The Core Executive (AQA A-Level Politics): Revision Notes

The Core Executive

What is the core executive?

The core executive refers to the network at the heart of UK government where policy is made. It's not just the Prime Minister working alone, but rather a complex web of key players and institutions that work together. This network includes:

• The Prime Minister (the head of government)
• The Cabinet (around 20-25 senior ministers who meet weekly)
• Senior civil servants (politically neutral administrators)
• Cabinet committees (smaller groups focusing on specific policy areas)
• The Cabinet Office (which coordinates government work)

The diagram above shows how these different parts of the core executive connect and interact. Notice how the Prime Minister sits at the centre, but depends on relationships with the Treasury, Cabinet, Cabinet Office, and various departments.

Origins of the Prime Minister role

Unlike the US President, whose role was formally established in a written constitution, the position of Prime Minister emerged over time rather than being deliberately created. This reflects the evolutionary nature of Britain's uncodified constitution.

The first widely recognised Prime Minister was Robert Walpole, who served from 1721 to 1742. He was appointed as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader of the House of Commons. Interestingly, Walpole left office when he lost a vote of no confidence in Parliament—this early precedent established the principle that the Prime Minister must maintain parliamentary support.

For much of the 18th and 19th centuries, the role developed through convention and custom rather than written rules. It wasn't until 1992 that the Ministerial Code was published, providing the first formal written guide to the Prime Minister's duties and responsibilities.

How is the Prime Minister chosen?

The Prime Minister is not directly elected by voters, unlike the US President. Instead, under the parliamentary system, the PM is the leader of the party that can command a majority in the House of Commons.

Technically, the monarch invites the party leader to form a government, but this is purely ceremonial. By convention, the monarch must choose whoever can maintain majority support in Parliament. When election results are clear-cut, this is straightforward. When they're not, the situation becomes more complex.

How Prime Ministers leave office

Prime Ministers depart for various reasons:

• Election defeat (most common)
• Resignation due to ill health (e.g., Harold Wilson, 1976)
• Party pressure making their position untenable (e.g., Margaret Thatcher, 1990; Theresa May, 2019)
• Personal choice (e.g., Tony Blair announcing his departure date in advance)

Postwar Prime Ministers

Prime minister	Period	Party	Reason for leaving
Clement Attlee	1945–51	Labour	Election defeat
Winston Churchill	1951–55	Conservative	Ill health and party pressure
Anthony Eden	1955–57	Conservative	Ill health and Suez Crisis
Harold Macmillan	1957–63	Conservative	Ill health
Alec Douglas-Home	1963–64	Conservative	Election defeat
Harold Wilson	1964–70	Labour	Election defeat
Edward Heath	1970–74	Conservative	Election defeat
Harold Wilson	1974–76	Labour	Feared ill health
James Callaghan	1976–79	Labour	Confidence vote defeat, then election
Margaret Thatcher	1979–90	Conservative	Failed leadership contest
John Major	1990–97	Conservative	Election defeat
Tony Blair	1997–2007	Labour	Party pressure, announced departure
Gordon Brown	2007–10	Labour	Election defeat
David Cameron	2010–16	Conservative	EU referendum result
Theresa May	2016–19	Conservative	Brexit deadlock and party pressure
Boris Johnson	2019–22	Conservative	Resigned under party pressure
Liz Truss	2022	Conservative	Resigned after brief tenure
Rishi Sunak	2022–24	Conservative	Election defeat
Keir Starmer	2024–present	Labour	Incumbent

Key roles of the core executive

The core executive performs four essential functions in UK government:

Making policy

The executive's primary role is setting political priorities and deciding policy. This happens through Cabinet meetings and Cabinet committees. Once decisions are made, the civil service (the permanent administrative machinery) implements these policies and runs government day-to-day.

The policy-making process is collaborative, involving negotiation between different ministers and departments. However, the Prime Minister plays a crucial coordinating role and can often steer decisions in their preferred direction.

