In the Politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body comprised of government officials chosen by the Prime Minister. Most members are the most senior government ministers, mainly heads of government departments with the title "Secretary of State". Formal members of the cabinet are drawn exclusively from either house of Parliament. The politics of the United Kingdom are based upon a unitary state and a constitutional monarchy. ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... A minister or a secretary is a politician who heads a government ministry or department (e. ... The Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Ministries, known in the United Kingdom as Government Departments. ... In the United Kingdom, a Secretary of State is a senior Cabinet Minister in charge of a Government Department. ... The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ...

In traditional constitutional theory, in the British system of government, the Cabinet is the key formal decision making body of the executive. This interpretation was originally put across in the work of nineteenth century constitutionalists such as Walter Bagehot, and the extent to which it is a decision maker today is clearly reduced, with some claiming its role has been usurped by 'Prime-Ministerial Government', or more recently and controversially, a 'Presidential' Prime Minister. The Westminster System - also called Parliamentary System is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system, as used in the Palace of Westminster, the location of the British parliament. ... Walter Bagehot (February 3, 1826 – March 24, 1877), pronounced “Badge-utt” [1], was a nineteenth century British economist. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ...

Composition

The Prime Minister uses royal prerogative powers of patronage to appoint and dismiss members of the cabinet. Thus the Prime Minister requires the formal approval of the monarch for any appointment to the Cabinet. Today, the monarch's approval is merely token, and has never been denied in recent history. Changing the membership is called a reshuffle. The cabinet has always been led by the Prime Minister, although his role is traditionally described as primus inter pares — first among equals. The extent to which the Prime Minister is collegial depends on political conditions and individual style. The Prime Minister individually and through the cabinet secretary sets the agenda for cabinet meetings. In formal constitutional terms, the Cabinet is a committee of the Privy Council; all Cabinet members are Privy Councillors and therefore use the style "The Right Honourable". Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister A prime minister may be either: chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the... // The Royal Prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognised in common law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the Crown alone. ... The British monarch or Sovereign is the monarch and head of state of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and is the source of all executive, judicial and (as the Queen-in-Parliament) legislative power. ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... First among equals is a phrase which indicates that a person is the most senior of a group of people sharing the same rank or office. ... In the British Government, the Cabinet Secretary, or more formally Secretary of the Cabinet, is the senior civil servant in charge of the Cabinet Office, a department that provides administrative support to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the government as a whole. ... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... The Right Honourable (abbreviated The Rt Hon. ...

In recent history, the composition of the cabinet has been made up overwhelmingly of members of the House of Commons, with few members of the Lords. Today, apart from the Lord Chancellor and Leader of the House of Lords, offices that are always filled by a member of the House of Lords, no cabinet minister is drawn from the Lords. The last position to do so was the Secretary of State for International Development, filled by Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos in 2003. The last Secretary of State of a major department drawing from the Lords was Lord Young, serving between 1985 and 1989 as Secretary of State for Employment until 1987 and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry until 1989. British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons In some bicameral parliaments of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and in former times Chancellor of England, is one of the most senior and important functionaries in the government of the United Kingdom. ... Leader of the House of Lords is a function in the British government that is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, most often Lord President of the Council, Lord Privy Seal or Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. ... In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for International Development is a Cabinet minister responsible for promoting development overseas, particularly in the third world. ... Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos, PC (born 13 March 1954), is a British Labour Party politician and life peer, currently serving as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... REDIRECT David_Young,_Baron_Young_of_Graffham ... This article is about the year. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Minister of Labour re-directs here. ... The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. ...

In recent years, non-members of Parliament have been permitted by the Prime Minister to attend cabinet meetings on a regular basis, notably Alastair Campbell in his capacity as Director of Communications and Strategy between 1997 and 2003. Alastair Campbell Alastair John Campbell (born May 25, 1957) was the Director of Communications and Strategy for 10 Downing Street. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Meetings of the Cabinet

The Cabinet meets on a regular basis, usually weekly on a Thursday morning, notionally to discuss the most important issues of government policy, and to make decisions. The length of meetings vary according to the style of the Prime Minister and political conditions, but today meetings can be as little as 30 minutes in length.

The Cabinet has numerous sub-committees which focus particular policy areas, particularly ones which cut across several ministerial responsibilities, and therefore need coordination. These may be permanent committees or set up for a short duration to look at particular issues ("adhoc committees"). Junior Ministers are also often members of these committees, in addition to Secretaries of State. The transaction of government business through meetings of the Cabinet and its many committees is administered by a small secretariat within the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office is a United Kingdom government department. ...

