General Election Timing

[Hopkirk]

I thought we now had fixed term parliaments now, so why is there talk of one this autumn?

[naomi24]

Who's talking about that?

[Jackdaw33]

Parliament can vote to dissolve itself.

[naomi24]

I haven't heard any talk of an election - except from Mikey.

[mushroom25]

there was speculation in the press that whoever becomes leader of the conservatives might decide to call an election, in order to guarantee themselves a mandate. it's also said that such an election would be unwinnable for labour, which could be why Jeremy's front bench got the wind up over the weekend.

[Hopkirk]

So if the government can still call an election, what changed when they brought in fixed term parliaments?

[ToraToraTora]

the sour grapes brigade keep going on about it and it it technically possible but the Torys are not going to allow that. The next election is in 2020, end of. Mushroom they have a mandate, the cleanest kind, they got it early Friday morning.

Hoppy the government cannot call an election they have to wait to the allotted time. Other than that a general election can be called if 2 thirds of parliament vote to dissolve itself.

With the state of both Labour and the Tories at the moment that is extremely unlikely. Ironically we have the Limp Dums to thank!

[jno]

there is indeed talk of a snap election.

"Rules state there can be no election before 2020.

But some MPs are apparently poised to unpick the Fixed Term Parliaments Act to force an early ballot."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/labour-braced-snap-election-britain-8244538

Also, a no-confdence vote could bring about the fall of a government, as before.

[ToraToraTora]

it needs parliament to unpick and act of parliament jno. How's that going to work? With the whole shower in disarray they'll stop any move to have an early GE because they'll all be worried about losing seats. Probably the only thing that most of them agree on at the moment.

[douglas9401]

Good to see that we have another 'brigade' though.

[mikey4444]

Its perfectly possible to have another Election before the fixed term of 5 years is up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-term_Parliaments_Act_2011

[ToraToraTora]

yeah by 2 thirds of the house as I stated above mikey.

[Hopkirk]

Two thirds would need Labour agreeing to it.

I don't think they would be wise to voluntarily go to the country this year.

Some of them will have been deselected by their constituencies for disloyalty, and those that survive may struggle to win their seats..

[Jackdaw33]

There is a third option. If there is a vote of no confidence in the government, then parliament has 14 days to come up with a new government. If not, an election will be called. At present it would need every Tory MP to vote the government out of office to succeed, with the bizarre scenario of the entire opposition voting FOR the government. This will not happen.