Passing legislation

Although Parliament must approve all laws, major bills originate at Cabinet level. The executive discusses and approves proposed legislation before sending it to Parliament for debate. Most of the time, this process runs smoothly because the Prime Minister's party typically has a Commons majority.

Financing decisions

A critical function of the executive—particularly the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Treasury—is deciding on taxation and government spending. These decisions are announced in the annual Budget.

There's usually intense discussion between ministers and departments about how taxpayers' money should be allocated. Different ministers advocate for their departments' priorities. The Cabinet, overseen by the Prime Minister, often serves as the forum where these competing demands are balanced and final decisions reached.

Being the national first responder

During national emergencies—wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or pandemics—the executive must respond quickly and effectively. This requires:

• Swift coordination between multiple departments
• Clear public communication to inform and reassure citizens
• Emergency measures to address the threat

Main powers of the executive

Royal prerogative powers

Many executive powers derive from the royal prerogative—powers once held by the monarch but now exercised by the government. Key prerogative powers include:

• Patronage powers: The Prime Minister can appoint and dismiss ministers without external approval. This is arguably one of the most significant powers, giving the PM substantial control over their government's composition.
• Military deployment: The government can deploy UK armed forces overseas without formal parliamentary approval.
• International relations: The executive conducts diplomacy with other nations and represents the UK internationally.
• Treaty-making: The government can negotiate and ratify international treaties and agreements in areas like trade and defence.
• Civil service organisation: The PM and Cabinet determine the structure and organisation of the civil service.
• Emergency directives: During national crises, the executive can issue statements and guidelines (though these must be backed by legislation to have legal force).

Legislative control

Beyond prerogative powers, the executive's ability to pass its legislative agenda through Parliament is crucial. The executive controls the parliamentary timetable and, with a majority, can usually ensure its bills become law.

How significant are prerogative powers?

There's ongoing debate about the importance of executive prerogative powers:

Arguments for significance

Military deployment: The ability to deploy armed forces overseas without parliamentary approval is clearly significant. The government doesn't formally need Commons approval or additional funding authorisation.

Unlimited ministerial choice: Prime Ministers have free rein over government appointments. Unlike the US President, whose Cabinet nominations require Senate approval, UK Prime Ministers face no similar requirement. They can even appoint ministers from the House of Lords who lack democratic mandates.

Crisis leadership: During emergencies, the executive—especially the Prime Minister—has a direct line to the public through broadcasts, speeches, and social media. This allows them to inform and reassure citizens without parliamentary intermediation.

Treaty negotiation: The executive conducts crucial international negotiations in trade and defence without these normally requiring direct parliamentary approval.

Arguments for limitations

Military convention: By convention, all recent military action overseas has been voted on in the Commons. This includes the Gulf Wars and air strikes on Syria and Iraq. So while the formal power exists, it's rarely used unilaterally.

Cabinet diversity requirements: Prime Ministers are constrained in ministerial choices. They must appoint cabinets with diversity in background and representation from across their party's political spectrum. Theresa May, for instance, had to include both Remainers and Brexiteers. Few cabinet members come from the Lords.

Parliamentary scrutiny of emergencies: The executive must rely on Parliament to pass necessary legislation (e.g., anti-terror laws). The opposition monitors and critiques the government's emergency responses.

Brexit limitations: The Brexit saga revealed clear limits on prerogative powers. A Supreme Court ruling forced the Prime Minister to submit Brexit deals to Parliament for approval. Even in foreign policy and diplomacy, the government is indirectly influenced by Parliament, media, and public opinion.

The UK executive in context

The UK executive system differs significantly from other models. In the USA, for example, the president often faces 'divided government', where their party doesn't control both houses of Congress. This creates stalemate and gridlock.

In contrast, the UK executive normally controls Parliament through its Commons majority, making it easier to pass legislation. This fusion of executive and legislative power is a defining feature of the Westminster system. However, as seen during 2017-2019, minority governments or slim majorities can significantly weaken the executive's ability to implement its agenda.

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