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The Core Executive in Britain

  • Textbook
  • © 1999

Overview

Authors:
  1. Martin J. Smith

    1. University of Sheffield, UK

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    • A major new text on central government in Britain incorporating the latest research and presenting a new model in systematic and accessible form
    • Covers the main actors and the key elements of the policy process in British central government in a historical, comparative and theoretical framework
    • Assuming no prior knowledge, the book will take students through to a much more sophisticated understanding than existing texts

Part of the book series: Transforming Government (TRGO)

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introducing the Core Executive

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 1-8

  3. Analysing the Core Executive

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 9-37

  4. The Core Executive in Historical Perspective

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 38-70

  5. The Core of the Core: Relations between the Prime Minister and the Cabinet

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 71-105

  6. Ministers, Civil Servants and Departments: The Core Executive and Policy-Making

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 106-142

  7. Coordinating the Core Executive: The Cabinet Office, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Treasury

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 143-182

  8. Reforming the Core Executive

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 183-215

  9. Domestic and International Constraints on the Core Executive

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 216-243

  10. Constitution, State and Core Executive

    • Martin J. Smith
    Pages 244-255

  11. Back Matter

    Pages 256-280
    Download chapter PDF
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Keywords

About this book

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.

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Sheffield, UK

    Martin J. Smith

About the author

MARTIN J. SMITH is Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Sheffield. His previous publications include Contemporary British Conservatism (Macmillan, 1996).

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