THE POWER OF THE PRIME MINISTER

The PM has considerable potential and actual power in the British political system, deriving from a number of sources.

Governmental power:

> to appoint - and to dismiss - members of the Cabinet and junior ministers; Mrs Thatcher systematically rid her Cabinet of potential opponents - critics argued that she created a Cabinet of "yes-men"

> to determine the agenda of Cabinet meetings

> to summarise Cabinet discussions and to indicate the decision

> to appoint Cabinet committees and refer items to be considered to them

> to dissolve parliament and to call an election

> as head of government, the PM takes a leading role in major policy areas, such as international affairs and economic policy.

The power of patronage:

> senior civil service appointments - Mrs Thatcher was said to appoint only those who were sympathetic to her approach and her politics

> appointments to the C of E, judiciary, quangos, the BBC, etc

> honours, especially peerages and knighthoods, as rewards for loyalty, etc - examples in the Conservative years included newspaper editors, most long serving Tory MPs, leading business figures; the current PM has been accused of honouring “Tony’s cronies” - for example, Melvyn Bragg.

Power based on party authority:

> control (in the case of the Conservatives) or significant influence (in the case of the Labour Party) over the party organisation

> party loyalty by MPs and others - unwillingness to damage the party publicly

> control of the whips within Parliament.


Constraints on Prime Ministerial power

Despite the apparent power of the Prime Minister, the PM does not operate in a political vacuum and must take account of other sources of power and other influences:

> most Cabinet ministers are usually powerful politicians in their own right - they should be able to fight for their point of view or stand up to the PM

> the PM is unlikely to be able to have a detailed knowledge of the whole range of departmental issues - this gives departmental ministers considerable leeway in decision making

> the PM cannot get too far out of step with Parliamentary opinion or party opinion for fear of rebellion

> the media can be a powerful constraint on the PM – for example, Tony Blair’s weak approach to European affairs for fear of antagonising the Sun.

If Prime Ministers create too many enemies among their colleagues or get too out of step with party opinion, then they run the risk of losing their position - as Mrs Thatcher found to her cost