What is the role of Parliament in the process of forming the government?
Although the support of a majority of MPs is necessary for a Prime Minister to take office, parliament does not play a direct, formal role in the process. Parliamentary support or ‘confidence’ in the PM is not explicitly tested until some weeks after the election by a vote on the Queen’s Speech. In some countries there is a formal vote in parliament to select a Prime Minister. This approach might have some benefits over the more opaque British conventions in terms of transparency and public understanding. If the vote on the Queen’s speech is lost, is there an immediate second election? It is generally agreed that only if there is no alternative leader available who could form a government should an immediate, second dissolution of parliament (a general election) be granted. An important consideration is the cost of a general election to both the country and for the political parties. (See CM Ch 6, para 18) What different types of government can emerge out of a hung parliament? The main
