This task links to the Course Assessment Specification (CAS): The executive branch -the policy-making function.

A policy is a deliberate system of principles to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent, and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. In the UK the prime minister is responsible for this and similarly, in the US, the president directs policy.

Policies relate to numerous areas: foreign policy (relations with other countries), domestic policy (issues within the home country such as money and taxes, natural resources, social welfare, and personal rights and freedoms), and the environment, among others.

View Trump's current policies here and read the Financial Times' interpretation of his policies here or by downloading the article attached to the top of this post. You can view this as a video here.

View Boris Johnson's current policies here and on Brexit here. You can watch Johnson outlining some of his policies here.

It can be argued that the US President has a number of significant limits on his ability to make policy as Congress can block his proposals whereas a UK Prime Minister who normally commands a parliamentary majority possesses much more power to pass his/her legislation.

Once you have looked through these resources, consider the following questions:

• What type of person or group is Johnson and Trump hoping to attract and target (negatively) with their policies?
• Do they share any similarities or differences in their policies in terms of direction?
• Do you think that the ability to make policy makes the executives in both political systems influential?
• Are the two leaders similar or different in terms of their political ideology? 
  
  Comment below with your thoughts: