The impact and effectiveness of ministerial reshuffles PDF Download

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Political and Constitutional Reform Committee
Publisher: Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215059031
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Book Description
Reshuffles are damaging to the effectiveness of individual Ministers and of Government as a whole. They also hinder Parliament's ability to hold Government to account. Every time there is a reshuffle, it is proceeded by months of speculation about who will move where, which in itself causes a kind of paralysis within Government. The Committee calls for Secretaries of State to be left in post for the length of a Parliament. Taken together with the advent of fixed-term Parliaments, this should enable them to make a real difference. Some reshuffling of ministers is inevitable because of resignations and illness but reshuffles have become a habit in the UK. The majority of the Committee concluded that there should be a specific Minister in the Cabinet Office who is responsible for ministerial development. He or she should oversee ministerial training and appraisal. There should also be compulsory training for all new Ministers, continuous professional development for experienced Ministers and basic ministerial training for shadow Ministers in the 12 months before the expected date of a general election. Outgoing Ministers should handover directly to their successors, rather than relying exclusively on the civil service to conduct handovers.

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215062277
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 350

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Book Description
On cover and title page: House, committees of the whole House, general committees and select committees. On title page: Returns to orders of the House of Commons dated 14 May 2013 (the Chairman of Ways and Means)

Author: Peter Riddell
Publisher: Profile Books
ISBN: 1782835334
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 307

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Book Description
Aside for the secretaries of state, those lofty roles at the Home Office, MOD, Exchequer, and Foreign office, the ministers of the UK are a cast of roles that expand, and contract based on the whims and political needs of the Prime Minister. Within their portfolios those MPs and Lords are immensely powerful - able to reshape whole sectors of British society, grant or refuse government contracts and planning permission, and intervene in matters throughout the country. And yet, few members of the British Public could name every single minister and fewer still could say the extent of each minister's responsibilities. We like to imagine that they are competent, prepared, and entirely in control, and we hold them to standards as though they are. But they are often none of those things. These men and women serve at the pleasure of the Prime Minister. Any misstep or scandal can invite media attention, public outcry, and their swift departure. At the same time, their resignations can shatter political alliances and bring down Prime Ministers and even governments. Their positions are, therefore, both immensely powerful and precarious. In Fifteen Minutes of Power, Peter Riddell draws on interviews with former ministers, conducted on behalf of the Institute of Government, to reveal the fraught existence of these powerful men and women.

Author: Leighton Andrews
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031500083
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 540

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Book Description
Ministerial Leadership offers a practice-based account of how ministers in UK governments perform their roles and exercise leadership in their spaces of activity. Drawing on the unique Ministers Reflect archive of the Institute for Government, which is an open and growing resource of over 140 ministerial interviews at UK and devolved government levels, as well as other ministerial reflections, the book addresses the literature on ministerial life and political leadership, and develops new concepts for examining ministerial leadership in different spheres. It argues that the relationship between ministers and civil servants has changed significantly in recent decades, as ministers place greater emphasis on delivery and implementation. The book adopts a theoretically pluralist approach with the intention of offering a valuable teaching aid for existing and new courses. It will appeal to all those interested in public policy and governance.

Author:
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192857460
Category : Public law
Languages : en
Pages : 817

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Book Description
Fresh, modern, and practical, Public Law provides law undergraduates with a unique approach to constitutional and administrative law, aptly demonstrating why this is an exciting time to be studying the subject. Writing in a fluid, succinct style, the authors carve a logical pathway through the key areas studied on the LLB, guiding students to a solid understanding of the fundamental principles. This theoretical grounding is then rooted in reality, with each concept applied to a hypothetical scenario (included at the start of each chapter) to set it into a practical context. While this practical element helps students to understand how the law applies and develop problem-solving skills, a trio of supportive learning features also encourages active engagement with and a critical appreciation of public law. 'Key case' boxes highlight and analyse the significant case law in each area; 'Counterpoint' boxes flag alternative viewpoints and areas of debate; and 'Pause for reflection' boxes prompt readers to consider the impact of laws, and what potential developments and reforms may lie ahead. Public Law's modern approach and unique combination of practical application and theoretically critical discussion makes it the ideal choice for students seeking to understand concepts not only in the abstract but in practice, helping them to develop the skills they need to succeed at university and beyond. Digital formats and resources This third edition is supported by online resources and is available for students or institutions to purchase in a variety of digital formats. - The e-book offers a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks - Online resources to support the book feature multiple choice questions, guidance on approaching and analysing the real life scenarios in the book, legal updates, and links to useful material elsewhere on the web.

