The Cabinet

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The Cabinet
http//www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/050525103
6154132.htm
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What is the Cabinet?

• Group of top politicians from the governing party
  
• They meet usually once a week in 10 Downing St
  reduced to 1 hour from 2 hours
• present cabinet has 23 members
• At times the cabinet can be argued to rubber
  stamp recommendations

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collective responsibility

• Cabinet meetings may be heated debates but at
  the end of the meeting ministers are expected to
  support the cabinets decision or resign

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Cabinet Office 2001 controlled by Deputy PM
http//www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page1371.asp

• Headed by the Cabinet Secretary who arranges
  meetings, PM usually sets the agenda
• Criticised recently for ability to influence
  decision making
• The Cabinet office advises the gov on the
  implementation of policy at times this may
  obstruct policies

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister
for the Cabinet Office
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Role of the Cabinet

• May make proposals for legislation concerning the
  dept.
• Work closely with the top civil servants in the
  dept
• Responsible to parliament and answer written and
  oral questions put by MPs

• Each cabinet minister is in charge of an
  important department of state
• Responsible for day to day decisions in the dept
• Responsible to the PM for work done by dept.

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Role of the Cabinet

• To make, check or endorse major decisions e.g.
  9/11, London bombings
• To settle disputes between gov. departments e.g
  Brown may want to cut back on defence spending to
  invest in education, compromise can be reached
  behind closed doors

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Role of the Cabinet

• To discuss and agree on gov. policy- collective
  responsibility or resign e.g. Cook and Clare
  Short over Iraq
• Weekly meetings provides ministers with access to
  the PM
• Evaluate gov. initiatives e.g. foot and mouth
  crisis in 2001

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Limitations on the powers of the Cabinet

• collective responsibility Browns criticisms of
  Blair are muzzled by Cabinet collective
  responsibility.
• PM selects Cabinet Ministers leading to rubber
  stamp
• Time limitations
• Opposing the PM could mean they are sacked at
  next reshuffle

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Limitations on the powers of the Cabinet

• Frank Dobson sacked as health minister,
• Robin Cook was demoted as Foreign Secretary, Jack
  Straw took his place
• Blair was accused of backing Bush without full
  cabinet support

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Limitations on the powers of the Cabinet

• Mo Mowlam became frustrated with what she
  regarded as the PMs presidential style
• Her last years in government saw a steady flow of
  reports that someone in high places was briefing
  against her
• Blair disputed this claim she was replaced with
  Mandelson in 1999 as Secretary of State

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Limitations on the powers of the Cabinet

• Tony Blairs Cabinet barely discussed the war in
  Iraq in any great detail at all.
• Decisions were made outside of Cabinet, by Blair
  and his advisers.
• His conduct strengthens the case of those who
  claim we now have a British President than a
  Prime Minister

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• Go to http//www.historylearningsite.co.uk/cabinet
  .htm
• Read information and take notes