[Vanders9]

Prepare for the big shock - UK prime ministers are NOT elected, at least not by the great British electorate. So although we didn't vote for Gordon as PM, we didnt vote for Blair either. Or Thatcher. Or even Winston Churchill.

This isn't as bad as it sounds. Prime Ministers hold their position by virtue of commanding a majority in Parliament. So, in practice, the leader of whichever party wins the election is going to become PM, and everyone is well aware of that. So theoretically we don't elect PM's, but in practice we kind of do. In practice, if Labour wins the election Gordon Brown will remain as Prime Minister, and we all know it. Equally, if the Conservatives win, Cameron will become Prime Minister.

[Moltke]

Yes, many countries do it like that. What I meant was that last time Labour and thereby Blair was “elected” and I’m not aware that voters knew they’d end up with Brown a bit down the road. Did they?

And even in the US, there’s still the Electoral College that has the last word on who will be president, the “direct” vote not withstanding.