In practice, and increasingly in recent years, weekly meetings of the full Cabinet have tended to be more concerned with the exchange of information and general discussion of day to day political issues; with major decisions being taken by Cabinet Committees or in informal groups, often bi-laterals between the Prime Minister and an individual minister. Many Prime Ministers have in effect a so-called "kitchen cabinet" consisting of their own trusted advisers who may be Cabinet members but are often trusted personal advisers on their own staff. In recent governments (generally from Margaret Thatcher), and especially in that of Tony Blair, it has been reported that many, or even all major decisions have been said to be made before cabinet meetings. This suggestion has been made by former ministers such as Clare Short and Chris Smith, in the media, and was made clear in the Butler Review, where Blair's style of "sofa government" was censured. The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925), is a British politician. ... The Right Honourable Clare Short (born February 15, 1946) is a British Labour Party politician. ... Chris Smith is the name of more than one person of note. ... On February 3, 2004 the British Government announced an inquiry into the intelligence relating to Iraqs weapons of mass destruction which played a key part in the Governments decision to invade Iraq (as part of the U.S.-led coalition) in 2003. ...

Relationship with Parliament

Two key constitutional conventions regarding the accountability of the cabinet to Parliament exist, collective cabinet responsibility and individual ministerial responsibility. These are derived from the fact the members of the cabinet are members of Parliament, and therefore accountable to it, because Parliament is sovereign. Cabinet collective responsibility means that members of the cabinet make decisions collectively, and are therefore responsible for the consequences of these decisions collectively. Therefore, when a vote of no confidence is passed in Parliament, every minister and government official drawn from Parliament automatically resign in their role as the executive, the entire executive is dismissed. So logically, cabinet ministers that disagree with major decisions are expected to resign, as to take a recent example, Robin Cook did over the decision to attack Iraq in 2003. Parliamentary sovereignty or the Sovereignty of Parliament, also Parliamentary supremacy, is the concept in the constitutional law of Westminster systems that the Parliament has absolute sovereignty. ... A Motion of No Confidence, also called Motion of Non Confidence is a parliamentary motion traditionally put before a parliament by the opposition in the hope of defeating or embarrassing a government. ... Robin Cook, December 1997 Robert Finlayson Robin Cook (February 28, 1946 – August 6, 2005), was a politician in the British Labour Party. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Individual ministerial responsibility is the convention that in their capacity as head of department, a minister is responsible for the actions, and therefore the failings too of their department. Since the civil service is permanent and anonymous, under circumstances of gross incompetence in their department, a minister 'must' resign. Perhaps surprisingly, this is relatively rare in practice, perhaps because, whilst many would consider incompetence more harmful than personal scandal, it is of less interest to more populist elements of the media, and less susceptible to unequivocal proof. The closest example in recent years is perhaps Estelle Morris who resigned as Secretary of State for Education and Skills in 2002 of her own volition (following severe problems and inaccuracies in the marking of A-level exams). The circumstances under which this convention is followed are of course not possible to strictly define, and depend on many other factors. If a minister's reputation is seen to be tarnished by a personal scandal (for example when it was revealed that David Mellor had an extra-marital affair) they very often resign, often as the result of a short period of intense media and opposition pressure for them to do so. In general, despite numerous scandals, cases of serious corruption (e.g. acceptance of bribes) are relatively rare in Britain in comparison with many other democracies. One reason is because of the strength of the whip system and political parties in comparison to individual politicans means MPs and ministers have little capacity to be influenced by external groups offering money. Estelle Morris, Baroness Morris of Yardley, PC (born 1952) is an English Labour politician and member of the House of Lords. ... The Secretary of State for Education and Skills is the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government. ... An A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education usually taken during Further Education and after GCSEs. ... The Right Honourable David Mellor (born 12 March 1949) is a British Conservative politician and barrister. ...

Questions can be tabled for Cabinet ministers in either houses of Parliament (a process called interpellation in political science), which can either be for written or oral reply. Cabinet ministers must answer them, either themselves or through a deputy. Written answers, which are usually more specific and detailed than oral questions are usually written by a civil servant. Answers to written and oral questions are published in Hansard. Parliament cannot dismiss individual ministers (though members may of course call for their resignation) but the House of Commons is able to determine the fate of the entire Government. If a vote of no confidence in the Government passes, then confidence must be restored either by a dissolution of Parliament and the election of a new one, or by the resignation of the Government collectively. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Hansard is the traditional name for the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. ... A Motion of No Confidence, also called Motion of Non Confidence is a parliamentary motion traditionally put before a parliament by the opposition in the hope of defeating or embarrassing a government. ...

In the United Kingdom's parliamentary system, the executive is not separate from the legislature, since Cabinet members are drawn from Parliament. Moreover the executive tends to dominate the legislature for several reasons: A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ...

