Prime Minister

THE PRIME MINISTER

Executive- branch of government responsible for policy making and policy implemetation

Prime Minister- head of the governemnt and of the executive branch. The prime minister chairs the cabinet.

Cabinet- The committee of senior cabinet miniters that is the main collective desicion- making body of government.

Role of PM

• Political leadership
• national leadership- predominant political figure in the UK and provides national ladership at times of crisis.
• Appointing the government
• Chairing the Cabinet
• Managing the executive

Sources of authority:

• Parliament- PMs usually ahve a party majiirty in the Commons
• Popular mandate- the concept of a government having a legitimate mandate to govern via the fair winning of a democratic election is a central idea of representative democracy
• Authority from the ruling party as elected party leader
• From above- the prerogative powers from the monarch

Powers of the PM

1) leader of the largest party of the HoC and accountable to the house of commons e.g. PMQs, also the Liason Commitee of MPs. A working majorty in parliament strengthens the position of the PM, as it means that he or she is more liekly to enjoy the confidence of the Commons and be able to enact the government's programme. However, the increased incidence of rebellion by back bench MPssuggests that a prime minister cannot always rely on their support

2) Appointing the cabinet/ heads of departments

• based on a series of factors
• balance between loyalists and ensuring party breadths (including different wings)
• e.g. Brown and Blair, Brown and D. Miliband and…