(b) How and why will the MP's freedom to criticise government policy be affected by the appointment and what conventions will now affect him/her?
The way that MP's freedom to criticise government policy will be affected by its appointment is explained as below.
Government ministers, particularly Cabinet ministers are expected to endorse and support publicly the actions of the government of which they are a part, even if they do not agree with them in private.
It has long been a custom for ministers to bite their tongues rather than speak out the opposed opinion.
The convention will now affect him/herself is collective responsibility.
It take that all Cabinet members take full responsibility for decisions made by the Cabinet even if a particular case an individual disagrees with, and even voted against, a decision.
No Cabinet members should publicly voice any dissent or doubt once a decision has been reached, no matter how fierce opposition was in the debate around the cabinet table.
Any Cabinet member who wants to distance him/herself from a decision is honour-bound to resign from his/her ministerial job, as Robin Cook did over the war in Iraq.
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