There is a growing recognition that cabinet reshuffles are important policy-making events. This is especially true in the case of sectors which rely on direct departmental guidance, such as social care, education and health. They are also important for the way in which a prime minister may exercise political control over their own government, and the wider party.
The UK has long been seen as a model for how parliamentary democracies build and rebuild their top teams. But it is not the only place in the world, nor are its reshuffles unique. Reshuffles are a regular, even ritualized event across many other Westminster-type democracies.
A cabinet reshuffle is the name given to a change in responsibilities, promotion or demotion for members of the cabinet, or relocation of ministerial portfolios. It offers a prime minister the opportunity to refresh the cabinet by bringing in new MPs or to reassign priorities and competences between departments. It is often conducted as a result of resignations, a loss of support from the public, or battles within the cabinet and is less frequent in systems with greater citizen or legislative control over cabinet appointments.
However, the fact that reshuffles occur so frequently means that they can undermine cabinet effectiveness. Ministerial churn makes it harder for department heads to develop expertise about their areas of responsibility, or for parliamentarians to hold them to account for the policies they implement. Moreover, using reshuffles to punish rivals can backfire by releasing them from the constraints of collective cabinet responsibility and allowing them to openly criticise the government.
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