The Core Executive in Britain

Download or read book The Core Executive in Britain written by Martin J. Smith and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 1999-01-20 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of central government has been dominated by the recurring questions of Prime Ministerial versus Cabinet government and civil service versus ministerial power. Using the idea of 'power dependence' this book challenges these simplicities to provide a definitive assessment of - and introduction to - power and policy at the core of British political life. It undermines traditional approaches by demonstrating that power in the core executive is complex, and flows between actors and institutions. The Prime Minister can only exercise power with the support of the Cabinet, and ministers and officials are often partners rather than competitors.