Political Skills and Context in Prime Ministerial Leadership in Britain

Abstract

This article discusses the experience of the four prime ministers who have held office in Britain since 1976 (James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair) in order to explore the scope for, forms of and constraints upon prime ministerial leadership. The focus is on four key factors: party leadership, ideology and aims, political style and skills, and political and economic context. A favorable match of skill and context is crucial in determining the effectiveness of prime ministerial leadership. High‐level skill(s) deployed in a favorable situation make major achievements possible; accomplished statecraft and political astuteness in an unfavorable context may account for the difference between political survival and disaster; political misjudgments, a lack or loss of feel for the situation, or ineptness can aggravate problems and make a difference for the worse. Though structural, institutional and contextual factors are important, individual prime ministers' personalities, political skills and leadership styles are key and relevant variables.