By Lamiat Sabin
Prime Minister Theresa May would be
expected to resign if MPs express no confidence in her leadership and this
could trigger a general election if the Tories do not agree on a successor, a
key Commons committee confirmed.
The Commons public administration
and constitutional affairs committee said expression of no confidence in the
government, whether in statutory or non-statutory terms, removes Ms May’s
authority to govern and should prompt her departure under a statutory mechanism
in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.
The committee’s report said the
Prime Minister would be expected to resign if a non-binding Commons resolution
was backed by MPs, “unless that authority could be restored.” She would then
have to recommend a successor to the Queen and an election could be held should
the Tories be unable to agree on a new leader.
In order to trigger a general
election using the Act, more than half of MPs must first vote for a motion
containing precise wording that declares “no confidence in the government.” The
government then has 14 days to pass a motion of confidence, with a general
election following if it fails to do so.
The committee published the findings
of its inquiry into the “Status and Effect of Confidence Motions and the
Fixed-term Parliaments Act” after Ms May cancelled Commons vote on her broadly unpopular
Brexit deal.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was
urged by Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, SNP
leader in Westminster Ian Blackford and Plaid Cymru Westminster group leader
Liz Saville Roberts to join them in tabling a formal vote of no confidence over
her handling of EU withdrawal.
Labour chair Ian Lavery tweeted that
these parties have already admitted that they know tabling a motion for a vote
of no confidence now “would fail.”
The DUP has confirmed it would support
Ms May in any confidence vote, as have Tories critical of her deal such as Anna
Soubry, meaning it would be unlikely to pass. But advocates of a second
referendum believe pressure for one would be raised if Labour has tried and
failed to remove the government.
This follows a Labour spokesperson
saying that the party will table a motion “when we judge it most likely to be
successful.”
Mr Lavery added: “They know a failed
motion would unite the Tories, prevent us from getting a general election and
keep this shambles of a Tory government in power.
“Theresa May has lost all authority.
We are fully prepared to bring a no confidence motion for the purpose of
defeating the government and forcing a general election.
“But we aren’t going to table one
for the purpose of it being defeated, strengthening May and uniting Tories.” (IPA Service)
Courtesy: Morning Star
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