Author: Jean Blondel
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1349113956
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Book Description
Despite the apparent political similarities in Western Europe, the models of cabinet government employed by different nations vary. In exploring the ministerial profession, this text reveals the political traditions and the different needs and expectations of citizen and politician alike.

Author: Tom Ginsburg
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1316712575
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 447

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Book Description
From London to Libya, from Istanbul to Iceland, there is great interest among comparative constitutional scholars and practitioners about when a proposed constitution is likely to succeed. But what does it mean for a constitution to succeed? Are there universal criteria of success, and which apply across the board? Or, is the choice of criteria entirely idiosyncratic? This edited volume takes on the idea of constitutional success and shows the manifold ways in which it can be understood. It collects essays from philosophers, political scientists, empiricists and legal scholars, that approach the definition of constitutional success from many different angles. It also brings together case studies from Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. By exploring a varied array of constitutional histories, this book shows how complex ideas of constitutional success play out differently in different contexts and provides examples of how success can be differently defined under different circumstances.

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Political and Constitutional Reform Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 0215073215
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Book Description
Many of the Prime Minister's powers are obscure "prerogative" powers, which are not well understood or defined. More of these prerogative powers should be codified in statute to make them more transparent and increase accountability to Parliament. Government should also consider consolidating the existing Prime Ministerial powers in one place - the way the role has evolved means there is no single and authoritative source of information on the powers. There is widespread agreement that the Prime Minister's role has increased in recent decades-including in policy making. Coalition government has to some extent constrained the powers of the Prime Minister but this might not persist under single-party government. The need for support by a majority of Members of Parliament and the Cabinet acts as a check and balance on the Prime Minister. However, these political mechanisms are not effective on a "day-to-day" basis. The Liaison Committee has the potential to be a very effective mechanism for Parliament to hold the Prime Minster to account, and should continue to improve the way it works. The Government should consider a role for Parliament in the investiture of the Prime Minister, or the Government, after a general election. Some consider that accountability of the Prime Minister would be strengthened by direct election by the public, US style. The Government could also consider the creation of a combined Department for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, with a departmental Select Committee specifically to scrutinise that Department

Author: Ben Yong
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782254293
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
Viewers of The Thick of It will know of special advisers as spin doctors and political careerists. Several well-known ministers have been special advisers, among them David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Jack Straw and Vince Cable. People also know about the public relations disasters involving Jo Moore, Damian McBride and Adam Smith. But what is the reality? What do special advisers actually do in government? Who are they, where do they come from, and why are they needed? This book is the most detailed study yet carried out of special advisers. The Constitution Unit's research team, led by Dr Ben Yong and Professor Robert Hazell, assembled a comprehensive database of over 600 special advisers since 1979. They conducted written surveys, and interviewed over 100 special advisers, ministers and officials from the past thirty years. They conclude that special advisers are now a permanent and indispensable part of Whitehall, but are still treated as transient and temporary. The book concludes with practical recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of special advisers through improvements to their recruitment, induction and training, support and supervision, and strengthening their accountability.

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Political and Constitutional Reform Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215062352
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 52

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Book Description
The Committee supports the aims of increasing transparency in lobbying and effectively and fairly regulating third-party campaigning, but finds that the Government's bill is seriously flawed, because of inadequate consultation and a lack of pre-legislative scrutiny. Moreover, the definition of "consultant lobbying" is so narrow that not only would it exclude in-house lobbyists, which was the Government's intention, but it would also exclude the vast majority of third-party lobbyists and particularly the larger organisations. Many companies undertake lobbying as part of a wider communications and public relations business, and they spend very little of their time meeting directly with Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, meaning they could argue they were exempt from registering. The register should be expanded to include in-house lobbyists, and to cover the provision of advice on lobbying, as well as direct contact with Ministers and Permanent Secretaries. Special Advisers and Senior Civil Servants should be included in the list of people with whom contact counts as lobbying. Part 2 of the Bill, on non-party campaigning, and particularly the definition of spending "for electoral purposes" is confusing. The Committee urges the Government temporarily to withdraw the Bill and support a motion in the House to set up a special committee to carry out pre-legislative scrutiny, using the text of the existing Bill as a draft. The special committee should be charged with producing an improved Bill within six months.