Powers Of and Limitations On the UK Prime Minister

Powers Of and Limitations On the UK Prime MinisterParliament is the legislative body of the UK it is placid of bicameral parliaments The House of Commons (HOC) is responsible for considering and proposing new laws as intimately as scrutinizing semipolitical policies and legislation, oversees governments finances and administration. The House of Lords (HOL) participates inwardly the law-making process, investigates matters of public provoke independently and examines the administration of government.The fellowship with the largest number of members in the HOC forms the government under(a) the place of the Prime Minister (PM). This arrangement exists by a whereby the sovereign must identify a PM to oversee government and kick in the HOC this position has evolved overtime as a consequence of historical and semipolitical acts with origins in the early 1680s. This appointment results in a transfer of author from the sovereign to parliament under the Royal Prerogative Powers (Bradley 2011).The role of the PM is to serve as the head of the Her Majestys government having been elected as the premiership good-natured party in the UK options. He / she are not elected as head of their respective party by the public but from within their respective party (Braizer, 1999).Serving as the Chief of the Executive, the PM has a number of functions which include overseeing Parliament, overseeing the operation of the Civil Service and government agencies, table service as the link among the executive and legislative branches of the assembly, responsibility for policy and governmental decisions ensuring that they are scrutinized and implemented once Royal Ascent has been granted and component part as the figure head in the HOC (Heffernan, 2005). They are responsible for managing a number of relations which include those between the Government and the monarch butterfly, Government and the foe and between the UK and the devolved assemblies.Through the mogul of patr onage, the PM has the power to select the console The Executive and advise appoint ministers to the footlocker and appoint ministers to lead on specific policy areas such as education, health, foreign and commonwealth extending the ministerial responsibility for the respective areas of work to them.The PM pull up stakes also appoint special advisors and other political advisors within the footlocker, on the background of political viewpoint, skills and expertise.The PM is required to ensure that the order of precedency is upheld in footlocker as well as ensuring that ministers adhere to and uphold the ministerial code. dimension power over ministerial conduct (1997 revised 2007) and if required they stomach appoint, reshuffle or dismiss ministers.The PM sack up use their power of collective responsibility to silence any critics avoiding dissention and ensuring cohesion exists with the cabinet. Decisions made with Cabinet meetings chaired by the PM must have defy of the mi nisters irrespective of compact on such matters, they are required to publicly support the premenstrual syndrome decision / mandate, failure to do so can result in dismissal / resignation as was the contingency of the late Robin Cook, attracter of the Commons and former Foreign Secretary, 2003.In order to encourage support from the cabinet the PM can use their power of patronage as a tool for reward and recognition bringing ab let out qualify in behaviour and ensuring loyalty. It could be argued that this is both a power and a limitation, to some it is perceived as an elitist method of promotion on the basis of political support and rather than on the merit of work.Whilst the PM has some powers, one of the greatest limitations is the threat and in fighting from within their testify respective party without majority support, their position is weakened significantly as was the case with Margaret Thatcher in 1990, her former cabinet colleague Geoffrey Howe initiated a insurrecti on against her leading dash leading to her resignation as PM.Interestingly, her successor privy Major was subjected to a revolt following the lack of support from his party on the issue of Britain developing greater links with Europe, when the 1997 widely distributed election was undertaken he and the Conservatives suffered the largest electoral defeat in history.Without consulting the electorate, the governing party can at any time seek to replace the PM, as was the case in 2007 when Tony Blair was replaced by Gordon Brown as PM.The style of leaders style (Norton) of a PM can work for or against them during their time in office (Norton 2013). Thatcher gained significant popularity in the early 80s but went on to stomach support as she was perceived as being too over-bearing and out of touch. Her famous statement This Ladys not for turning demonstrated how aggressive her lead style was.Blairs leadership was strong and presidential like, he, like Thatcher did not ever so use h is Cabinet for scrutiny or consultation giving parachute to accusations of utilizing a kitchen-cabinet and increased use of special advisors, ultimately this caused much intuition and dissention within the party and executive (Buckley, 2006).Although the PM serves as head of Cabinet Ministerial members of the cabinet have equal powers primus inter pares, yet the PM is ac guessable to the nation and the electorate and is not above reproach. They are responsible not just for their decisions but those of their ministers.How the PM deals with contentious political or affable issues and how they seek resolution can impact greatly on their popularity and impudence in them as a leader (Quinn, 2012) as was the case with heathland (Miners Strike 1974), Thatcher (Poll Tax 1989) and Blair (Iraq 2003).Browns popularity waned over the issue of calling a general election (2007) and tax rate reductions (2008) resulting in a call for leadership contest, this was usurped on the basis of his hand ling of the financial crisis (2008).Media can grossly mold public perception on the PM depending on their readerships left or right wing views (McCombs, 2013).To conclude, the PM is granted numerous powers, many of which bestowed from the Monarch and others from their position of PM and leader of their respective party. All powers come with limitations the powers will work for or against a PM. Fundamentally their position is dependent on their interpretation and execution of said powers, a majority support of ministers on their mandate or how well he or she can inviolate their support.The office of Prime Minister is what its holder chooses and makes of it H H Asquith (Hennessy, 2001).Their leadership style can affect how ministers react their position on ever-changing legislation, how accountable they are politically and socially or when subjected to scrutiny can sway the balance of power to eventually become a limitation.(Word count 1094)BibliographyBRADLEY, A., 2011. The soverei gnty of Parliament-form or substance? The changing constitution, 23, pp. 54-56.BRAIZER, R., 1999. Constitutional Practice The Foundations of British Government. Oxford University Press on Demand.BUCKLEY, S., 2006. Prime Minister and Cabinet. Edinburgh University Press.HENNESSY, P., 2001. The Prime Minister the office and its holders since 1945. Palgrave Macmillan.MCCOMBS, M., 2013. Setting the agenda The mass media and public opinion. John Wiley Sons.NORTON, P. and JONES, B. 2014. Politics UK. eighth Edition. Harlow, PearsonQUINN, T., 2012. Electing and Ejecting Party Leaders in Britain. Springer.