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Dr Catherine Haddon Profile picture
Dr Catherine Haddon
@cath_haddon
Programme Director @ifg_academy @instituteforgov History, Whitehall geekiness and constitutional agony aunt Subscribe to our newsletter: https://t.co/81Pe2ezwdC
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Jul 5 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
Managing a peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of democracy.

But the U.K. is unusual in some of its practices for how it manages transitions.

🧵 with a few reflections based on my many years of researching and observing transitions of government First, we don’t really focus that much on transition itself as an impt process.

It’s just kind of assumed that a new govt takes office and just gets on with it.

The US, with its 000s of appts, approaches it as a multi-month, million dollar, legislated-for period.
Sep 8, 2022 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
Business statement (also known now as ‘complaints to Penny’) is the best insight into what MPs do.

All sorts of issues covered, lots of reminders from Mordaunt about the procedure MPs can follow to secure their debate, PMB, access to consular services, PQ etc etc… Penny already has a long to do list of ‘I will of course also raise that issue with xyz’…
Sep 7, 2022 • 20 tweets • 4 min read
Lots of focus on the change of ministers going on, but there is also a fairly big change of special advisers both with Truss bringing in her new team to No10 and ministers who previously didn't have spads, now appointing them.

A few thoughts on what spads face 🧵 As Alan Duncan said, they can make of break your time as minister: 'They’re your personal appointments and therefore you’ve got a closeness to them and a faith in them, a confidence in them that is crucial in this cold, harsh world that you’re dealing with. You trust them'
Sep 6, 2022 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
Heard someone else repeat the ‘executive power will reside with the Queen’ line.

Guess what? That’s not quite right.

Executive prerogative powers always reside with Queen. Or rather they are exercise by her on advice from ministers OR sometimes directly by ministers.

But… Image A. The only prerogative executive powers briefly in hiatus are those of PM. So, for instance, to appoint other ministers. And a few other things….

B. Most executive powers are those of statue. Exercised by ‘the Secretary of state’
Sep 5, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Great thread as ever. Nikki’s point about need to ‘box clever’ and the pressure it put on other roles if you don’t have capacity can also be applied to other parts of centre.

Slim down if you want, but don’t lose vital institutional learning on how to have effective centre. Cameron also came in with a ‘be more like Thatcher’ line on reducing size. No10 and Cabinet Office have grown massively, so it is worth thinking about how to rationalise. But Thatcher was operating in very different era with v different demands.
Sep 3, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
It’s probably a bit late in the day for the candidates, but the main guide is here.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/b…

Not too late for wannabe ministers to brush up on what the first rung on the ministerial ladder is like instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/b… And for any new minister, but especially anyone stepping into the Cabinet for first time, we’ve also written a handy guide for something that is going to be particularly crucial this autumn, the Dept budget

instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/b…
Jul 7, 2022 • 17 tweets • 3 min read
ok, thread on interim/ acting/ caretaker PMs/ governments.

TL;DR: there are rules. But, yet again, its based on convention. When PM has lost confidence - which includes losing leadership of your party as well as resigning - you can stay to govern until a replacement is in place, and there is an expectation that you will do so if there is no alternative.

This is why Brown was not 'squatting' in 2010.
Jul 6, 2022 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
Still getting lots of questions about this.

Let's examine how it works.

If Johnson is ousted in a VONC, he is still PM. Until Conservatives appoint a new leader.

If he refused to recognise it you effectively have a party that has broken in two. He is still PM. Until someone else is in place. But he has effectively lost his majority.

That does not remove his powers as PM. But it does affect things where commanding confidence matter. Like asking for dissolution when there is a viable alternative govt in your own party.
Jun 14, 2022 • 51 tweets • 8 min read
Lord Geidt up before @CommonsPACAC shortly answering all sorts of questions about the last six months in standards.

I'll do a thread on what he says and what that means.

parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/b8… First exchange is on the balance between the role advising ministers on their interest AND investigating potential breaches of the code.

