RM
The thing to bear in mind is that we vote parties into power in this country (via candidates representing the parties), rather than the Prime Minister directly.
I feel the annoying thing about the current situation, is that Tony Blair pledged to serve a full third term, and he has gone back on that. Many people will have voted for Labour on the understanding that he would serve a full term, therefore they are now angry-- although I suppose you could argue that sections of his party have turfed him out.
Why not aston Gordon Brown as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" still? As I said earlier that is what he still is, until Blair quits as PM at the end of June (he has only quit as party leader after all).
And sorry to be pedantic, but as far I can tell Blair is still Labour leader. I presume he formally resigns on the 24th June and will be immediately replaced by Gordon Brown.
I never said TB wasn't party leader, just that he had resigned. As I see it, his speech in Sedgefield (May) was his resignation speech. You can resign from a job, but you still have to work out your notice-- which in effect Blair has been doing for the past month and a bit.
Of course if they had brains, Blair should have left Downing Street straight away as soon as it became definite that Brown would succeed. Of course that would have meant that Tony couldn't have caused trouble for Brown with the EU Constitution (sorry "treaty"
)!
dodrade posted:
Roger Mellie posted:
The thing to bear in mind is that we vote parties into power in this country (via candidates representing the parties), rather than the Prime Minister directly.
I feel the annoying thing about the current situation, is that Tony Blair pledged to serve a full third term, and he has gone back on that. Many people will have voted for Labour on the understanding that he would serve a full term, therefore they are now angry-- although I suppose you could argue that sections of his party have turfed him out.
Why not aston Gordon Brown as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" still? As I said earlier that is what he still is, until Blair quits as PM at the end of June (he has only quit as party leader after all).
And sorry to be pedantic, but as far I can tell Blair is still Labour leader. I presume he formally resigns on the 24th June and will be immediately replaced by Gordon Brown.
I never said TB wasn't party leader, just that he had resigned. As I see it, his speech in Sedgefield (May) was his resignation speech. You can resign from a job, but you still have to work out your notice-- which in effect Blair has been doing for the past month and a bit.
Of course if they had brains, Blair should have left Downing Street straight away as soon as it became definite that Brown would succeed. Of course that would have meant that Tony couldn't have caused trouble for Brown with the EU Constitution (sorry "treaty"
)!
RM
Indeed. A certain well know political blog has just had to admit calling it wrongly for Jonston.
From the impression I've been getting, Alan Johnson was popular amongst MPs, but less so with rank-and-file members-- prossibly explaining the unexpected (but close) result.
It'll probably mean we will see him so much on a certain BBC regional news programme now
Matrix posted:
marykate posted:
harriet harman wins deputy......no-one saw THAT one coming.
Indeed. A certain well know political blog has just had to admit calling it wrongly for Jonston.
From the impression I've been getting, Alan Johnson was popular amongst MPs, but less so with rank-and-file members-- prossibly explaining the unexpected (but close) result.
It'll probably mean we will see him so much on a certain BBC regional news programme now
MI
Probably depends on the nature of the interview/discussion/piece. For example, a segment on the Labour leadership would identify him as PM Designate, whereas a news item about the government in general should still read Chancellor until Wednesday 13:00hrs.
mansoor posted:
As he becomes Leader of the Labour Party today, What will he be referred on name captions?
1) Gordon Brown - Chancellor of the Exchequer
2) Gordon Brown - Leader of the Labour Party
3) Gordon Brown - Prime Minister Designate
On BBC News in the last few weeks it has being Gordon Brown - Chancellor of the Exchequer but today's Politics Show it was Gordon Brown - Prime Minister Designate.
1) Gordon Brown - Chancellor of the Exchequer
2) Gordon Brown - Leader of the Labour Party
3) Gordon Brown - Prime Minister Designate
On BBC News in the last few weeks it has being Gordon Brown - Chancellor of the Exchequer but today's Politics Show it was Gordon Brown - Prime Minister Designate.
Probably depends on the nature of the interview/discussion/piece. For example, a segment on the Labour leadership would identify him as PM Designate, whereas a news item about the government in general should still read Chancellor until Wednesday 13:00hrs.
