) to outside individuals

• Objectivity: carrying out public business should be made on merit alone

• Accountability: holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public

• Openess: holders of public office should be as open as possuble about all decisions; they should give reasons and only restrict information when in public interest

• Honesty: have a duty to delcare any private interests relating to their public duties

• Leadership: should promote and support these principles by leadership and example

• Chairman of the Cabinet --> chooses the cabinet

• Leader of the majority party

• Representative abroad e.g. G8 Summits

• Oversees/manages policy --> "primus inter pares"

• Convention powers, not law

• Royal Prerogative --> powers in the name of the monarch

• Rise of "personal leadership" which focuses on image (first PM for this = Wilson 1964)

• Growth of "sofa government" style with Blair

• Media --> leaders' debates; PMQs puts PM in the spotlight

• Growth of SPADs --> Alastair Campbell (Blair); Coulson and Oliver (Cameron)

• Large majorities (Blair 1997 100+)

• Weak Opposition (e.g. 1997-2005, Cons. had 4 different leaders; Corbyn 2015 onwards)

• leader acts separately from their Cabinet/ party
• has executive power- makes legislation individually rather than considering party policy
• media focused

Different from PRIME MINISTERIAL

• reduce cabinet influence
• still relies on the Cabinet to "rubberstamp" but is more dominant
• PM strong but not the centre of media

Tony Blair

• Alastair Campell --> "spin doctor" within the media
• Increaesed use of SPADs  --> 82 over 11 years; giving power similar to executive orders
• The Sun endorses Blair rather than Labour --> media friendly
• "Blairite" and "New Right" --> associated directly with policy "education, education, education"

Margaret Thatcher

• Reduced the size of the CS --> US President can choose 20,000 civil servants
• Thatcherism- defined branch of conservatism; stands alone "New Right"
• Formed a bilateral with Ronal Reagan
• Media Spotlight

Theresa May

• Announced Article 50 timeline at Tory Party conference without Cabinet
• The Media is focuses on May, not the conservatives "strong and stable"
• Unelected- doesn't have to put forward manifesto e.g. Grammar Schools

Gordon Brown

• Said to lack the "charm" Tony Blair has with the media
  • "Labour's Lost it" - The Sun
• "Government of All Talents"
  • ministers chosen with specific expertise to work in department; intended to use government  to formulate good quality legislation, rather than policy between "friends"

David Cameron

• coalition --> work with Nick Clegg to implement policy- averaged, 2 hour meetings with Cab.
• Rejected Blair's "sofa" style of government
• 2015 --> majority of 12; relied on wide support for legislation
• FPTA --> limits power to call an election at a time that is favourable to him

James Callaghan

• Minorty government 1974-9 --> relied on the support of Liberal Party and then SNP
• Thatcher's campaign "Labour Isn't Working"- PM hasn't been separated

Gordon Brown 2007-10

• 2008 recession was a "scapegoat"- helped to increase Conservative popularity
• not as "media friendly"- not as good at public speaking (2008 "we saved the world"); rumoured to be inflexible; bigoted woman

David Cameron 2010-2016

• 2010-15: 5 Lib Dem cabinet ministers; had to consult Clegg; LD broke CCR on issues such as tuition fees; LD not subject to Cons. whip
• 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act took away the ability to call a general election
• From the beginning of 2016 the Conservative Cabinet were divided on Europe

Theresa May 2016-present

• Had SC rulings on Article 50 (February 17th- HOC debated about Article 50)
• unelected- relies on Conservative mandate, not her own
• Slim majority of 4

• INNOVATORS: fight to become PM- in order to achieve a particular programme; prepared to push party into supporting them if necessary
  • Alec Douglas-Home --> Abolished resale price maintainance despite opposition within his party

• REFORMERS: seek power to achieve a particular programme; largely dictated by ideology
  • Clement Attlee --> Social Reform agenda; National Health Service Act 1946
  • Harold Wilson --> liberalised laws on divorce, abortion, homosexuality; abolished capital punishment

• EGOISTS: seek power for the sake of having power; primarily concerned with the here and now of politics
  • Thatcher --> "The Iron Lady"; lead country to war with Agentina; tax cuts; reformed TUs
  • Tony Blair --> accused of being presidential- bilaterals, SPADs

• BALANCERS: seek to maintain stability in society; concerned with current state of society
  • Tony Blair --> Good Friday Agreement 1998
  • Theresa May --> Brexit

• helps the government of the day develop and implement its policies as effectively as possible
• politically impartial and independent of government 
• answerable to government departments 
• last between governments
• often very influential 

Examples of civil service departments

• Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  • Oliver Morley is CEO
  • Issues driving licenses; collects road taxes

• Department of Education
  • responsible for childrens' services and education including higher and further
  • supported by 18 agencies and public bodies

• Approximately 440,000 (750,000 in 1975)
• Estimated that CS will go up due to Brexit --> 30,000 jobs

