Central control and policy implementation in the UK: A case study of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit

Abstract

The election of Tony Blair's Labour government in 1997 led to a significant increase of institutionalisation in the Prime Minister's Office, but the creation of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit (PMDU) in 2001 has led to a degree of formal, direct control over policy implementation. This paper seeks to explain the development of this capability in the context of contradictory features of the British political system: the high level of prime ministerial personalism and the concentration of power at the centre by Westminster-style government, and new forms of governance have challenged Westminster's monopoly of power, including managerial and local autonomy. The paper examines conceptual issues crucial for understanding the emergence, role and success of the PMDU, and outlines the shift from personalism to institutionalism. The rest of the paper examines the development and functioning of the Delivery Unit, the instruments and tools it uses, and implications for the core executive.