Exam question feedback – Parliament

Stimulus Exam Question (June 2009)

Question 1

a) With reference to the source, identify two types of issues discussed by the cabinet.

1 mark for each of two issues identified.

The issues of Cabinet mentioned in the source are; discussing the great issues of the day, discussing the economic situation of the day, hearing reports from senior ministers, discussing parliamentary business and the legislative programme.
An additional 2 marks available for the fullness of the explanations, and for explained examples.

1          2          3          4          5

b) With reference to source 2, and your own knowledge, what factors does the Prime Minister take into account when appointing cabinet ministers?
Indicative Content
The factors that appear in the source include:

• The ability of the minister, suggested by the appointment of Jacqui Smith, former Chief Whip.
• Miliband’s appointment suggests it is a good idea to bring a rival into the Cabinet. (as did Mandelson’s return to Cabinet in 2008). Collective responsibility will prevent them from being too obstructive.
• The source states that Brown avoided former Blair supporters staying in their existing posts, thus demonstrating a clean break with the past.
• He might wish to have a socially balanced cabinet.

The factors that are not apparent in the source include:

• A Prime Minster might appoint a member who has a substantial following in the ruling party (Mowlem, Prescott, Johnson).
• He might want a balanced Cabinet, in which case he would appoint members from different sections of the party, with different political views. John Major had to do this.
• He might want to appoint his very close allies, sometimes as a reward for past support, Brown appointed Darling and Straw partly on these grounds.

c) To what extent is the Cabinet an important body?

Indicative Content

The Cabinet remains an important body for reasons including these :

• It is still required to legitimise the policies of the prime Minister and the Government.
• It remains a collection of senior party members who can discuss the key issues of the day (note the source on the economic situation).
• It still manages the government’s priorities and its business through Parliament.
• In some circumstances it does make key decisions (perhaps rarely), for example to bid for the Olympics, to pursue the introduction of ID cards.
• It can still deal as the final stage in settling disputes between ministers.
• It provides important united support for the Prime Minister.

The Cabinet has lost importance for the following reasons :

• Various factors have led to the growth of prime ministerial power – the growth of the Downing Street machine, bilateral agreements with ministers, media factors etc.
• Cabinet has become marginalised and meets for very short periods on the whole. It is not given time to conduct serious discussions.
• The growth of the use of private advisers has meant that ministers tend to act more independently (so called ‘baronies’), with Cabinet acting as little more than a ‘rubber stamp’.
• Collective responsibility has become weaker, with ministers briefing the media and leaking information.

Essay Exam Question (January 2010)

To what extent does the prime minister dominate the UK political system?

Indicative Content

Evidence that the prime minister does dominate the system can include :

• The argument that, as cabinet has declined, so has the power of the P.M. increased. Note less cabinet meetings and shorter duration.
• Evidence of recent dominant prime ministers – Thatcher, Blair (Brown not at first, but then took over single handed management of the financial and economic crisis after 2007).
• Growth of the Number 10 ‘machine’.
• Tendency of media to see the P.M. as spokesperson for the whole government.
• Weakness of parliament and ability of P.M. to force through his legislation
• Dominance of the P.M. in increasingly important international affairs – note attendance at many world meetings etc. and importance of foreign policy since the 1980s. This enhances the P.M’s authority.

Counter arguments to this analysis might include :

• Prime Ministers are only as powerful as circumstances allow them to be – note Major and the early Brown or late Blair. Size of parliamentary majority, economic and political context, media attitudes, strength of Opposition.
• Dominance may also depend on the personality of the P.M. (Major).
• Parliament has become increasingly active – note its obstruction of terrorist suspect detention without trial, super-casinos etc.
• Note the argument that this is about ‘style’ and not substance.
• M. can still be overruled by Cabinet and cannot force policies through powerful, reluctant colleagues.

Appropriate use of illustrations and examples are included in this assessment objective