Say the Tories win an election, then midterm the PM announces intention to quit, and the party membership somehow chooses Nigel Farage or an even more right-wing figure as the new leader. That ministry would have minority support, say 200 to 250 MPs. What does the outgoing PM do? Certainly not to recommend that Farage can form a ministry with the support of the House. And what does the King's private secretary do? At least these days they can agree to call an election, but I imagine someone wargamed this scenario during the FTPA era.
The convention is very simple: the leader of the majority party is deemed to have the confidence of the house (this is tested annually in the King’s Speech).
In your scenario, assuming that there are no defections from those members of the majority party who do not support RWN (“right wing nutter”) then he become PM unless and until he loses a confidence vote
If there are defections then likely the LOTO will put down a motion of no confidence per @Richard_Nabavi upthread
My question was on what basis such a person could be appointed PM, with access to the royal prerogatives, Polaris and so on.
I can 100% guarantee no UK PM will be given access to Polaris.
You saying there's more than one Polari? And the PM should have access?
Inneee bold, that Mr Sunak....
You have to be at least 107 to get this joke.
So what JackW would refer to as a “a young whipsnapper”?
Say the Tories win an election, then midterm the PM announces intention to quit, and the party membership somehow chooses Nigel Farage or an even more right-wing figure as the new leader. That ministry would have minority support, say 200 to 250 MPs. What does the outgoing PM do? Certainly not to recommend that Farage can form a ministry with the support of the House. And what does the King's private secretary do? At least these days they can agree to call an election, but I imagine someone wargamed this scenario during the FTPA era.
The convention is very simple: the leader of the majority party is deemed to have the confidence of the house (this is tested annually in the King’s Speech).
In your scenario, assuming that there are no defections from those members of the majority party who do not support RWN (“right wing nutter”) then he become PM unless and until he loses a confidence vote
If there are defections then likely the LOTO will put down a motion of no confidence per @Richard_Nabavi upthread
My question was on what basis such a person could be appointed PM, with access to the royal prerogatives, Polaris and so on.
I can 100% guarantee no UK PM will be given access to Polaris.
You saying there's more than one Polari? And the PM should have access?
Say the Tories win an election, then midterm the PM announces intention to quit, and the party membership somehow chooses Nigel Farage or an even more right-wing figure as the new leader. That ministry would have minority support, say 200 to 250 MPs. What does the outgoing PM do? Certainly not to recommend that Farage can form a ministry with the support of the House. And what does the King's private secretary do? At least these days they can agree to call an election, but I imagine someone wargamed this scenario during the FTPA era.
The convention is very simple: the leader of the majority party is deemed to have the confidence of the house (this is tested annually in the King’s Speech).
In your scenario, assuming that there are no defections from those members of the majority party who do not support RWN (“right wing nutter”) then he become PM unless and until he loses a confidence vote
If there are defections then likely the LOTO will put down a motion of no confidence per @Richard_Nabavi upthread
My question was on what basis such a person could be appointed PM, with access to the royal prerogatives, Polaris and so on.
I can 100% guarantee no UK PM will be given access to Polaris.
You saying there's more than one Polari? And the PM should have access?
Does Boris Johnson actually need to be an MP to be PM?
According to a poster earlier this week, Alec Douglas-Home was PM despite being in neither the Commons nor the Lords, for about five minutes back in 1963.
The key point there being 'for about five minutes'
Yes. It isn't technically compulsory but in practice it would be impossible for any length of time.
The only other example of a minister who was neither an MP nor a peer was Patrick Gordon-Walker in 1964, who lost his seat but whose experience Wilson considered vital to the government. But after he failed to win two by-elections he had to resign.
Only one, namely Leyton, which he won in the 1966 GE.
This question came up some years ago. It is possible for a minister to be a Lord and not be a MP, and many examples are known. It is also possible for a minister to not be a Lord nor a MP, and examples are known but they are fewer.
One example of the latter from WWII was in 1942 when PM Winston Churchill, appointed Richard G. (later Baron) Casey, then Australian Minister for America, as Minister Resident in the Middle East. Casey was never a British MP. Another who was appointed but later found a seat are Ernest Bevin (Minister of Labour for about six weeks before he became a MP),
Such MPs have been given the retronym GOATS, from "government of all the talents"
Comments
I'm used to things well past their use-by date.
One example of the latter from WWII was in 1942 when PM Winston Churchill, appointed Richard G. (later Baron) Casey, then Australian Minister for America, as Minister Resident in the Middle East. Casey was never a British MP. Another who was appointed but later found a seat are Ernest Bevin (Minister of Labour for about six weeks before he became a MP),
Such MPs have been given the retronym GOATS, from "government of all the talents"
See https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmpubadm/330/330.pdf