FUNCTIONS of PRIME MINISTER and CABINET.
1. Make a list of the major functions and powers of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister’s real title is the First Lord of the Treasury. The Prime Minister’s importance in the constitution evolved as the importance of the monarch diminished in the 18th century. Nowadays the Prime Minister is appointed (by convention) by the Queen as the leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons. Through time the role and powers of the Prime Minister have changed but recently MP Tony Benn outlined that the functions of the Prime minister could fit into ten different categories. The most important reshuffle of dismiss ministers without the need for consent from any superior body power which the PM exercises is the power to appoint, reshuffle or dismiss any minister without the need for consent from any regulator. His second role is to appoint peers to the House of Lords. The PM must also draw up the honours list for the queen every year. He/She must also appoint chairs of nationalised industries (although there are few left), top civil servants, bishops, judges, ambassadors etc. The PM must chair the cabinet meetings, set the agenda for them, decide whether or not to inform parliament or the media about government, use his role as a figure-head for the nation to keep up international relations. The PM finally has the power to terminate parliament or government and call for a general election. These are his powers from Tony Benn in 1981, obviously since then his powers will have changed (eg: there is now only one nationalised industry to appoint the chair of). The other functions of the PM, as the leader of the government, are numerous and hence there are plenty of supporting offices and civil servants who will lighten the load for the PM. As head of the executive the prime minister is in charge of these governing agencies and is answerable to all of their decisions. As a key contributor to the parties manifesto the PM is largely responsible for government policy (especially economic and foreign) although the decision making apparatus is usually the relevant department rather than the PM themselves. Obviously as the Party leader the they must too lead the party in parliament and answer for his/her decisions in Prime Minister’s question time every Tuesday and Thursday. Although the PM is undoubtedly the most important and powerful single person in the government it important to realise that for almost every decision that the PM makes there is a whole office of civil servants and ministers behind the scenes whose sole job is to implement that policy. So the Prime minister can only really direct the direction which the party goes in rather than taking a really hands on approach since there simply isn’t the time in the day for them to do it all.
