Posted on 07/12/2016 12:31:25 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
In the wake of Britain’s controversial “Brexit” vote, the United Kingdom gets a new prime minister tomorrow. But Theresa May, the U.K.’s former Home Secretary, will succeed David Cameron without ever being elected. Why?
It turns out that it’s possible for someone to take the most powerful role in Britain without winning the public’s vote. The reason: Parliamentary democracy. Unlike the United States, which has a presidential system of democracy and directly elects officials, Britain elects a parliament once every five years.
Each member of the British House of Commons belongs to a political party, and the party that wins the majority forms its own government and appoints a Prime Minister. A vote for an MP, or member of parliament, is a vote for a political party as much as an individual—and the party gets to name its own officials. That means that when a prime minister resigns or is removed during a non-general-election year, the ruling party selects its next prime minister, usually in a run-off election.
May, the 59-year-old Conservative who will head to 10 Downing Street after Cameron tenders his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II, has been a frontrunner for her party’s top slot since Cameron announced he would step down. But until yesterday, it seemed as if she’d have to run for office in a party-wide runoff vote later this summer.
That all changed due to Conservative infighting and Brexit controversy. As Rowena Mason and Heather Stewart write for The Guardian, May was dangled as a potential alternative to Boris Johnson, the divisive former mayor of London who pushed Britain toward a vote to leave the European Union. As pressure to find a candidate who could unite Conservatives grew, the field quickly narrowed until only two remained: May and Andrea Leadsom, junior energy minister. members of parliament honed down the choice to the candidates in internal votes with the intention of holding a runoff on September 9, Steven Erlanger writes for The New York Times.
But then something happened that negated the need for a runoff: Leadsom stepped aside. As Laura Kuenssberg explains for the BBC, Leadsom purportedly quit in a bid to unite the party and expedite the transition between Cameron and the new Prime Minister-in-waiting. But widespread criticism about Leadsom’s remarks about how having children qualified her for the post of Prime Minister also seem to have played a role in the decision.
Since May is already a member of the existing Conservative government in her role as Home Secretary, she does not need to assemble a new government as Prime Minister. And because there is no longer any opposing candidate for the role, that negates the need for a runoff election.
So what happens now? For today, May is Prime Minister-in-waiting. According to the BBC, Cameron, who participated in his final cabinet meeting today, will participate in his last rousing round of Prime Minister’s Questions tomorrow, then go to Buckingham Palace, where he will tender his resignation and tell the Queen that May should be the next prime minister. May will then head to the Palace herself, where the Queen will invite her to form a government.
No I’m not. I’m for parliamentary democracy and against your style of republican democracy.
You’re trying to make something out of nothing. Under a parliamentary system ministers are not elected directly and they never have been. That is the system we have. Damn right I’m going to take it as long as it suits me. Why would I not want to do that?
Leni
And if all that doesn't entertain you then surely this circus should:
Britain's May says won't trigger Article 50 until have UK-wide approach
Oh yes yes, you people have governance all figured out - Lmao!
Btw you helped a great deal. Thanks for adding.
Ignore the dummkopf...the U.K. just gave the rest of Europe a valuable lesson in democracy.
I remain impressed at how quickly and seamlessly your government changed hands, kudos!
Just to be clear, there is a theory and a practice of democracy. Theoretically electing every politician and judge and local official is more "democratic", but in practice, as most people aren't really bothered about the minor positions, what you end up with is a dictatorship of the concerned, of those who can be bothered. Similarly, theoretically the parliament can discuss or block EU legislation, but effectively the unelected commissioners are the ones who are calling the shots. They are the ones introducing legislation. They are the ones who set the agenda. They have WAY too much power.
The so-called elitists are members of parliament. They are all elected. All they are doing is selecting a leader, who obviously has to be PM because by definition they are the ones with the support of the House. Cameron did not have to resign. There's no law saying he had to. He just recognised that having put so much of his political capital into the remain campaign it would be impossible for him to continue as PM. You sneer at the new PM being a remainer too. What you forget is that the majority of the Conservative party were for remain, so she is merely a reflection of their stance, which is only democratic. If the majority of the party is pro-remain it stands to reason their leader would be too, not so? So what are you complaining about?
That is one of the advantages of a parliamentary democracy. Not to say there aren’t disadvantages too.
Well, she was a member of the ruling party. She was elected by her party.
Just like the Republicans can elect anyone they want as Speaker.
If people do not realize what a parliamentary form of government is, they should be ashamed of themselves.
So Theresa May gets to serve the remainder of Cameron’s term as Prime Minister unless there’s a vote of no confidence in Parliament which triggers a snap election... is that correct?
She went from “Brexit is Brexit” to Brexit is something or other.
If anyone should be sneering and complaining about May it is you. Instead of twisting logic to empower her.
That's funny too. I assure you.
It used to be the Government could call elections anytime they liked (with, I think, three months notice) but as of 3-4 years ago there is now a five year term.
If you think that the antics of MP's constitute the sum total of elitism in Britain, then you're wrong.
More sneering. I don't think the future of my country is a laughing matter, I can assure you of THAT! I'm not empowering May at all. Who do you think I am? God? She doesn't need empowering from me. She is the Prime Minister. How she undertakes that responsibility is her business, always remembering that if she botches it she'll be out on her ear in double quick time. Exhibit A - one David Cameron. Thought we should remain, campaigned (on a non-binding referendum I might add) to remain, lost and less than three weeks later the removals vans are packing his chattel goods out of Downing Street. How does that compare with everyone else? The only way you'd get a US president out of office faster than that was if you shot him.
If they continue to defy the opinions of the people, then there will be a reckoning.You claim so much is wrong with the EU, which you admitted that don't understand, but the real Elitist system in the UK has all the wonderful little quirks. LoL! Thanks for keep on adding.
More sneering.In your mind. I told you it is funny. You are welcome to get bent about it though.
A true test, of a true stable people, is a stable system of governance.
Your insistence on having both ways for yourself makes it a waste of my time to have a discussion with you. Good luck with all of that.
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