GIO
Inactive User
I thought this was a good explanation to the current problem,it explained a lot to me as i wasnt too sure myself.
Hung parliament: What comes next?
With no party having an overall majority, what happens now?
Parliament: Labour is still officially in Government after the election.
With all but a few results declared, Britain is faced with the prospect of being governed by a hung parliament for the first time in more than three decades.
But what exactly does the current situation mean for voters and political parties? Who will be in power when the dust settles, and who will be on the outside looking in? And what are the options for the current Government and Gordon Brown?
What exactly is a hung parliament?
When no party wins the required 326 seats which would give them an overall majority in the House of Commons, then parliament is said to be hung. No single party has the voting power to overrule the opposition parties and must court votes from rivals to pass legislation.
Complicating matters further are the facts that the Speaker by convention does not vote and Sinn Fein MPs traditionally do not take their seats at Westminster.
When did this happen last?
The last time Britain had a hung parliament was in 1974, when voters returned 297 Conservatives and 301 Labour MPs to parliament.
Incumbent PM Edward Heath initially clung to his position, but when it became clear that the Liberal party was unwilling to enter a coalition Government with the Conservatives he stepped down in favour of Labour’s Harold Wilson.
Who will be PM?
As the current holder of the office, Gordon Brown is still the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Even though the Conservatives have the largest share of the vote, they do not hold the authority to form a new government.
However, if David Cameron were to challenge convention by declaring himself the winner, he could make life very awkward for Mr Brown, who would have to weigh up whether holding on is possible in the face of what would be intense political, public and media pressure.
Should Mr Brown step down, it is likely that the Queen would invite Mr Cameron to form her next Government.
How will the country be governed?
With no party winning a clear majority, convention states that Labour ministers will remain in office.
Recently-published Cabinet Office guidance states: "Where an election does not result in a clear majority for a single party, the incumbent Government remains in office unless and until the Prime Minister tenders his and the Government's resignation to the Monarch.
"An incumbent Government is entitled to await the meeting of the new Parliament to see if it can command the confidence of the House of Commons or to resign if it becomes clear that it is unlikely to command that confidence.”
If the Government is defeated on a motion of confidence in the House of Commons, a Prime Minister is expected to tender the Government's resignation immediately.
Is there any chance of a coalition government?
Poorer-than-expected election results for the Lib Dems could see Nick Clegg seek to become kingmaker for a new Government. A Lib Dem – Conservative alliance would instantly have an overall majority in the Commons.
The party will hold a private meeting tomorrow to determine whether they want to enter a coalition with either the Conservatives or Labour.
However, Mr Clegg would need the support of two-thirds of party members present at the meeting should he wish to go down this path.
Minority parties and nationalists could also play a part in the arithmetic, and the Conservatives might call for help from the Unionist parties of Northern Ireland. Both the SNP and Plaid Cymru have ruled out joining any formal coalition at Westminster.
And it is possible for a minority government to continue in office on a vote-by-vote basis, without any formal or informal deal with another party or parties, unless and until it loses a vote of confidence in the House.
Could there be another election this year?
There was in 1974, so it is entirely possible that we might have to go through the entire process again in a few short months.
gio
Hung parliament: What comes next?
With no party having an overall majority, what happens now?
Parliament: Labour is still officially in Government after the election.
With all but a few results declared, Britain is faced with the prospect of being governed by a hung parliament for the first time in more than three decades.
But what exactly does the current situation mean for voters and political parties? Who will be in power when the dust settles, and who will be on the outside looking in? And what are the options for the current Government and Gordon Brown?
What exactly is a hung parliament?
When no party wins the required 326 seats which would give them an overall majority in the House of Commons, then parliament is said to be hung. No single party has the voting power to overrule the opposition parties and must court votes from rivals to pass legislation.
Complicating matters further are the facts that the Speaker by convention does not vote and Sinn Fein MPs traditionally do not take their seats at Westminster.
When did this happen last?
The last time Britain had a hung parliament was in 1974, when voters returned 297 Conservatives and 301 Labour MPs to parliament.
Incumbent PM Edward Heath initially clung to his position, but when it became clear that the Liberal party was unwilling to enter a coalition Government with the Conservatives he stepped down in favour of Labour’s Harold Wilson.
Who will be PM?
As the current holder of the office, Gordon Brown is still the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Even though the Conservatives have the largest share of the vote, they do not hold the authority to form a new government.
However, if David Cameron were to challenge convention by declaring himself the winner, he could make life very awkward for Mr Brown, who would have to weigh up whether holding on is possible in the face of what would be intense political, public and media pressure.
Should Mr Brown step down, it is likely that the Queen would invite Mr Cameron to form her next Government.
How will the country be governed?
With no party winning a clear majority, convention states that Labour ministers will remain in office.
Recently-published Cabinet Office guidance states: "Where an election does not result in a clear majority for a single party, the incumbent Government remains in office unless and until the Prime Minister tenders his and the Government's resignation to the Monarch.
"An incumbent Government is entitled to await the meeting of the new Parliament to see if it can command the confidence of the House of Commons or to resign if it becomes clear that it is unlikely to command that confidence.”
If the Government is defeated on a motion of confidence in the House of Commons, a Prime Minister is expected to tender the Government's resignation immediately.
Is there any chance of a coalition government?
Poorer-than-expected election results for the Lib Dems could see Nick Clegg seek to become kingmaker for a new Government. A Lib Dem – Conservative alliance would instantly have an overall majority in the Commons.
The party will hold a private meeting tomorrow to determine whether they want to enter a coalition with either the Conservatives or Labour.
However, Mr Clegg would need the support of two-thirds of party members present at the meeting should he wish to go down this path.
Minority parties and nationalists could also play a part in the arithmetic, and the Conservatives might call for help from the Unionist parties of Northern Ireland. Both the SNP and Plaid Cymru have ruled out joining any formal coalition at Westminster.
And it is possible for a minority government to continue in office on a vote-by-vote basis, without any formal or informal deal with another party or parties, unless and until it loses a vote of confidence in the House.
Could there be another election this year?
There was in 1974, so it is entirely possible that we might have to go through the entire process again in a few short months.
gio
