UK General Election 2029 - Trading ONLY thread

[firlandsfarm]

I'm sure it's not just me who's thinking of this, but if we're going to stop this ever-continuing procession of prime ministers, maybe we should inject some moral hazard. Why not make it mandatory that if you get rid of your leader, you have to call a general election?

Agreed in principle but maybe not needed if they stick to the manifesto they won the last GE on. The Westminster Act is not available to a Government to force through new legislation that was not in their manifesto so that may be an easy way to do it ... Dear New PM, follow your party's last manifesto or go to the country with a new one.

[firlandsfarm]

The Tories never had to call a general election so why should Labour?

You are quite right but Labour called for a GE at every Conservative change of PM but now claim today's circumstances are 'different' ... of course they are, the Conservatives replaced the PM with a MP elected at the previous GE directly under the party's manifesto, they did not construct a by-election to shoehorn someone into the post who was never elected under the party's manifesto (yes, yes, the manifesto validly existed but how many times did Burnham and his crew mention it in their electioneering?).

[sniffer66]

That's all well and good , and I can see the argument, but I'm sure you guys are aware we don't vote for a party in a GE (even though most voters do in principle). We vote for a local MP, and the party with the most MP's returned to the House , typically, but not always, is asked to form a govt by the monarch.

It's down to the party to decide who their leader is. There is no law or precedent requiring a forced GE on a change of leader or even a change of manifesto.

That doesn't stop every party blowing in the wind on every leader change - Tory, Reform or Labour. Mainly because they know a large part of the electorate doesn't understand the above and it scores them points...