• the Department of Work and Pensions is the biggest civil service departments
  • 80,000 employees

Average Pay

• Top 170 CS up to £150,000
• Ordinary CS c. £23,000
  • lower than average salary of £26,000

• Stands for Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations
• Unelected public bodies responisble for the funding or regulation of certain areas of public policy
• Funded by the taxpayer but not controlled by central government

E.G. The Environment Agency- January 2016; criticised for spending c.£100,000 on non-essentials, particularly as it was just after the Cumbrian Floods 2015

• IMPARTIALITY
  • Civil Servants serve the Crown rather than the government of the day.
  • They are expected to be politically neutral and not become overly involved in party politics

• ANONYMITY
  • Individual civil servants should not be identified as the author of advise to ministers.
  • Some may be called to parliamentary committees, but to give evidence under the direction of ministers.
  • They sign Offical Secrets Act

• PERMANENCE
  • Civil Servants stay in their posts when there is a change of government

• MERITOCRACY
  • Civil Servants are not political appointments
  • They are staffed by generalists
  • Recruited through exams and interviews

often referred to as mandarins

about 4,000 --> 1%

Only group which have direct involvement with ministers on policy

Annual pay bill- around £13 billion

Salaries anywhere between £90,000 and £140,000

• LEGISLATION
  • Prepare policy papers and speeches for ministers
  • Deal with minister's correspondence and help to prepare them for questions that might arise in the HOC

• ADMINISTRATION
  • maintain a minister's offical diary and minute meetings
  • consult with pressure groups to develop their knowledge on certain issues

• ADVISORY
  • Advise on issues relevant to department

• POLICY EXECUTION AND IMPLEMENTATION
  • Analyse goals and ensure that resources enable implementation

• DEVELOPMENT
  • Develop departmnet's attitudes and work by looking at practical difficulties, examining alternatives

• 38% are female (53% of CS overall)

• 7% are BME (10% of CS overall)

• 5% openly disabled (9% of CS overall)

• 55% Oxbridge

• 55% Fee-paying schools (7% nationally)

• Increased public identification of key civil servants and their impact on policy
• Cabinet Secretary is easily recognisable from reports and they sometimes appear before select committees
• e.g. Brodie Clark (head of UK Border Force) was publicly blamed by Theresa May for relaxing entry checks to reduce queues

• temporary civil servants, employed for the duration of a government, to provide a political dimension to the non-partisan work of the Civil Service

• Their salaries are paid by the Crown
  • December 2016: the Independent estimated May's SPADs pay bill will total £7.9 million- lower than Cameron's estimated £8.4 million
  • May's joint Chief of Staff (Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy) are paid £140,000 (twice an MP)

They undermine the Civil Service principles because they are not permanent

E.g. Cameron and Blair had different "spin doctors"

Being appointed by different governments means they are no politically neutral/ impartial

They are not anonymous e.g. Alastair Campbell subject to high levels of scrutiny under Blair (Iraq Dossier)

1964-70 HAROLD WILSON

• Fulton Report 1968 suggested reform needed
• Civil Service department- took over recruitment (used to be CS commission); managed pay and treasury
• Civil Service Colleges- give training to civil servants; 3 training centres; between 1969-70 over 200,000 were in formal training

1997-2010 TONY BLAIR // GORDON BROWN

• Performance and Innovation Unit- examine cross-governmental policies; sort out disputes; part of the Cabinet Office
  
• SPADs- increased use; instead of Senior Civil Servants; break stranglehold of traditional attitudes; politicised CS

1979-97

• Efficiency Unit 1982- merged CS departments to save money; increased efficiency; staff fell from 750,000 in 1979 to 600,000 in 1990

• Next Steps Programme 1988- power transferred to executive agencies; chief executive responsible; 1990 75% of CS employed by agencies; e.g. H.M. Prison Service

• Marketisation- govt. deparments and executive agencies are contracted out to private sector; competition between the investors increases the efficiency; makes them cheaper to run

• Public Bodies Act 2011- reduced the size of the civil service by 73,000

• Civil service reform plan- 5 year plan; improve the skills and performance; reconstruct websites; open up policy making through cross-departmental teams

• 2016- as many as 30,000 jobs could be created in order to deal with exiting the EU

EXECUTIVE AGENCIES

• blurredlines of accountability
• not clear whether agency chief executives or govt. ministers should be held responsbile for policy failures
• Ministers use distinction between policy and operations to escape direct responsibility for policy delivery problems
• E.g. Theresa May and Brodie Clark

POLITICISATION

• Govts. criticised for exerting too much political pressure on the civil service
• Use of SPADs has meant that the role of CS play in promoting govt. policy is based, in part, on political considerations
• Undermines impartiality

Fragmentation

• Particularly directed towards Next Step Programme
• Separation of the policy advice and service delivery function of the CS has brought fragmentation
• Problems of control and coordination