Prime Ministers, Political Advisers and the Powers & Prerogatives of the Monarch


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Quite simply, it is very very doubtful that Corbyn could gather the needed numbers together even with the help of the Scottish Nationalists, to form a government. I believe Labour has 242 seats in the Commons, the Scottish Nationalists 35 seats, as a result of this election. It's not enough, given that 326 is the minimum number to have a workable majority, provide a (neutral) Speaker, deputy Speaker etc. If the Conservative\ DUP alliance holds, May will have 328. Extremely tight, but better than Corbyn's position.
 
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Theresa May has met with The Queen and it looks like a conservative / DUP government. I think this will work. Britain will have a stable government
 
Stable, but not the kind of stable she wanted, correct? :ermm: This means another election in how many years? Two? Wasn't it her intention to create a situation secure until 2022? Changes a-foot so fast.
 
Let's just say, for the sake of this extremely tight majority that Theresa doesn't face a heart attack or two or long bouts of flu among these MPs, infighting among disparate factions and ambitious members of her party causing disruptions, and that she can hang on for maybe a year or two, perhaps. Plus, the DUP will almost certainly be presenting May with an expensive list of concessions and demands in return for their support.

She had a perfectly good majority before of 22 seats, but chose to go to an election and lost this. I don't consider a hastily cobbled together alliance with a minor party (and we don't know whether the DUP are going to support the Conservatives wholeheartedly on everything,) and a whisker thin majority, an exactly stable government. It's the best Theresa can hope for and it's better than Corbyn's position, but we've yet to see how it will work out, especially with the EU negotiations.

We live in interesting times!
 
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I've looked back over the past dozen or so posts, many from posters who come from non-Parliamentary democracies and the vast majority of them have asked about the Queen's input on a possible hung Parliament and how the political process works, re political advisers, which is natural, surely?
 
Bear in mind nobody thought the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition would last more than few months, us British are to use to one party securing a majority it makes us think there is no other way.

Interestingly May has just undertaken a cabinet reshuffle and I forgot that technically the Queen has to approve the cabinet appointments as highlighted in the official releases of each appointment that "The Queen is pleased to approve the appointment of XXX as Secretary of State for XXX"
 
Prime Ministers, Political Advisers and the Powers & Prerogatives of the Monarch

The Queen has seen a lot in politics and I personally think she would have been bey surprised by Theresa's announcement when she came to visit.
 
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The Queen's Speech will now be delayed by a couple of days due to the fact that nothing can go in it.
 
[The Queen] doesn't get involved so she'll never say what she thinks. But like the other poster, I sure wish I could know her thoughts on all this. Given all the conversations she's had with so many Prime Ministers over the years, which surely covered exactly the issues that are at play in the UK's relationship with the rest of Europe, she must have an incredible and uniquely informed perspective. As much as I understand why the rules are what they are, and as much as I think they're appropriate...in some moments it sure feels like a loss for her perspective to be kept secret.
 
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Please note that several posts have been deleted or edited because they were either overtly political, off-topic or responses to deleted posts. Let's keep specific political views to ourselves and stay on topic. Thank you!
 
loonytick said:
[The Queen] doesn't get involved so she'll never say what she thinks. But like the other poster, I sure wish I could know her thoughts on all this. Given all the conversations she's had with so many Prime Ministers over the years, which surely covered exactly the issues that are at play in the UK's relationship with the rest of Europe, she must have an incredible and uniquely informed perspective. As much as I understand why the rules are what they are, and as much as I think they're appropriate...in some moments it sure feels like a loss for her perspective to be kept secret.
Click to expand...
Yes, absolutely. I'm a very opinionated and politically charged person and I don't think I could handle not being able to say anything for so long the way she has. It's truly a remarkable ability to keep neutral in all situations. Though I'm sure she and Philip have gone off behind closed doors in private quarters.
 
I'm not political at all but I've learned something these past few days.

In a country where the government is in a state of topsy-turvy and without a crystal ball, we cannot predict what is going to happen. One thing remains stable and secure and that is HM, The Queen. She remains steadfast and keeps calm and carries on.
 
The full list of Cabinet appointments following the general election 2017.

