Mark Garnett - The British Prime Minister in an Age of Upheaval

1 Cover

2 Endorsement ‘Approachably written, wide-ranging, and both historically aware and bang up to date, Mark Garnett’s book helps explain why what has become an almost impossible job – one that offers presidentialstyle prominence but far less real power than many of us imagine – increasingly seems to attract such improbable politicians. A great read for anyone interested in the past, present and future of British politics.’ Tim Bale, Queen Mary University of London ‘In this excellent and authoritative book, Mark Garnett offers invaluable insights into the troubled waters where politics and government merge in the role of Prime Minister.’ Sir John Chilcot ‘This is a timely attempt at helping us to better understand the role of the British Prime Minister and the challenges of providing effective political leadership. Mark Garnett has developed a thematic study which provides us with a range of new insights: a must-read for students and scholars with an interest in UK politics.’ Timothy Heppell, University of Leeds ‘A subtle and sophisticated contribution to the debate on the role of the Prime Minister, which also succeeds in being delightfully readable.’ David Lipsey, Labour Peer ‘A fresh, timely and original volume on the Prime Minister from one of our leading authorities on post-war British history.’ Anthony Seldon, author and educator

3 Dedication Dedication In loving memory of Joan Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Garnett

4 Title Page The British Prime Minister in an Age of Upheaval Mark Garnett polity

5 Copyright Copyright © Mark Garnett 2021 The right of Mark Garnett to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published in 2021 by Polity Press Polity Press 65 Bridge Street Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK Polity Press 101 Station Landing Suite 300 Medford, MA 02155, USA All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-3937-6 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Garnett, Mark, 1963- author. Title: The British prime minister in an age of upheaval / Mark Garnett. Description: Medford : Polity Press, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “A timely re-assessment of the role of the British Prime Minister from Thatcher to Johnson”-- Provided by publisher. Identifiers: LCCN 2020038351 (print) | LCCN 2020038352 (ebook) | ISBN 9781509539352 (Hardback) | ISBN 9781509539369 (Paperback) | ISBN 9781509539376 (ePub) Subjects: LCSH: Prime ministers--Great Britain. | Prime ministers--Great Britain--History. | Great Britain--Politics and government. Classification: LCC JN405 .G37 2021 (print) | LCC JN405 (ebook) | DDC 941.086--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020038351 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020038352 The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate. Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition. For further information on Polity, visit our website: politybooks.com

6 Preface and acknowledgements

7 Introduction The Prime Minister in history and theory Rationale and structure of the book

8 1 Majority leader The Prime Minister in Parliament since 1979 The Prime Minister versus Parliament A breakdown of party discipline? A measure of control? Prime Minister’s Questions Choosing a champion Conclusion Notes

9 2 Cabinet-maker ‘Near-ideal’ scenarios: Thatcher (1987) and Blair (2001) Suboptimal scenarios: 2010 and 2015 The May reshuffles Conclusion Notes

10 3 Policy-maker The impact of Thatcher Hollowing out the Home Office Prime Ministers and policy-making Conclusion Notes

11 4 Communicator in Chief Margaret Thatcher John Major Tony Blair Gordon Brown David Cameron Theresa May Conclusion Notes

12 5 Speaker for Britain Hollowing out the Foreign Office The Prime Minister and foreign policy since the Falklands John Major Tony Blair Gordon Brown David Cameron Theresa May Conclusion Notes

13 6 Election winner The Thatcher effect Nightmare on Murdoch Street Things can only get better? The advent of leader debates Notes

14 Conclusion: the Johnson premiership The Prime Minister in theory An honourable ambition? ‘The leadership Britain deserves’: Johnson at No. 10 Pandemic and pandemonium Notes

15 Bibliography

16 Index

17 End User License Agreement

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

3 Endorsement

4 Dedication

5 Title Page

6 Copyright

7 Preface and acknowledgements

8 Introduction

9 Begin Reading

10 Conclusion: the Johnson premiership

11 Bibliography

12 Index

13 End User License Agreement

1 a

2 ii

3 iii

4 iv

5 vii

6 viii

7 1

8 2

9 3

10 4

11 5

12 6

13 7

14 8

15 9

16 10

17 11

18 12

19 13

20 14

21 15

22 16

23 17

24 18

25 19

26 20

27 21

28 22

29 23

30 24

31 25

32 26

33 27

34 28

35 29

36 30

37 31

38 32

39 33

40 34

41 35

42 36

43 37

44 38

45 39

46 40

47 41

48 42

49 43

50 44

51 45

52 46

53 47

54 48

55 49

56 50

57 51

58 52

59 53

60 54

61 55

62 56

63 57

64 58

65 59

66 60

67 61

68 62

69 63

70 64

71 65

72 66

73 67

74 68

75 69

76 70

77 71

78 72

79 73

80 74

81 75

82 76

83 77

84 78

85 79

86 80

87 81

88 82

89 83

90 84

91 85

92 86

93 87

94 88

95 89

96 90

97 91

98 92

99 93

100 94

101 95

102 96

103 97

104 98

105 99

106 100

107 101

108 102

109 103

110 104

111 105

112 106

113 107

114 108

115 109

116 110

117 111

118 112

119 113

120 114

121 115

122 116

123 117

124 118

125 119

126 120

127 121

128 122

129 123

130 124

131 125

132 126

133 127

134 128

135 129

136 130

137 131

138 132

139 133

140 134

141 135

142 136

143 137

144 138

145 139

146 140

147 141

148 142

149 143

150 144

151 145

152 146

153 147

154 148

155 149

156 150

157 151

158 152

159 153

160 154

161 155

162 156

163 157

164 158

165 159

166 160

167 161

168 162

169 163

170 164

171 165

172 166

173 167

174 168

175 169

176 170

177 171

178 172