observer Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Good or Bad idea? Up till now, I've always thought this would be a good idea, so the PM can't call elections at the most suitable time for him/her. But listening to some woman on Question Time tonight; who claims that this will mean that the new Coalition will be garanteed a 5 year term and can't be brought down by a vote of no-confidence - appears undemocratic and places the Executive in a position where they can't be challenged - seems rather unhealthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egbert Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Surely we have two issues here. Fixed term Parliament - yes that's OK. Requirement for a 55 per cent majority to carry a vote of no confidence, well, maybe. Maybe not. Way round it would be to have a vote to dissolve Parliament requiring a simple majority. Personally I always found it ridiculous for a Goverment to resign because it lost a vote on one particular issue, which has happened on occasions in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Think your right there Eg; losing individual policy bills doesn't really matter, but the budgets would - so either a simple majority against, on the basis of a formal "no confidence" vote should suffice - it's not something any opposition would do lightly in any case - this Government will have to do some rather draconian fiscal first aid (VAT is going to go up already!), so they'll become rather unpopular in a fairly short space of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 The original concern with any manipulation of our constitution, would be that they finish up burning down the Reichstag! But Sir Christopher Chope (Tory MP); seems to have identified the real two faced motivation behind this LibDem motivated move :- a requirement for a 55% majority for a vote of no confidence, can be used to lock in a LibDem-Labour alliance too! So, if/when, the Libs fall out with the Tories, the Tory-Lib coalition falls apart, and the LibDem slappers move over to form a pact with Labour, which the Tories wouldn't be able to vote down. Oh what a sordid buisiness it all is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goonerman Posted May 19, 2010 Report Share Posted May 19, 2010 Easily solved- the Lib-Lab pact will not work due to Labour's arrogant dictatorial attitude discovered by the Lib Dems when they sounded them out towards the end of negotiations as Nick Clegg feared a rank and file revolt, and then the Tories might be able to persuade the others to vote down the 55% back to 51% in a cynical U-turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2010 Seems Dave is starting a war with his own back-benchers by ammending membership of the 1922 committee; which has it's origins in bringing down a Lib-Con coalition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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