• the first-past-the-post voting system (which tends to give a large majority to the governing party)
• the power of the Government Whips (whose role is to ensure party members vote in accordance with an agreed line)
• the "payroll vote" (a term which refers to the fact that members of the governing party who are on the government payroll (e.g. as junior ministers) would be dismissed if they voted against the government).

The combined effect of the Prime Minister's ability to control cabinet by circumventing effective discussion in Cabinet and the executive's ability to dominate parliamentary proceedings places the British Prime Minister in a position of great power that has been likened to an elective dictatorship (a phrase coined by Lord Hailsham in 1976). The relative impotence of Parliament to hold the Government of the day to account is often cited by the UK media as a justification for the vigour with which they question and challenge the Government. The phrase elective dictatorship (also called executive dominance in political science) was coined by the former Lord Chancellor, Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, in a academic paper of the same name written in 1976. ... The Right Honourable Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC (October 9, 1907–October 12, 2001), formerly 2nd Viscount Hailsham (1950–1963), was a British Conservative politician. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

A 'presidential' Prime Minister?

In contemporary times, the nature of the cabinet has been criticised by some, largely because several Prime Ministers are perceived as acting in a "presidential" manner. Such an accusation has been made at Tony Blair (the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) as he is believed to refrain from using the Cabinet as a collective decision making body. These actions have caused concern as it contravenes the convention of the PM being "first among equals". In this sense, he is acting like a US President, who (unlike the British PM) is not constitutionally bound to collectively make decisions with his cabinet. Margaret Thatcher was also noted as being "presidential", in the capacity that she "forced" her own viewpoints onto her cabinet. The Right Honourable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925), is a British politician. ...

A solution cited to combat the emergence of presidential Prime Ministers is the use of select committees to question the PM's actions. However, in comparison to the constitutional separation of powers and checks and balances that exist in countries such as the United States, this is insignificant, and select committee is drawn from the same legislature as the executive, and has only limited scrutiny of the executive. It also should be noted that British Prime Ministers can be "presidential" since the powers, responsibilites and duties of the British Prime Minister are largely convention. They are not codified or written into one single document, as is often the case with heads of government in other countries. A Select Committee of the British Parliament is a committee made up of a small number of members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues. ... Separation of powers is a model of democracy that involves the separation of political power between 3 branches of the state: The Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. ... The doctrine and practice of dispersing political power and creating mutual accountability between political entities such as the courts, the president or prime minister, the legislature, and the citizens. ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ...

Shadow Cabinet

The official opposition party (the party with the second largest number of elected members of Parliament) is headed by a similar group called the Shadow Cabinet (the Conservative Party is the current official opposition). In recent years the third largest party (currently the Liberal Democrat Party) has also referred to its key figures as a Shadow Cabinet. The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Opposition Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster System of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of other smaller opposition parties) form an alternative cabinet to the governments, whose... The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ...

