Does Westminster parlimentary system ever have an opposition member as a cabinent member?
The real issue with this approach is the concept of Cabinet solidarity. Under the Westminster system, decisions of the Cabinet, once taken, must be honoured by all members of the Cabinet, regardless of their personal views. As Cabinet members are also members of the Parliament, they must vote in Parliament in accordance with all Cabinet decisions. This potentially places a member of an opposition party who is also a member of the Cabinet in an invidious position, namely voting against their party. This is not a problem under the executive model adopted in the US, as Cabinet members are not members of Congress. In Fiji, which operates under a modified Westminster system, the 1997 Constitution requires the Prime Minister to offer seats in Cabinet to all parties who secure more than 10% of the popular vote at the general election. It is seen as a way of entrenching the ‘Government of National Unity’ approach mentioned by the Goat. It is widely considered to be a flawed experiment and will
