Revision:The Powers of the Prime Minister and Limitations on His Power

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The Powers of the Prime Ministers

• Power to appoint, reshuffle or dismiss ministers

• Power to create peers

• Power to give out honours

• Power to appoint chairs of nationalised industries

• Power to make other appointments (e.g. top civil servants, ambassadors, bishops, judges)

• Power over ministerial conduct (rules are laid out in the ministerial code (Cabinet Office 1997)

• Powers relating to government business (e.g. setting the agenda for Cabinet meetings, setting up Cabinet committees and choosing whether or not to circulate minutes or papers)

• Powers over information (e.g. deciding whether or not to inform Parliament about government activities and using the lobby system to inform the media).

• Powers in international relations

• Power to terminate a Parliament or government

(Adapted from Tony Benn 1981)

Limitations or Constraints on Prime Ministers Powers

Ministerial appointments require some recognition of the need for political balance and administrative competence. There is pressure (from colleagues or the media) to appoint certain people- all Prime Ministers at least listen to advice from senior colleagues before making appointments.

The Prime Ministers ability to control the flow of business is restricted.

Apart from drawing up the party manifesto, most Prime Ministers do not initiate policy- they have a small staff and most expertise and detailed information is located in individual departments.

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