Geidt says that the dual role allows him to develop a 'bedrock' of knowledge about 'assessing ministerial behaviour'
May 27, 2022 • 13 tweets • 3 min read
My first take on the govt’s statement on the ministerial code revisions and role of adviser on it, is it contains some wrongheaded constitutional thinking that reveals a worrying trend.

gov.uk/government/pub… This statement is accurate, the PM does solely advise on ministerial appts, and ministers hold office for as long as they have confidence of PM.

But it’s missing a key link. The PM ONLY holds that office while he has the confidence of Parliament.
Nov 20, 2020 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
This takes the Ministerial Code investigation to a new level.

Coming at moment Patel report is published

"having considered Sir Alex’s advice and weighing up all the factors, the Prime Minister’s judgement is that the Ministerial Code was not breached"

gov.uk/government/new… Allan's conclusion is different from PM

Allan defines bullying as 'intimidating or insulting behaviour that makes an individual feel uncomfortable, frightened, less respected or put down'

"Instances of the behaviour reported to the Cabinet Office would meet such a definition"
Nov 18, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Great q from @Emma_Norris - biggest failure from govt on compliance and what should be top priority now?

@xtophercook unsurprisingly references Cummings

But also lack of consensus and common endeavour on Manchester tiered change, and overall lack of sense of end goal from govt Agreement from @ProfAnnJohn that Cummings was big hit to trust but also u-turns, and lack of transparency about what is driving decisions, including awarding contracts. #ifgcorona
Jun 28, 2020 • 18 tweets • 4 min read
Looks like we'll talking Cabinet Secretaries for the next little while.

The role is a complex mix of duties and different levers of power.

The late Jeremy Heywood went over his duties in a speech to @instituteforgov in 2015. He even had a pie chart of how he spent his time... Heywood on how the role shifts depending on the PM, though some of the basics stay the same:

“It doesn’t particularly change as one person succeeds another… but rather depends on the circumstances. It changes according to the tastes and preferences of the Prime Minister.”
Oct 19, 2019 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
These are both motions for the deal and for no deal Motion 1
Sep 24, 2019 • 16 tweets • 3 min read
What to look out for from Supreme Court case at 10.30- a thread

See *plenty* lawyers on here for detailed commentary on the judgment. But first effect will be political: what will govt and opposition(s) be worrying about this morning? What does it mean for what happens next... Series recap: there are two high level questions: 1. Is proroguing Parliament something courts can make judgement on, (‘is it justiciable?’) - this also leads to qs about court’s role re both royal prerogative and making judgments that tread into area of procedures of Parl
Sep 11, 2019 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
This ruling is that it was the PM's advice to the Queen on prorogation is unlawful.

That does not (yet) change the prorogation itself. Though of course will add to pressure

Supreme Court on all this is next Tuesday. Regardless of the final outcome, it is pretty uncomfortable position for the Palace.

HM acts on the Advice of her PM. For a court to rule that advice was unlawful, even if the ruling is later rejected, opens up qs about how that advice is given. She has to be able to trust No.10
Sep 6, 2019 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
OK, so now being asked a lot about PM resignations and advice to the Queen. Not going to go back over all the complications of this, just set out what the Cabinet Manual says.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl… Para 2.8
"...If the Prime Minister resigns on behalf of the Government, the Sovereign will invite the person who appears most likely to be able to command the confidence of the House to serve as Prime Minister and to form a government."
Feb 27, 2019 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Getting asked about the collective cabinet responsibility Costa conundrum .... so.... let me explain Collective responsibility, the principle:

-All ministers bound by it, unless set aside
-Ministers should be able to express their views frankly prior to decision
- Such discussions should be private and .... not leaked during the course of the meeting
Dec 4, 2018 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
Ok, Contempt of Parliament, here we go. Contempt is something that interferes with Parliament or obstructs it, or a member of either House, from performing their duties. It is loosely defined, and Parliament decides whether something is or is not contempt.