‘Just Like Us’?: The Politics of Ministerial Promotion in UK Government

‘Just Like Us’?: The Politics of Ministerial Promotion in UK Government
Author: Bill Jones
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2024-07-19
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1040045472

Informed by interviews with key political figures and commentators, this entertaining and enlightening book exposes the influences, processes and motivations behind ministerial promotion in British government. It identifies and analyses the political sinews that have influenced the selection and upward progression of our rulers since the middle of the last century. Given that politics is fuelled by ambition, it provides commentary on how this often-criticised emotional drive can work positively in practice, motivating politicians to strive constantly for advancement in their quest for power and achievement. Drawing upon many biographies, it explains how politics is essentially about the strengths and frailties of the people who occupy positions of power. It illustrates that climbing up that greasy pole is dependent upon a number of key character traits of politicians: their strength of desire; their abilities/skills as communicators, managers and administrators; the ways in which fate throws up opportunities; and the raw courage of politicians in confronting these challenges. Ultimately, the book illuminates the abiding obsessions of that tiny but potent minority in democratic societies who dare to dream they can rule over us. This book will be of key interest to scholars, students and anyone interested in British political history, biography and the politics of executive government.

Joined-Up Government

Joined-Up Government
Author: Vernon Bogdanor
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2005-07-21
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780197263334

'Joined- up government' is a key theme of modern government. The Labour government, first elected in 1997, decided that intractable problems such as social exclusion, drug addiction and crime could not be resolved by any single department of government. Instead, such problems had to be made the object of a concerted attack using all the arms of government - central and local government and public agencies, as well as the private and voluntary sectors. This book seeks to analyse 'joined-up government', to consider its history, and to evaluate its consequences for British institutions such as the Cabinet, the civil service and local authorities. Is joined-up government a new idea, or merely a new label for a very old idea? What lessons can be learnt from previous attempts at joined-up government? How does it affect our traditional constitutional conceptions relating to Cabinet government, a politically neutral and non-partisan civil service, and an independent system of local government? Will it lead to the concentration of power in 10 Downing Street or is it compatible with a political system based on checks and balances? Drawing together papers given at a conference held at the British Academy, Joined-Up Government provides a broad overview of one of the most significant aspects in modern government. Its contributors include not only distinguished academics, but also those who have themselves been engaged as practitioners in developing joined-up programmes. This book will be indispensable to all those who seek to understand how new developments in government are affecting our lives.

Pearson Edexcel A Level US Government and Politics

Pearson Edexcel A Level US Government and Politics
Author: Anthony J Bennett
Publisher: Hodder Education
Total Pages: 689
Release: 2021-06-21
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1398311189

This fully updated Textbook for Pearson Edexcel A-level Politics will help your students develop a critical understanding of the latest developments in US Government and Politics. This trusted textbook by Anthony J Bennett, revised by David Tuck and Simon Lemieux, is specially designed to reflect the Edexcel specification and help your students approach complex topics with confidence. This Student Textbook: - Comprehensively covers the Government and Politics of the USA, including the 2020 Presidential elections - Places recent developments in a historical context throughout to show the influence of political history on current events - Builds your confidence by highlighting key terms and explaining synoptic links between different topics in the specification - Develops your analysis and evaluation skills through activities, debates and practice questions - Provides answer guidance for practice questions online at www.hoddereducation.co.uk

UK Government & Politics

UK Government & Politics
Author: Andy Williams
Publisher: Heinemann
Total Pages: 260
Release: 1998
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780435331580

This edition is revised in the light of the change of government in 1997 and the compulsory UK sections of the A levels syllabuses. Additions include: comparisons with the USA and Europe; Europe; and party politics.

AngloArabia

AngloArabia
Author: David Wearing
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2018-11-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1509532064

UK ties with Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf monarchies are under the spotlight as never before. Huge controversy surrounds Britain’s alliances with these deeply repressive regimes, and the UK’s key supporting role in the disastrous Saudi-led intervention in Yemen has lent added urgency to the debate. What lies behind the British government’s decision to place politics before principles in the Gulf? Why have Anglo-Arabian relations grown even closer in recent years, despite ongoing, egregious human rights violations? In this ground-breaking analysis, David Wearing argues that the Gulf Arab monarchies constitute the UK’s most important and lucrative alliances in the global south. They are central both to the British government’s ambitions to retain its status in the world system, and to its post-Brexit economic strategy. Exploring the complex and intertwined structures of UK-Gulf relations in trade and investment, arms sales and military cooperation, and energy, Wearing shines a light on the shocking lengths to which the British state has gone in order to support these regimes. As these issues continue to make the headlines, this book lifts the lid on ‘AngloArabia’ and what’s at stake for both sides.

