Poll: *** 2010 General Election Result & Discussion ***

[Berserker]

Understand the manifesto? How many people even read the manifesto of the party they voted for?

My point exactly. Myself included.

Ironically, I read at least parts of the manifesto of several parties I didn't vote for, but didn't read the manifesto of the party I did vote for.

 

[Uriel]

This was the first general election I've voted in where I read any manifestos at all.

Edit: Lies... I think I've read the Monster Raving Loonies' manifesto at for the last 3 general elections...

 

[Strife212]

Is it true that there is nothing that actually compels a prime minister to resign? As in Gordon could sit in 10 downing street forever if he was stubborn enough.

 

[PMKeates]

Is it true that there is nothing that actually compels a prime minister to resign? As in Gordon could sit in 10 downing street forever if he was stubborn enough.

If a PM refused to resign Queeny would release the hounds.

EDIT: In all seriousness, if a PM refused to resign, it'd probably be a matter for the Palace to resolve.

 

[Berserker]

Is it true that there is nothing that actually compels a prime minister to resign? As in Gordon could sit in 10 downing street forever if he was stubborn enough.

I'm not sure of the technicalities, but whether by convention or by constitution (unwritten as it is), the following would result in the PM getting on his bike:

• Vote of no confidence.
• Vote on Queen's Speech falling (Govt could not carry out their intended programme).
• Vote on budget falling (Govt would not have funds to carry out their intended programme).

As a last resort, the ruling monarch can intervene.

 

[Dolph]

Is it true that there is nothing that actually compels a prime minister to resign? As in Gordon could sit in 10 downing street forever if he was stubborn enough.

No, the queen can force him to resign, although normally it would be after a failure to get through a bill such as the queen's speech that means she has no confidence in her government. In practice, the PM will normally resign before that.

 

[Strife212]

So an incumbent Prime Minister could technically stay in office until the Queen's Speech even if he had only 1 seat, his own?

Of course, an outlandish scenario.

 

[Axil]

They won the most votes anything else is going against the majority vote of the public.

Majority Vote?

me thinks not - majority is when over 50% of voters vote for the party
I think you find the Tories got a lot less than that (36 %) . They (and labour) are lucky the electoral process is designed around a two party competition

 

[PMKeates]

So an incumbent Prime Minister could technically stay in office until the Queen's Speech even if he had only 1 seat, his own?

Of course, an outlandish scenario.

We have a flexible constitution. If something like this happened we'd probably sort it out and set a new precedent for future reference

 

[Dolph]

Majority Vote?

me thinks not - majority is when over 50% of voters vote for the party
I think you find the Tories got a lot less than that (36 %) . They (and labour) are lucky the electoral process is designed around a two party competition

A plurality vote then

Of course, in the UK political system, the two terms are interchangeable...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plurality_(voting)

 

[Berserker]

So an incumbent Prime Minister could technically stay in office until the Queen's Speech even if he had only 1 seat, his own?

Of course, an outlandish scenario.

The Prime Minister (or, indeed, any Minister) can lose their seat (or even not be an MP in the first place) and still be a Minister. This is the case right now with a few Ministers, and there is past precedent for the PM as well.

So, in a really outlandish scenario, the party could have no seats at all.

 

[The Mad Rapper]

The Prime Minister (or, indeed, any minister) can technically lose their seat and still be a minister. This is the case right now, and there is past precedent for the PM as well.

So, in a really outlandish scenario, the party could have no seats at all.

Hasn't this exact thing happened with the First Minister in Northern Ireland?

 

[Berserker]

Hasn't this exact thing happened with the First Minister in Northern Ireland?

Nope - as with the Scottish and Welsh assemblies, the NI assembly has an electoral system that is entirely independent of the General Election. There is no requirement that any member of any assembly is also an MP, and there never has been.

 

[The Mad Rapper]

Nope - as with the Scottish and Welsh assemblies, the NI assembly has an electoral system that is entirely independent of the General Election. There is no requirement that any member of any assembly is also an MP, and there never has been.

Interesting. So the fact he lost his seat is irrelevant to his position as First Minister then?

 

[LOAM]

People don't see the economy as much of a problem as Labour were doing a brilliant job of managing it and steering it on the course to recovery. Under a Tory government they would doubtlessly see how wrong they were.

Have I phased into a parallel universe ?

 

[chriscpritchard]

Interesting. So the fact he lost his seat is irrelevant to his position as First Minister then?

Yup

 

[rypt]

I like FPTP, and I still think it is the fairest system that would work perfectly were the electorate not retarded, and were the boundaries not fudged.

 

[Berserker]

Interesting. So the fact he lost his seat is irrelevant to his position as First Minister then?

Correct - at least until he loses his seat in the next NI election, then it's game over.

That's not to say that losing his seat at Westminster won't cause problems - it most certainly will. Technically, he no longer has any say over the consequences of any Westminster policy on NI. Of course, in practical terms it won't quite work like that.

 

[mike62]

People don't see the economy as much of a problem as Labour were doing a brilliant job of managing it and steering it on the course to recovery.

Where the *swearing!* have you been for the last 13 years?

Jesus Christ!

 

[avec]

Where the *swearing!* have you been for the last 13 years?

Jesus Christ!

I will take a wild guess, made in jest:

On benefits, in a council house, in Scotland.

"ho ho ho"