The contemporary UK prime minister. When the personal becomes political: Agency, character, personality and celebrity

Abstract

Alongside the focus on prime ministers within an institutional setting, it is important to recognise the significance of individual skills, styles and personality. Differing individuals will have differing performative skill levels and different leadership styles. The premise that leadership analysis should focus on the interaction between the political skills of the leader and the institutional environment in which they are operating is one that has gained some traction in contemporary political leadership scholarship. This article concentrates on the impact of the individual on the office, considering first the agent-centred approaches to prime ministerial study and applying the interactive model of leadership capital to the contemporary UK premiership, drawing some comparisons with Japan. Focusing on the three components of leadership capital – skills, relations and reputation of the individual in office – can give us a broader picture of the trajectory of prime ministerial leadership. Individual action, perceptions of the incumbent, decision making and style can all impact on the prime minister in office in the 21st century.