Getting het up about constitutional rules and practice is widespread just now. There has been no alteration in the set-up. What is different this time, and every time is different, is the character of the current Prime Minister. The Leader of an outgoing administration is expected to advise the Head of State on whom to send for to form the new administration. This is not the only advice-source, but an important one; the other sources are clearly preparing for some ridiculous tantrums when office must be surrendered. Imagine:
"You must go to the Palace and advise that Mr Cameron be sent for, Prime Minister."
"Shan't."
"Mr Cameron has a majority over all other parties of 63 seats, Prime Minister."
"So what?"
"The moment you meet the House you will be voted down, Prime Minister. Surely you cannot wish to precipitate the Head of State into political centre stage, and having to force you to meet Parliament?"
"If she can't stand the heat she should get out of the kitchen. I am not going to have Parliament meet for the moment, anyway, like they did in Canada. So there."
"It is a power of the Head of State to prorogue Parliament, Prime Minister."
"I'll tell her to prorogue it. She has to accept my advice."
"Your advice among that of others Prime Minister. "
"It's not fair, having a monarch as head of state; she doesn't have to face elections, like me."
"Precisely, Prime Minister. You only hold the power of the state temporarily until the people remove it; and the Head of State acts for her people permanently, and in the interests of our system of government. The power is held by the state, whose Head concedes it through Parliament to the democratically elected party and its Leader. You have lost the election. You are not the people's democratically-made choice. You must go to the Palace, where the power of the state is now, briefly, held, and do your last prime ministerial duty, of offering your advice to send for Mr Cameron."
"How're you going to make me? You and whose army?"
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It is possible our benevolent and infallible leader will remain the leader of the government, post the election. In which case in 5 years time the necessity of dissolving parliament and an audience with the Queen will no longer be an issue as for the greater good of the people of GB & NI our benevolent and infallible leader will been given the post of Prime Minister in perpetuity by a grateful populace.
This election is looking more and more Zimbabwean. (Is that a word? More and more like Zimbabwe)
Anyway - have a look at this: a possibility that the govt could pass emergency laws inthe next two weeks to replace uncooperative Returning Officers. Could it really happen?
Once you've thought the word, it's there, B.
Must get on, the decision (unanimous) by the Comune to reinstall the gates to the town last week, and close them from dusk to dawn to protect against wandering migrants from the countryside, means they're sinking the gate supports into the building; and I don't want them doing lots of damage to the stonework - they've been told to find the old holes and re-excavate them. But I want to keep an eye on the work.
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