How powerful is the Prime Minister? The debate over the location of executive power is a long-standing debate. Different points of view have been fashionable at different times. It would be a mistake, however, to view these conflicting models of executive power as simply “right” or “wrong.” Executive power is so complex and ever-fluctuating that none of these models fully explains who has the power in all cases and in all circumstances. The traditional view of the British executive emphasizes that power is collective and not personal. It is found in the locker instead of the PM. Within the cabinet all ministers are equal. Each of them has the ability to influence government policy. The Prime Minister is considered “prime” in name only. The theory of cabinet government is supported by the convention of collective responsibility. This helps ensure the collegiality of the cabinet. However, collective governance in its formal sense is obsolete. It dates back to before the development of disciplined political parties. There is plenty of evidence of the Prime Minister's dominance over the political system. For example, there has certainly been a decline in “collective ministerial responsibility” in recent years. Tony Blair's tenure was characterized by criticism of decision-making without adequate debate. However, the threat of a minister's resignation could potentially jeopardize the life of the government. All ministers therefore had to remain on board. For example, Thatcher's entire cabinet told her to leave. The cabinet model of governance reminds us that despite the growth of the Prime Minister's power, no Prime Minister can survive if he loses government support. Cabinet rule is kept alive by the fact that the Prime Minister's authority is tied to... middle of paper... the party. Except that the electorate is increasingly demanding “visible leadership” rather than old party politics as the focal point of government. The Prime Minister depends on the support of Parliament and cannot exist without it. Other sources of authority within government may pose a threat/challenge to or moderate the Prime Minister's authority (as seen with powerful ministers such as Gordon Brown and Mo Mowlam). Likewise, the influence of the civil services in determining the government is vast (thanks to the permanence, neutrality, anonymity of the Unit). Furthermore, external factors/pressures can also limit the Prime Minister's powers, such as the economic climate, government popularity, etc. The dispersion of decision-making power to other key actors in the main executive (such as the Bank of England) has reduced concentrated power in the hands of the Prime Minister.