The Cabinet is as follows:

Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service – Rt Hon Theresa May MP

First Secretary of State, and Minister for the Cabinet Office – Rt Hon Damian Green MP

Chancellor of the Exchequer – Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP

Secretary of State for the Home Department – Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP

Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union – Rt Hon David Davis MP

Secretary of State for Defence – Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon KCB MP

Secretary of State for Health – Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP

Lord Chancellor; and Secretary of State for Justice*– Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP

Secretary of State for Education, and Minister for Women and Equalities – Rt Hon Justine Greening MP

Secretary of State for International Trade, and President of the Board of Trade – Rt Hon Liam Fox MP

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – Rt Hon Greg Clark MP

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Rt Hon Michael Gove MP

Secretary of State for Transport – Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government – Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP

Lord Privy Seal, and Leader of the House of Lords – Rt Hon Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Secretary of State for Scotland – Rt Hon David Mundell MP

Secretary of State for Wales – Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland – Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP

Secretary of State for International Development – Rt Hon Priti Patel MP

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport – Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – Rt Hon David Gauke MP

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster* – Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin MP

The following also attend Cabinet:

Chief Secretary to the Treasury – Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP

Lord President of the Council, and Leader of the House of Commons – Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) – Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP

Attorney General – Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP

Minister of State (for Immigration), Home Office – Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP
 
The article is behind a paywall, but it seems that Mrs. May misled the queen about her deal with the DUP.

Edit:
The Daily Mail copied the story from the Times:
Queen's fury with May: Palace aides say PM misled monarch | Daily Mail Online

Not the best news to become public a few hours before Mrs. May's conference speech. The article focusses mainly on impressions and opinions of aides, not of the Queen herself.

Edit: article on the same topic by Politico:
http://www.politico.eu/article/ther...on-governing-deal-with-northern-irish-report/
 
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:previous: I've read the Times article, and much of it is covered in the DF article you posted above.

We must also bear in mind that the papers often claims that the Queen is dismayed by her prime ministers, and this is the third or fourth story about HM and May's relationship so far. The same happened with Thatcher, Blair and Cameron.
 
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If the article is correct then I would be gravely concerned if constitutional procedures have not been followed correctly.
 
The story is odd. I wonder what prompted such belated leak. I have an impression that Mrs May's credibility came under attack.
 
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I thought ministers were servants of the Crown and have to request The Queen to be dismissed. But it seems not to work that way in the United Kingdom, they have to request the Prime Minister, who is apparently also the real Boss.
See: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DsCBmlXXcAAUvTh.jpg

As a Dutchman I am used to ministers who offer their portfolio into His Majesty's consideration. (The King will then let know, via his Cabinet, if he approves the requested dismissal or not).

Interesting to see the different constitutional positions between monarchies.
 
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“The Queen’s former private secretary The Lord Geidt has been named by Whitehall sources as a frontrunner to replace Sir Kim Darrick in Washington as UK Ambassador to the US. He was Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 2007 to 2017.”

Via Rob Jobson Twitter
 
The Queen’s trusted aide, Christopher Geidt, is in line to be the UK’s next Ambassador to the US. Royal sources confirmed Lord Geidt would resign as HMQ’s Permanent Lord in Waiting if he accepts the role, but could pick it up again @thesundaytimes

Via Roya Nikkhah Twitter
 
As expected Parliament has been prorogued, enabling the Govt time to prepare its Queen speech for the new session..
 

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I read on the British papers that the Conservative manifesto, among other things, vowed to repeal the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011. Does that mean the Queen will now regain her royal prerogative to dissolve the UK Parliament ? Or will the government simply replace the FTPA with a different kind of legislation ?
 
I am rather curious as to whether HM will arrive for the second Opening of Parliament in a matter of a few months with all pomp and ceremony as per the norm. Or will HM simply arrive by car and not wear the robes etc.
Or maybe arrive by car and wear the robes and crown as normal after arrival.

Trivial thoughts I know, but thats how my mind works sometimes.
 
Tarlita said:
I am rather curious as to whether HM will arrive for the second Opening of Parliament in a matter of a few months with all pomp and ceremony as per the norm. Or will HM simply arrive by car and not wear the robes etc.
Or maybe arrive by car and wear the robes and crown as normal after arrival.

Trivial thoughts I know, but thats how my mind works sometimes.
Click to expand...

HM will simply arrive by car and not wear the robes. It was announced before the elections.
 
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