Current Cabinet

As of November 2, 2005, the Cabinet consists of the following: November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Also attending cabinet: In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... The First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, usually but not always the Prime Minister. ... The Minister of the Civil Service is the head of the British Civil Service. ... The Right Honourable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. ... The office of Deputy Prime Minister is one that has only existed occasionally in the history of the United Kingdom. ... First Secretary of State is a title within the British government, principally regarded as purely honorific, currently held by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott. ... John Prescott The Right Honourable John Leslie Prescott (born May 31, 1938) is a British Labour Party politician who is presently Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and First Secretary of State. ... The Rt. ... The Right Honourable Gordon Brown, PC, MP, current Chancellor of the Exchequer The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the ancient title held by the British cabinet minister whose responsibilities are akin to the posts of Minister for Finance or Secretary of the Treasury in other jurisdictions. ... This article is about the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. ... The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (colloquially called the Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... Jack Straw The Right Honourable John Whitaker Jack Straw (born August 3, 1946, Buckhurst Hill) is a British Labour Party politician. ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Home Secretary) is the chief United Kingdom government minister responsible for law and order in England and Wales; his or her remit includes policing, the criminal justice system, the prison service, internal security, and matters of citizenship and immigration. ... ... The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. ... This article is about the British cabinet minister. ... The Secretary of State for Education and Skills is the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government. ... The Right Honourable Ruth Maria Kelly (born 9 May 1968) is a British Labour politician. ... Minister of Health redirects here. ... The Right Honourable Patricia Hope Hewitt (born December 22, 1948 in Canberra, Australia - Mrs William Birtles) and educated at Newnham College, Cambridge, is a UK politician in the UKs Labour party. ... The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and in former times Chancellor of England, is one of the most senior and important functionaries in the government of the United Kingdom. ... Lord Falconer of Thoroton The Right Honourable Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC (born 19 November 1951) is a British lawyer and Labour Party politician. ... The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is a UK cabinet position with responsibility for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. ... The Minister of Women and Equality is a member of the United Kingdom Cabinet. ... The Minister for the Olympics is a new position within the United Kingdom Cabinet created as a result of the selection of London to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. ... The Right Honourable Tessa Jane Helena Douglas Jowell (born September 17, 1947) is a British politician who is Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. ... The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a UK cabinet-level position in charge of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the succesor to the positions of Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Secretary of State for the Environment. ... The Right Honourable Margaret Mary Beckett (January 15, 1943) British politician. ... In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for International Development is a Cabinet minister responsible for promoting development overseas, particularly in the third world. ... The Right Honourable Hilary James Wedgwood Benn (November 26, 1953) British politician and is Labour Member of Parliament of Leeds Central and Secretary of State for International Development Hilary Benn speaking in Oxford, January 2005 Hilary Benn is a fourth generation MP, being the son of former Labour Cabinet Minister... The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is the British cabinet minister who has responsibility for the government of Northern Ireland. ... The post of Secretary of State for Wales came into existence in October of 1964, the first incumbent being Jim Griffiths, MP for Llanelli. ... The Right Honourable Peter Gerald Hain (born February 16, 1950 in Nairobi, Kenya) is a British Labour Party politician. ... The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. ... The Right Honourable Alan Arthur Johnson (born 17 May 1950, London) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Secretary of State for Scotland (Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief minister in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilites for Scotland, at the head of the Scotland Office (formerly The Scottish Office). ... The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. ... The Right Honourable Alistair Maclean Darling (born November 28, 1953, London) is a British politician for the Labour Party, and is Secretary of State for Transport and separately Secretary of State for Scotland. ... The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is a position in the UK cabinet, responsible for the Department for Work and Pensions. ... The Right Honourable John Matthew Patrick Hutton (born 6 May 1955) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is one of the traditional sinecure offices in the British Cabinet. ... Geoff Hoon (right) at Pentagon briefing The Right Honourable Geoffrey William Hoon (born December 6, 1953), the Member of Parliament for Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, was British Secretary of State for Defence from October 1999 until May 6, 2005. ... Leader of the House of Lords is a function in the British government that is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, most often Lord President of the Council, Lord Privy Seal or Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. ... The Office of Lord President of the Council is a British cabinet position, the holder of which acts as presiding officer of the Privy Council. ... Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos, PC (born 13 March 1954), is a British Labour Party politician and life peer, currently serving as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. ... The postition of Minister for Communities and Local Government is a Cabinet level postition in the United Kingdom government. ... The Right Honourable David Wright Miliband (born 15 July 1965 in London) is a United Kingdom politician, Labour Member of Parliament for South Shields in north-east England. ... This article is about various offices in the government of the United Kingdom. ... The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... The Right Honourable Hilary Jane Armstrong, MP (born 30 November 1945, Sunderland) is a British Labour Party politician. ... The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is a junior position in the British Cabinet. ... The Right Honourable Desmond Henry Browne (born March 22, 1952 in Stevenson) is a Roman Catholic politician in Scotland, and Labour member of Parliament for Kilmarnock and Loudoun. ... A Minister without Portfolio is a government minister with no specific responsibilities. ... Party Chair is the title given to the Chairman of the governing political party of the UK. At the moment, the Labour party Chairman, Ian McCartney, is Party Chair as well as being the Cabinet position of Minister without Portfolio. ... The Right Honourable Ian McCartney (born 1951 in Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire) is a British politician. ... The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a sinecure office in the British government. ... Cabinet Office can be either: Cabinet Office in the United Kingdom, Cabinet Office in Japan. ...

Minister for Europe: Douglas Alexander The Right Honourable Douglas Garven Alexander, born 26 October 1967 in Glasgow, is the British Member of Parliament for Paisley and Renfrewshire South in Scotland. ...

Attorney General: Lord Goldsmith Peter Henry Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith, PC, is the current Attorney General of England and Wales. ...

Captain of the Gentlemen-at-arms & Lords Chief Whip: Lord Grocott Bruce Grocott, Baron Grocott, PC (born November 1, 1940), is a politician in the United Kingdom. ...

Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... The Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Ministries, known in the United Kingdom as Government Departments. ... These tables shall encompass the ministries of the United Kingdom & Great Britain. ...

External links

• Cabinet Office website
• Electronic list of ministerial responsibilities
• Her Majesty's Government (Cabinet Ministers)
• Full list of Her Majesty's Government (which includes various junior Ministers too).