A General Election no later than six months after a Prime Minister resigns

[Henry Cardigan MP]

Introduction

The Labour landslide after the Second World War is hailed as a change for Britain and as part of that change, in the first Queen's Speech of the Government, a bold piece of legislation is moved. The law will be changed so that if, and when, a Prime Minister resigns from office, no later than six months after that date (unless the incoming Prime Minister states a date), the House of Commons will be dissolved and a General Election held four weeks later.

This will take real polling from 1945 onwards from the major polling companies as recorded by Mark Park's Opinion Polling Spreadsheet available on his website. All calculations will be based on a national uniform swing unless there are exceptional circumstances in a constituency in which case common sense will be used. In the event of a Prime Minister dying in office, the same rules will apply extended by three months to allow for that party to nominate a new leader.

Sir Anthony Eden (resigns from office January 9th 1957)
For the first time since passage of the "General Election Act 1945", a six month countdown to the next election has started. The new Prime Minister, Harold MacMillan MP (Con, Bromley) informs the Chief Whip that he will indeed follow the rules and announces the next day that the general election will be held on July 4th 1957. After which he appoints his Cabinet and then addresses the nation telling them that he wishes to be judged on his record in the time between now and the election. Hugh Gaitskill MP (Lab, Leeds South) welcomes the Prime Minister to the despatch box at their first encounter and tells him that he welcomes the opportunity to put Labour's case to the country. Parliament is formally dissolved at the end of May 1957 and just two years after the last general election, the people of Britain vote.

Labour Party 13,365,000 votes (49.5% +3.1% on 1955) winning 370 seats (+93 seats on 1955)
Conservative and Unionist Party 11,205,000 votes (41.5% -8.6% on 1955) winning 248 seats (-97 seats on 1955)
Liberal Party 2,160,000 votes (8.0% +5.3% on 1955) winning 10 seats (+4 seats on 1955)
Other Parties 270,000 votes (1.0% +0.2% on 1955) winning 2 seats (unchanged on 1955)
Labour lead of 2,445,000 votes (8.0%) on a swing from Con to Lab of 5.9% with a Labour majority of 110

Following the defeat, MacMillian resigns as Conservative Party leader and recommends that Peter Thorneycroft MP (Con, Monmouth) be appointed Conservative leader.

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[stevep]

Aug 18, 2020 12:42:18 GMT Henry Cardigan MP said:

Introduction

The Labour landslide after the Second World War is hailed as a change for Britain and as part of that change, in the first Queen's Speech of the Government, a bold piece of legislation is moved. The law will be changed so that if, and when, a Prime Minister resigns from office, no later than six months after that date (unless the incoming Prime Minister states a date), the House of Commons will be dissolved and a General Election held four weeks later.

This will take real polling from 1945 onwards from the major polling companies as recorded by Mark Park's Opinion Polling Spreadsheet available on his website. All calculations will be based on a national uniform swing unless there are exceptional circumstances in a constituency in which case common sense will be used. In the event of a Prime Minister dying in office, the same rules will apply extended by three months to allow for that party to nominate a new leader.

Sir Anthony Eden (resigns from office January 9th 1957)
For the first time since passage of the "General Election Act 1945", a six month countdown to the next election has started. The new Prime Minister, Harold MacMillan MP (Con, Bromley) informs the Chief Whip that he will indeed follow the rules and announces the next day that the general election will be held on July 4th 1957. After which he appoints his Cabinet and then addresses the nation telling them that he wishes to be judged on his record in the time between now and the election. Hugh Gaitskill MP (Lab, Leeds South) welcomes the Prime Minister to the despatch box at their first encounter and tells him that he welcomes the opportunity to put Labour's case to the country. Parliament is formally dissolved at the end of May 1957 and just two years after the last general election, the people of Britain vote.

Labour Party 13,365,000 votes (49.5% +3.1% on 1955) winning 370 seats (+93 seats on 1955)
Conservative and Unionist Party 11,205,000 votes (41.5% -8.6% on 1955) winning 248 seats (-97 seats on 1955)
Liberal Party 2,160,000 votes (8.0% +5.3% on 1955) winning 10 seats (+4 seats on 1955)
Other Parties 270,000 votes (1.0% +0.2% on 1955) winning 2 seats (unchanged on 1955)
Labour lead of 2,445,000 votes (8.0%) on a swing from Con to Lab of 5.9% with a Labour majority of 110

Following the defeat, MacMillian resigns as Conservative Party leader and recommends that Peter Thorneycroft MP (Con, Monmouth) be appointed Conservative leader.

  Now that's going to be interesting.  Didn't realise the Tories were so unpopular at that period, although after the Suez fiasco its probably not too surprising.  So no Supermac and "your never had it so good".  I wonder how Labour will handle relations with the US and whether they will speed up decolonisation or make other changes.  Not to mention of course the economy and what occurs with the UK deterrent.  [Not sure what Gaitskill's policies were on such issues.

  Thanks

  Steve