Analyse the circumstances in which ministers resign

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Analyse the circumstances in which ministers resign

Abbas Ameli

The scene of UK politics has been witness to many ministerial resignations in recent decades, some more controversial than others, some more sought than others, and some more high profile than others.

Whilst some resignations such as that of Estelle Morris’s seem to have been the minister’s own preference, many other ministers have practically been forced to resign under conventions of ministerial responsibility. One of these conventions states that ministers whose departments are seen as incompetent and commit serious errors and/or if the individual minister is proven to have committed unacceptable acts should resign. This is the Individual ministerial responsibility, which also asserts that ministers should regularly attend parliament and answer questions and be prepared to be held accountable.

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David Blunkett, former Home Secretary, has already resigned twice under this convention from Tony Blair’s cabinet.

Another convention which has, on occasions, forced ministers to resign from cabinet is the Collective Ministerial Responsibility. Under this convention, individual ministers should not, at least in public, disagree with govt policies. Ministers who wish otherwise should resign from cabinet. Robin Cook and Claire Short resigned in 2003 from cabinet in oppose to the government’s decision to go to Iraq. In a statement giving his reasons for resigning Robin Cook said, "I can't accept collective responsibility for the decision to commit Britain now to ...

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