The composition of the Britih Government. The role of the British Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Explain the term “Shadow Cabinet” and its significance.

The party which wins most seats (but not necessarily most votes) at a general election usually forms the GOVERNMENT. The leader of the majority party is appointed PRIME MINISTER by the Sovereign, and all other ministers are appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

 

The majority of ministers are the members of the Commons, although there are always some ministers in the Lords. The Government is charged with the administration of national affairs. The office of Prime Minister as head of the

 

Government has been in existence since the middle of the 18th century. As a matter of fact it is not necessary that a Prime Minister should hold a first-class honours degree or have high academic qualifications. Britain knew Prime Ministers who had no university education. However, any Prime

Minister today must possess initiative, be able to organize others and get his policies accepted and pushed through Parliament.

The Prime Minister has a considerable list of functions and powers. It is his duty to inform the Crown of the general business of the Government, to exercise a general supervision over Departments (Ministries), to be prepared to speak in Parliament on the most important Government Bills, to answer to Parliament for all actions of the Government. Only the Prime Minister can recommend to the Sovereign a dissolution of Parliament before the normal time for a general election has come. He makes changes in the Government, presides over the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister selects Cabinet ministers. The Cabinet is a conventional organ of Government composed of about 20 most important ministers (Secretary of State for the Home Department, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Secretary of State for Defence, Secretary of State for Education and Science, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Chancellor,etc.).

 

The main functions of the Cabinet are:

a) the final determination of the policy to be submitted to Parliament,

b) the supreme control of the national executive power in accordance with the policy agreed by parliament, and

c) the continuous coordination of the authority of the Departments of State.

 

In the performance of its functions the Cabinet makes considerable use of a system of committees. The Cabinet is the centre of the political power of the United Kingdom at the present time. Normally it meets for about two hours once or twice a week during parliamentary sittings at No. 10 Downing Street, London, the official residence of the Prime Minister.