if a political party had a majority but the leader lost there seat

THOMOTHOMO Posts: 7,446
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What would happen after the 2015 General Election if Labour or the Consrvatives had a majority in parliament, but both Ed Milaband or David Cameron lost their parliamentary seat? Who would go to see the Queen from either party to form a Goverment?
Ian.

Comments

  • smudges dadsmudges dad Posts: 36,989
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    THOMO wrote: »
    What would happen after the 2015 General Election if Labour or the Consrvatives had a majority in parliament, but both Ed Milaband or David Cameron lost their parliamentary seat? Who would go to see the Queen from either party to form a Goverment?
    Ian.

    It's happened before, but I can't remember the details except there being a by election in a very safe seat.
  • HypnodiscHypnodisc Posts: 22,728
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    Natalie Bennett is the leader of the Green Party but doesn't hold a seat.

    Nigel Farage is the leader of UKIP but doesn't hold a seat.

    I don't think it actually matters.

    Another related example is Baroness Warsi (Conservative) was a cabinet member but never actually won an election/seat IIRC?
  • RaferRafer Posts: 14,231
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    The deputy leader steps in. The party in question would then have to make a decision. They could hold a leadership contest without Milliband/Cameron. Or they can progress with the party leader and the head of government being two separate people. There's nothing constitutional involved. There is no reason why the party leader has to be the Prime minister. We all vote for our local mp not for the leader of the party. (unless you live in the corresponding constituency)
  • Steve9214Steve9214 Posts: 8,402
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    The Prime Minister of the UK must be able to "command a majority in the house of Commons".

    In the past there have been Peers who were Prime Minister, but in recent times the PM has always been an MP.

    There would be 2 choices, either the Party elects a new Leader from the sitting MP's
    OR an MP with a safe seat resigns, causing a by-election where the Leader stands and wins.

    The Queen would have to be advised as to whom she appoints PM, as the outgoing PM has to be replaced at once. In this instance the Party Chairman would probably be the person who advises the Queen whom to appoint.

    We do not have a system whereby the elected Leader of the Majority party does not sit in Parliament.

    It would be one hell of a mess !!!
  • JezRJezR Posts: 1,426
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    Not quite the same thing but the only Prime Minister in reasonably modern times to lose a seat in a general election is Arthur Balfour in 1906. He did come back pretty swiftly in a by-election.
  • OrriOrri Posts: 9,470
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    I'd assume that in the first instance it'd pass down the line or an emergency internal ballot would be held. There would be no point in someone resigning in order to allow the would be PM to be elected in their place. It'd just add to the political fallout. For a start you'd be talking about a scenario where supposed safe seats no longer were. For another you'd have to overrule the local constituents in order selection. Even if you did manage that the tarnished goods of a failed leader would probably be faced with the further handicap of not being considered local, with no guarantee of inheriting any support the previous MP held and if enough of the opposition agree there might be only one candidate from them standing against.

    For the circumstances to rise the putative government would either have to be the largest minority or have a very narrow majority. Hardly a ringing endorsement of their leader.
  • Phil 2804Phil 2804 Posts: 21,846
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    Steve9214 wrote: »
    The Prime Minister of the UK must be able to "command a majority in the house of Commons".

    In the past there have been Peers who were Prime Minister, but in recent times the PM has always been an MP.

    There would be 2 choices, either the Party elects a new Leader from the sitting MP's
    OR an MP with a safe seat resigns, causing a by-election where the Leader stands and wins.

    The Queen would have to be advised as to whom she appoints PM, as the outgoing PM has to be replaced at once. In this instance the Party Chairman would probably be the person who advises the Queen whom to appoint.

    We do not have a system whereby the elected Leader of the Majority party does not sit in Parliament.

    It would be one hell of a mess !!!

    At this point its worth mentioning 1931 when the King refused to accept the resignation of Labour PM Ramsay McDonald and helped broker a deal where he continued as PM leading a Tory dominated Government.

    Even after the Tories won 400 seats at the election that same year the deal remained in place and McDonald remained as PM until just before the 1935 election.

    Don't forget the speculation during the 2010 post election vacuum that Gordon Brown would resign as PM as part of deal for the Lib Dems to support a Labour Government.
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