Politics UK

Politics UK
Author: Bill Jones
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 637
Release: 2014-06-20
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1317581032

The revised and updated eighth edition of the bestselling textbook Politics UK is an indispensible introduction to British politics. It provides a thorough and accessible overview of the institutions and processes of British government, a good grounding in British political history and an incisive introduction to the issues facing Britain today. With contributed chapters from respected scholars in the field and contemporary articles on real-world politics from well-known political commentators, this textbook is an essential guide for students of British politics. The eighth edition welcomes brand new material from eight new contributors to complement the rigorously updated and highly valued chapters retained from the previous edition. The eighth edition includes: · Britain in context boxes offering contrasting international perspectives of themes in British politics. · A comprehensive 'who's who' of politics in the form of Profile boxes featuring key political figures. · And another thing ... pieces: short articles written by distinguished commentators including Jonathan Powell, Michael Moran and Mark Garnett. · Fully updated chapters plus new material providing excellent coverage of contemporary political events including: The Leveson Inquiry, the aftermath of the 2011 riots and the House of Lords reform. · A vibrant and accessible new design to excite and engage students as the work through a variety of political topics. · A new epilogue to the book offering a critical perspective of the trials and tribulations of the Coalition Government, including an overview of the major differences that divide the coalition partners.

Ministerial Leadership

Ministerial Leadership
Author: Leighton Andrews
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 540
Release: 2024-01-16
Genre: Law
ISBN: 3031500083

Ministerial Leadership offers a practice-based account of how ministers in UK governments perform their roles and exercise leadership in their spaces of activity. Drawing on the unique Ministers Reflect archive of the Institute for Government, which is an open and growing resource of over 140 ministerial interviews at UK and devolved government levels, as well as other ministerial reflections, the book addresses the literature on ministerial life and political leadership, and develops new concepts for examining ministerial leadership in different spheres. It argues that the relationship between ministers and civil servants has changed significantly in recent decades, as ministers place greater emphasis on delivery and implementation. The book adopts a theoretically pluralist approach with the intention of offering a valuable teaching aid for existing and new courses. It will appeal to all those interested in public policy and governance.

Profession of Government Minister in Western Europe

Profession of Government Minister in Western Europe
Author: Jean Blondel
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 228
Release: 1991-06-18
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1349113956

Despite the apparent political similarities in Western Europe, the models of cabinet government employed by different nations vary. In exploring the ministerial profession, this text reveals the political traditions and the different needs and expectations of citizen and politician alike.

Ministerial Survival During Political and Cabinet Change

Ministerial Survival During Political and Cabinet Change
Author: Alejandro Quiroz Flores
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2016-08-12
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1317273443

Political leaders need ministers to help them rule and so conventional wisdom suggests that leaders appoint competent ministers to their cabinet. This book shows this is not necessarily the case. It examines the conditions that facilitate survival in ministerial office and how they are linked to ministerial competence, the political survival of heads of government and the nature of political institutions. Presenting a formal theory of political survival in the cabinet, it systematically analyses the tenure in office of more than 7,300 ministers of foreign affairs covering more than 180 countries spanning the years 1696-2004. In doing so, it sheds light not only on studies of ministerial change but also on diplomacy, the occurrence of war, and the democratic peace in international relations. This text will be of key interest to students of comparative executive government, comparative foreign policy, political elites, and more broadly to comparative politics, political economy, political history and international relations.

The role of the FCO in UK government

The role of the FCO in UK government
Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
Total Pages: 234
Release: 2011-05-12
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780215559470

The Foreign Affairs Committee believes the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will not be back at the centre of Government and able to lead UK foreign policy, in line with the Foreign Secretary's ambitions, unless it can provide deep foreign policy expertise and judgement to underpin and implement Government decision-making. The FCO must have the resources and skills required to fulfil this role, especially specialist geographical expertise and knowledge of foreign languages. The FCO has a vital role to play for the Government, namely the timely provision of world-class foreign policy information, analysis, judgement and execution. Finances, people and buildings must be well-managed, but managerial requirements must not divert time and focus disproportionately from the FCO's core foreign policy functions. Given the resource constraints facing the FCO, however, there is doubt whether the department can achieve the Government's ambitions for enhanced commercial work while maintaining its core foreign policy functions at the required standard. The committee regards the FCO's network of overseas posts as integral to the department's ability to discharge its functions, and recommends that the FCO should seek to maintain a global UK presence. The committee also called "confusing" the fact that under the current Government the FCO has three sets of priorities: the Foreign Secretary's, the Cabinet Office's Business Plan for the department, and the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.