To what Extent Has the Blair Premiership Validated the Crossman Thesis?

In 1963 a Labour MP, Richard Crossman wrote an introduction to a new edition of 'The English Constitution' (1867). In his introduction he outlines his argument for the development of the British premiership from the traditional 'primus inter pares' to a presidentialism. In this essay I am going to show that the Blair premiership does not validate the Crossman thesis, it instead continues the long running trend of strengthening the office of prime minister. Crossman believed that the power of the British prime minister had grown so great that it had effectively become presidential. …