SD
So dose harriet harman become prime minister if Gordon Brown dies while in office
AP
She would be acting prime minister, I believe there would be a new leadership election though (as happened with John Smith, although he wasn't in power then obviously). It seems that Harman won't be deputy PM though, just party chair.
sir drinks alot posted:
So dose harriet harman become prime minister if Gordon Brown dies while in office
She would be acting prime minister, I believe there would be a new leadership election though (as happened with John Smith, although he wasn't in power then obviously). It seems that Harman won't be deputy PM though, just party chair.
MO
No. She's not Deputy Prime Minister.
If Gordon Brown doesn't appoint a DPM, then the Foreign Secretary would become acting Prime Minister on his death, as the minister next in line of importance in the cabinet.
sir drinks alot posted:
So dose harriet harman become prime minister if Gordon Brown dies while in office
No. She's not Deputy Prime Minister.
If Gordon Brown doesn't appoint a DPM, then the Foreign Secretary would become acting Prime Minister on his death, as the minister next in line of importance in the cabinet.
RM
No. She's not Deputy Prime Minister.
If Gordon Brown doesn't appoint a DPM, then the Foreign Secretary would become acting Prime Minister on his death, as the minister next in line of importance in the cabinet.
Ah, that's interesting. I've always been under impression that Chancellor was the next important, then FS, then Home Sec (minus the presence of an appointed DPM).
I probably think that because when PMs have resigned mid-term, it is usually the Chancellor that has taken over.
Moz posted:
sir drinks alot posted:
So dose harriet harman become prime minister if Gordon Brown dies while in office
No. She's not Deputy Prime Minister.
If Gordon Brown doesn't appoint a DPM, then the Foreign Secretary would become acting Prime Minister on his death, as the minister next in line of importance in the cabinet.
Ah, that's interesting. I've always been under impression that Chancellor was the next important, then FS, then Home Sec (minus the presence of an appointed DPM).
I probably think that because when PMs have resigned mid-term, it is usually the Chancellor that has taken over.
RM
That's a good point actually. I wonder if there is anything in constitution that decrees seniority, or it is at the discretion of the leader-- I'm sure the PM has emergency planning. Of course DPM would help solve the problem.
Brekkie Boy posted:
I'd have thought Home Secretary was more important than Foreign too.
That's a good point actually. I wonder if there is anything in constitution that decrees seniority, or it is at the discretion of the leader-- I'm sure the PM has emergency planning. Of course DPM would help solve the problem.
MA
No. She's not Deputy Prime Minister.
If Gordon Brown doesn't appoint a DPM, then the Foreign Secretary would become acting Prime Minister on his death, as the minister next in line of importance in the cabinet.
If he did die, then Harriet Harman would become leader of the Labour party like Margaret Beckett did when John Smith die in 1994 as the Party's constitution providing for the automatic succession of the Deputy Leader for the remainder of the leadership term, upon the death or resignation of an incumbent leader. (Labour leaders are subject to annual re-election at the time of the annual party conference. Accordingly, Beckett was constitutionally entitled to remain in office as leader until the 1994 Conference, but the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) decided to bring forward the election for Leader and Deputy Leader to July 1994.)
But it is up to the Queen who she apoint to be PM.
Moz posted:
sir drinks alot posted:
So dose harriet harman become prime minister if Gordon Brown dies while in office
No. She's not Deputy Prime Minister.
If Gordon Brown doesn't appoint a DPM, then the Foreign Secretary would become acting Prime Minister on his death, as the minister next in line of importance in the cabinet.
If he did die, then Harriet Harman would become leader of the Labour party like Margaret Beckett did when John Smith die in 1994 as the Party's constitution providing for the automatic succession of the Deputy Leader for the remainder of the leadership term, upon the death or resignation of an incumbent leader. (Labour leaders are subject to annual re-election at the time of the annual party conference. Accordingly, Beckett was constitutionally entitled to remain in office as leader until the 1994 Conference, but the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) decided to bring forward the election for Leader and Deputy Leader to July 1994.)
But it is up to the Queen who she apoint to be PM.