Tony Blair and John Howard: Comparative Predominance and 'Institution Stretch' in the UK and Australia

• Published in: British journal of politics & international relations Vol. 9; no. 3; pp. 327 - 345
• Main Author: Bennister, Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2007; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: Australia; Blair, Tony; Centralization; Comparative analysis; core executive; Executive power; Heads of government; Howard, John; Influence; Political analysis; Political leadership; Political Systems; Politics; predominance; prime minister; Prime Ministers; State capacity; Strategic resources; United Kingdom; Australia; United States; US; prime minister; political leadership; predominance; core executive
• ISSN: 1369-1481; 1467-856X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-856X.2007.00292.x

It has recently been argued that the UK premier enjoys a level of executive power unavailable to US presidents, but how does he or she compare to another prime minister operating within a broadly similar system? Commonalities of intra-executive influence and capacity exist under the premier-ships in the UK and Australia. Discrete institutional constraints and deviations are evident, but trends and similarities in resource capacity can be clearly identified. These include: the growth of the leaders’ office; broadening and centralising of policy advice and media operations; and strengthening of the role and function of ministerial advisers. I contend that this amounts to ‘institution stretch’, with new structures, processes and practices becoming embedded in the political system by the incumbents.