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All of the below examples will be added to the updated textbooks and detailed essay plans (where relevant/better than the existing examples) on the Politics Explained website, which are both updated regularly.

This week we're looking at a few US/UK examples from the summer or a few weeks ago.

UK Government Examples

The Cabinet

Starmer's September Reshuffle as an Example of the Royal Prerogative:

• In September 2025, Keir Starmer announced a cabinet reshuffle as he announced “phase two” of his government. Prompted by Angela Rayner’s resignation, he made changes to ministers at the highest levels of government. 

  • David Lammy was appointed as Justice Secretary and Deputy PM, Yvette Cooper moved from the Home Office to Foreign Secretary, and Shabana Mahmood was promoted from Justice Secretary to Home Secretary. 

• This shows the Prime Minister's power of patronage - the power to appoint, dismiss or reassign all ministers in the government. An effective PM can use their powers to shape the top team in ways that enhance their authority and enable them to promote their policy priorities and agenda. 

  • The PM depends on ministers to run their departments well, whilst also helping to drive forward the broader government agenda in the specific policy area of their department. 

• This reshuffle also illustrates the key factors governing the PM’s selection of ministers. 

  • PM’s often select their cabinet according to competence and experience, ensuring they maintain governing competency and effective delivery of policy. Shabana Mahmood's appointment as Home Secretary clearly reflects this. 

    • As Justice Secretary, she effectively tackled jail overcrowding and introduced major legislation to overhaul the prison system. This was viewed favourably by number 10, as she was able to effect large-scale changes quickly. 

• PMs are also influenced by loyalty and political reliability. Starmer maintained many of the same personnel in cabinet - shifting their roles rather than who was in government. 

  • This demonstrates how the PM seeks to reward the loyalty of key allies and bring in ministers they know will accept collective responsibility and support government policy in public.

Prerogative Powers

Starmer Appoints Darren Jones As Chief Secretary To The Prime Minister:

• In September 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed Darren Jones as Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, with the aim of making the centre of government “more powerful” and strengthening his ability to deliver his priorities. 

  • Jones, MP for Bristol North West, previously served as the Chancellor’s deputy for the first year of the Labour government, leading the spending review. 

• The appointment demonstrates an attempt to bring economic expertise and political weight into No 10 to drive delivery across government, reporting directly to the PM. 

  • This shows a key power of the executive to manage government departments. The Prime Minister, as head of the executive, manages its agenda, personnel and structure. 

    • They can create, abolish or merge departments, as well as reorganising roles to fit their policy priorities and centralise power in No 10. 

• Seeking to bring greater control over delivery into number 10 in the middle of a term is something that has happened a number of times before, including under the coalition government.

  • Prime Ministers often try to trust their ministers at the start of their leadership, but get frustrated when delivery doesn’t happen as quickly as they want and their poll numbers drop. As a result, they seek to bring more control back into number 10.

US Politics & Government Examples

Immigration and Rights

Continued ICE Raids as an example of immigration and the Violation of Constitutional Rights:

• In the summer of 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of federal law enforcement agents as part of a sweeping crackdown on immigration. 

  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have conducted large-scale military-style raids across Los Angeles, acting under an executive directive to detain up to 3,000 immigrants per day. 

  • ICE operations have targeted workplaces, farms, university campuses, private homes as well as during random traffic stops, using ethnicity as "reasonable suspicion” to carry out arrests. 

• The administration has sought to penalise sanctuary cities - cities that limit cooperation with ICE - through lawsuits and withholding federal funds. 

  • Protests against the raids have been met with the deployment of state law enforcement, the National Guard and the military, despite objections by state and local officials. 

  • Most of those apprehended are being placed in rapid deportation procedures, known as "expedited removal”, which largely deny individuals the chance to make their case in immigration courts. 

• These measures highlight the ongoing failure of immigration reform. Trump has adopted a much harsher immigration and border security policy since being elected for a second time and has reversed many of the reforms introduced under President Biden. 

  • The inhumane treatment of asylum seekers in recent years, including prolonged detention and family separations, reflects a failure in upholding human rights and equality in the US immigration system. 

• This also raises Constitutional questions about the protection of civil rights in the US, with many arguing that the Supreme Court allowing detention based on ethnicity violates the “due process” clause in the Constitution. 

  • The 5th Amendment ensures a right to a fair trial for the accused, which has been denied in many expedited removal cases.