If Tony Blair Died Today...

Former Member

Heres a stange idea that came up in one of my seminars today.

If Tony Blair were to go under a bus today and dies, it's the Queen who technically has the power to decide who the next PM is.

I personally feel that there would be uproar to this idea and that although she had the power, she may not exercise it. BUt if she did, who would she go for?

A lot of people would say that Gordon Brown is next in line, but surely its John Prscott, as Deputy PM. Scary thought eh?

So.
A) Do you think the Queen should be able to exercise this power

and

Who do you think she would/should choose?


Interesting idea.

P.S. I dont' want this to descend into a monarchy bashing thread about how we shouldn't have an enelected person with such power etc.

Former Member

Etiquette and tradition, which is what Parliament is founded on, decrees that the Deputy PM becomes PM until the party has a leadership contest. The Queen would then be bound (in principle) by that decision.

So Prescott would be PM until Labour decide who should be.

Former Member

Originally posted by Kermit
So Prescott would be PM until Labour decide who should be.

God help us all.

Former Member

Another interesting question that I've never been satisfied about. If labour won the next election, but Blair didn't get elected as an MP, could he still be PM?

Former Member

Originally posted by Fiend_85
Another interesting question that I've never been satisfied about. If labour won the next election, but Blair didn't get elected as an MP, could he still be PM?

No. The Prime Minister has to be an elected MP. This means that if he was removed by his Sedgefield constituency that he could no longer carry on as Prime Minister.

Former Member

Originally posted by Fiend_85
Another interesting question that I've never been satisfied about. If labour won the next election, but Blair didn't get elected as an MP, could he still be PM?

Theoretically he could, if he sat as a Lord.

But that wouldn't happen in practice.

Former Member

Shame that Blair is not the Labour candidate for Kensington and Chelsea then...

Former Member

Originally posted by Kermit
So Prescott would be PM until Labour decide who should be.

I don't think this would be the case. Surely it is not down to the Labour Party to decide who the next PM would be. They have no right to do that. They can decide who to nominate and put forward their nomination, but ultimately it is the Queen who has the deciding vote.

Former Member

Originally posted by Gandalf
I don't think this would be the case. Surely it is not down to the Labour Party to decide who the next PM would be. They have no right to do that. They can decide who to nominate and put forward their nomination, but ultimately it is the Queen who has the deciding vote.

No it isn't.

And it is their right.

The Prime Minister is the leader of the party of the Government. The party chooses its leader, therefore Labour (in this case) would choose the PM.

Blair is only PM because he is Leader of Labour, the Conservatives chose Major as PM because they chose him as leader in 1990.

Former Member

The Queen’s actual role in British politics is limited; the only real area where she has exercisable power is where the dissolution of Parliament is concerned. She could refuse a Prime Minister the dissolution of Parliament if;
- Parliament is still vital and viable (i.e. has reasonable time before a general election and has a workable majority).
- An election would harm the economy.
- An alternative Prime Minister could be found.

Otherwise the Queen’s role is limited by convention to ceremonial and routine tasks; signing bills, appointing Lords, speeches, having her face on the currency etc etc. The British constitution by its nature is uncodified, and in many areas dictated solely by convention, which is why theoretical arguments arise.

On another note – Blair was elected Labour leader by the Labour Party via an electoral college comprising;
- Parliamentary & European Parliamentary Labour Parties: - 33.3%
- Trade Unions – 33.3%
- Constituency Members – 33.3%

If the Queen refused to appoint the elected leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, it would be a departure from a well established convention and would quite likely damage the Monarchy beyond all repair.

Former Member

Originally posted by mrheathcliff
On another note – Blair was elected Labour leader by the Labour Party

On a side issue, saying he was elected by the Labour Party is a bit optimistic.

Sorry, I just read Liz Davies' works and it makes me so angry :mad:

Former Member

Originally posted by rachie004
if bush died today would that mean kerry automatically wins?

I know it sounds stoopid but it's a serious question

actually on second thought it really is stoopid.. if he dies who would kerry be running against? and what would happen to the votes already put in for bush?

If Bush died today, Cheney would automatically serve as President until the end of Bush’s term, and the Vice President, I think, would be his appointee. I believe that the Republican Party would have to form a new ticket quickly, especially as legally the election cannot be delayed.

Former Member

Originally posted by Kermit
On a side issue, saying he was elected by the Labour Party is a bit optimistic.

Sorry, I just read Liz Davies' works and it makes me so angry :mad:

He was elected, although the 'quality' of internal party democracy within the Labour Party is open to conjecture. He stood in a contested leadership election against Prescott and Beckett.