A minor constitutional point
Following on from last week’s PMQs, which I talked about here, I’ve come up with a rebuttal to all the (cheap, IMHO) points made by Cameron and, today, Hague about paralysis during Labour’s leadership election and calls for a leadership election.
The formal arrangements are that the Queen asks a member of the Commons (or, potentially, the Lords) to form an administration that will secure the confidence of the Commons. So long as Messrs Cameron and Hague twitter on, they are challenging the majoritarianism of the system (OK), making cheap points and, worst of all, missing an opportunity to hold the government to account - for instance, what is the PM or DPM’s opinion on whether Parliament should have a vote on military action? Do they think that they established a constitutional convention, or that a further vote on military action would establish such a convention?
As I understand it, when Brown is elected leader of the Labour Party, Blair will visit the Queen to say that he no longer enjoys the support of the Commons and will ask her to commission a new Prime Minister, recommending Brown. The general election is about choosing who will represent the constituency you happen to be in, not choosing the government.
xD.
May 16th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Indeed. A party is perfectly entitled to change its leader during a parliament and, hence, if that party commands a majority in the Commons, to change the Prime Minister.
The Conservative Party seem to be oddly un-conservative on this point and seem to be insinuating that we should act as if we have a premiership that is like a presidency that is directly-elected.
May 18th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Just like under Thatcher with the switch to Major- but Labour did it the other way round then- its one of the conditions of being in opposition that you clamour for the election that when you are ahead in the polls you think might take you to power.
Personally I would like to see someone ask Blair what he sees as his role after the election and whether he will leave the Commons.