No confidence vote

[trebormoinet]

Considering the latest news about PFI, would it not be an ideal time for labour to table a motion calling for a vote of no confidence and trigger a general election.

 

I do not think I am stereotyping but I am sure a lot of UDP members work in the industry and they might have second thoughts propping up tories.

 

Why would it be a bad idea to try ?

[ericsbrother]

because they wouldnt win it for starters

and secondly even if they did it means nothing unless they can get a majority of MP's to then say they are going to vote against every other bill passing through parliament and that isnt going to happen either.

 

The PFI scandal is actually the fault of Toby Liar and Jocky Broon so be careful what you wish for.

 

Unionist MP's work for the same people as all MP's, (themselves)

and they wont be doing anything that makes them unemployed.

 

The days of people going into politics to give something back are long gone

[Ethel Street]

It's convention that if a government loses a vote of confidence in parliament it resigns although nothing forces it to. But the Conservative's deal with DUP expressly says DUP will support the Conservatives in a vote of confidence so labour calling for it would be a waste of time.

[trebormoinet]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motions_of_no_confidence_in_the_United_Kingdom

 

since the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, a vote of no confidence means the government has 14 days in which to win a vote of confidence, or a general election is held.

 

 

DUP have backed labour going against the tories on the nhs even though there was a deal, there is no reason why they might not do the same if a vote of no confidence was tabled.

 

After all deals are made to be broken, the tories and the DUP are hardly ideal bed fellows.

[unclebulgaria67]

Under fixed term parliament act, very difficult to force a general election through a specific no confidence vote. Think it requires a two thirds majority vote against Government, so many Tories would have to support. The two third requirement was added to assist the con/lib coalition.

 

The way to force an election, is government losing finance bill motions, so they can't fund their policies.

 

As for PFI issues, this started in the 90's under the Tories and was expanded under Blair/Brown. Blair/Brown were enthusiastic about using the private sector, but they made the PFI's very lucrative for private companies. Since 2010 the Tories have tried to limit profitability of private companies gaining Government funded projects and encouraged biding that did not cover the real costs of a project. If Carillion have failed because of contracts they signed not even covering their costs of runnung contracted works, then Government needs to look at the bid evaluation process.

[Ethel Street]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motions_of_no_confidence_in_the_United_Kingdom.

 

 

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about that, thanks for reminder.

 

DUP have backed labour going against the tories on the nhs even though there was a deal, there is no reason why they might not do the same if a vote of no confidence was tabled.

 

NHS wasn't in scope of the deal so DUP were free to vote with labour

 

 

"The DUP agrees to support the government on all motions of confidence; and on the Queen’s speech; the Budget; finance bills; money bills, supply and appropriation legislation and estimates … the DUP also agrees to support the government on legislation pertaining to the UK’s exit from the EU and legislation pertaining to national security.”

[Ethel Street]

Under fixed term parliament act, very difficult to force a general election through a specific no confidence vote. Think it requires a two thirds majority vote against Government, so many Tories would have to support. The two third requirement was added to assist the con/lib coalition.

 

According to trebormoinet's link it needs 2/3rds majority to agree to have a general election before the 5 years is up (ie what T May did last June) but a vote of no confidence is a simple majority.