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Proceeding contribution from Michael Connarty (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 25 May 2010. It occurred during Adjournment debate on Dissolution of Parliament.


Dissolution of Parliament

My problem is that, in the situation that the hon. Gentleman is describing, he is relying on conventions and an unwritten constitution. He is about to introduce a part of a written constitution for the first time stating that a 55% majority is required to dissolve Parliament. The parallel with Scotland is quite clear. A minority Government in Scotland can lose confidence votes and remain, because they cannot be dissolved if they do not wish to go, unless 66% of Members vote for it. That was discussed over decades and is legislation in the Scotland Act 1998. Unless he is proposing to introduce more written constitutional elements stating what he has just said about convention, his word is worth nothing.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
510 c149 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
House of Commons Fixed-term parliaments Dissolution Parliament Standards Royal prerogative Divisions Censure motions
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk