Good point...
UK Prime Minister May calls for snap election.
- Thread starter MacLeod
- Start date
Well the local elections are over and whilst only so much can be read into how they might translate into a Genreal Election, it looks like the Conservatives have made gains from UKIP which has all but been wiped out at a local level and some gains from Labour.
One might exepct the ruling party to lose seats at elections in between General elections.
One might exepct the ruling party to lose seats at elections in between General elections.
I think the last PM to not have a Parliamentary seat was Hume as he was a member of the House of Lords though he had to give up his peerage.
Theoritically, that would be legal (anyone can legally be invited to 'form a government' by the Queen) for practical reasons this is typically the leader of largest political in Parliament and sits in either the Commons or the Lords (last PM appointed from the Lords was Robert, Marquess of Salisbury (1895-1902), and is unlikely to be practical post the Parliament Act of 1911).
It's extraordinarily unlikely that she will be unseated. Maidenhead gave her (as a new candidate) a majority of nearly twelve thousand during the Conservatives' nadir in 1997. Now that she is the Prime Minister (with her and the party riding very high in the polls) she might push 70% of the vote.
If it somehow did happen, the party would most likely arrange for a backbencher to take the Chiltern Hundreds so that she could win the by-election.
If it somehow did happen, the party would most likely arrange for a backbencher to take the Chiltern Hundreds so that she could win the by-election.
As with most things in the UK government, the office of Prime Minister is one of convention rather than written law, and as such what is and isn't 'allowed' is really a matter of what happens. And what happens is that the PM is a member of parliament - initially either House, but in recent years only the Commons.
I think it's very unlikely today's Britain would accept a Lord as PM, and someone who loses their seat probably wouldn't pull off the trick of getting themselves a peerage and moving back into No 10
I did a few of those online political surveys, one where you respond to statements based on your views, one said I am Liberal Democrat the other said I am Conservative. So I might as well vote for the Monster Raving Looney party if they stand in my area 
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Two months is long time in politics.....
I did a few of those online political surveys one, where you respond to statements based on your views, one said I am Liberal Democrat the other said I am Conservative. So I might as well vote for the Monster Raving Looney party if they stand in my area
I'm unsure if my vote made it back as I did a postal vote, but I voted tactically for the election.
A week is a long time in politics, but remember this vote quote "events dear boy events" A lot can happen in a short period of time.
Event - Dementia tax.....
If Corbyn wins he can thank Mrs May for throwing the election.
If Corbyn wins he can thank Mrs May for throwing the election.
Looks like "coalition of chaos" will turn out to be an unfortunate choice of phrase for May if she has to cut deals with the DUP to retain a working majority. The hard Brexiters who want nothing to do with EU regulations, particularly on matters such as immigration, will be mightily pissed.
I bet there will be another election within a year. Mrs May will find it difficult to govern effectively. Serves her right, taking the voters for granted, especially the youth and the senior citizens!
I am not a Corbyn fan but part of me wanted Labour to win, since its easy to promise folks the world. It is another thing to deliver.
I am not a Corbyn fan but part of me wanted Labour to win, since its easy to promise folks the world. It is another thing to deliver.
Unless things go really badly in Parliament, I doubt we'll get another election before 2020-ish when we would originally have had an election before her mistep.
Well there are only two ways for a GE to be triggered before 2022.
A No confidence vote and would the DUP support that as it might cost them seats. And 2nd for the PM to ask Parliment to dissolve itself. Both would seem unlikely
That being said I could see a change in PM before 2022, perhaps in 2019/2020 after Brexit takes effect.
That DUP coallition is going to open so many cans that i don't think May will last 6 months, there is already talk that it cannot happen because it would be against the impartiality clause in the good Friday agreement....then we have ex Tory Mp's stating the abortion laws could head back to the commons. 
If the DUP deal goes well we may see Half a dozen liberal Tory MPs in labour/Tory margins backing a Corbyn queen speech, or at least abstaining. Perhaps the Scottish dozen.
The question is could Corbyn have enough humility to accept he lost, and he needs to compromise.
On the other hand a new Tory leader from the liberal/remain side could also gain vote-by-vote support.
It's time to compromise. May doesn't seem to be able to understand the concept, let alone do it.
The question is could Corbyn have enough humility to accept he lost, and he needs to compromise.
On the other hand a new Tory leader from the liberal/remain side could also gain vote-by-vote support.
It's time to compromise. May doesn't seem to be able to understand the concept, let alone do it.
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