if a political party had a majority but the leader lost there seat
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.
Ian.
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It's happened before, but I can't remember the details except there being a by election in a very safe 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?
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 !!!
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.
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.