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Have the conservatives lost the working majority and if so, what does this mean?

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6

The conservatives in the UK are in a confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP in order to have a working majority in parliament.

Yesterday, three conservatives left the party to become independent, which means that they have 314 + 10 DUP = 324/650

Does this mean that they have lost the working majority and what does it mean if they have? Or is there any impact if/when they do?

Edit: Government page showing current parliamentary breakdown is available here

united-kingdom parliament

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

yoozer8

2922417

asked 1 hour ago

DavidDavid

1336

New contributor

David is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

6

The conservatives in the UK are in a confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP in order to have a working majority in parliament.

Yesterday, three conservatives left the party to become independent, which means that they have 314 + 10 DUP = 324/650

Does this mean that they have lost the working majority and what does it mean if they have? Or is there any impact if/when they do?

Edit: Government page showing current parliamentary breakdown is available here

united-kingdom parliament

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

yoozer8

2922417

asked 1 hour ago

DavidDavid

1336

New contributor

David is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

The conservatives in the UK are in a confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP in order to have a working majority in parliament.

Yesterday, three conservatives left the party to become independent, which means that they have 314 + 10 DUP = 324/650

Does this mean that they have lost the working majority and what does it mean if they have? Or is there any impact if/when they do?

Edit: Government page showing current parliamentary breakdown is available here

united-kingdom parliament

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

yoozer8

2922417

asked 1 hour ago

DavidDavid

1336

New contributor

David is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

yoozer8

2922417

asked 1 hour ago

DavidDavid

1336

New contributor

David is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

yoozer8

2922417

asked 1 hour ago

DavidDavid

1336

New contributor

David is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

edited 1 hour ago

yoozer8

2922417

edited 1 hour ago

yoozer8

2922417

asked 1 hour ago

DavidDavid

1336

New contributor

David is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 1 hour ago

DavidDavid

1336

1 Answer
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4

Not yet. Because Sinn Fein hold 7 seats, but they refuse to take their seats in the House of Commons. By tradition, the Speaker of the house doesn't vote.So in practice there are 642 votes in the Commons. That means that 322 votes are needed for a working majority in practice, which the government still has (with the DUP's support).

At the time of writing the seat of Newport West is vacant after the recent death of the MP Paul Flynn (Labour) on 17th Feb 2019; he has been MP for that seat since 1987, so it can be regarded as a reasonably safe Labour seat in the upcoming by-election. This lowers the majority threshold to 321 seats until the vacant seat is filled.

There is no immediate impact if they do fall below that threshold though. The only way it matters is if the government loses a vote of no confidence. It is not certain that the ex -Tory members who have joined The Independent Group would all necessarily vote against the government in a no confidence motion.

share|improve this answer

edited 30 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

PhillSPhillS

3,0752720

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  As of right now there are actually 641 votes - the Speaker of the House of Commons can't normally vote except in a tie-break situation, and the MP for Newport West died four days ago and his seat his current vacant. Even if the Sinn Fein MPs took their seats, you'd currently have an even split, and the Speaker is a former Conservative and so would cast his vote in their favour.
  
  – F1Krazy
  1 hour ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @F1Krazy Good point about the speaker - I'll edit that in
  
  – PhillS
  36 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If we’re accounting for the Speaker, we need also to count the Deputy Speakers (one Conservative, two Labour) who also don’t vote. And no, it’s not a coincidence that the party makeup of the Deputy Speakers, combined with the Speaker (who used to be a Conservative) cancels out any Government/Opposition imbalance.
  
  – owjburnham
  16 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  So I make it 638 voting Members, currently, with the threshold for a majority therefore being 320. But also Eleanor Laing, as a Deputy Speaker (technically First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means) needing to be taken off any count of the (effective) number of Conservative MPs.
  
  – owjburnham
  11 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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4

Not yet. Because Sinn Fein hold 7 seats, but they refuse to take their seats in the House of Commons. By tradition, the Speaker of the house doesn't vote.So in practice there are 642 votes in the Commons. That means that 322 votes are needed for a working majority in practice, which the government still has (with the DUP's support).

At the time of writing the seat of Newport West is vacant after the recent death of the MP Paul Flynn (Labour) on 17th Feb 2019; he has been MP for that seat since 1987, so it can be regarded as a reasonably safe Labour seat in the upcoming by-election. This lowers the majority threshold to 321 seats until the vacant seat is filled.

There is no immediate impact if they do fall below that threshold though. The only way it matters is if the government loses a vote of no confidence. It is not certain that the ex -Tory members who have joined The Independent Group would all necessarily vote against the government in a no confidence motion.

share|improve this answer

edited 30 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

PhillSPhillS

3,0752720

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  As of right now there are actually 641 votes - the Speaker of the House of Commons can't normally vote except in a tie-break situation, and the MP for Newport West died four days ago and his seat his current vacant. Even if the Sinn Fein MPs took their seats, you'd currently have an even split, and the Speaker is a former Conservative and so would cast his vote in their favour.
  
  – F1Krazy
  1 hour ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @F1Krazy Good point about the speaker - I'll edit that in
  
  – PhillS
  36 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If we’re accounting for the Speaker, we need also to count the Deputy Speakers (one Conservative, two Labour) who also don’t vote. And no, it’s not a coincidence that the party makeup of the Deputy Speakers, combined with the Speaker (who used to be a Conservative) cancels out any Government/Opposition imbalance.
  
  – owjburnham
  16 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  So I make it 638 voting Members, currently, with the threshold for a majority therefore being 320. But also Eleanor Laing, as a Deputy Speaker (technically First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means) needing to be taken off any count of the (effective) number of Conservative MPs.
  
  – owjburnham
  11 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

Not yet. Because Sinn Fein hold 7 seats, but they refuse to take their seats in the House of Commons. By tradition, the Speaker of the house doesn't vote.So in practice there are 642 votes in the Commons. That means that 322 votes are needed for a working majority in practice, which the government still has (with the DUP's support).

At the time of writing the seat of Newport West is vacant after the recent death of the MP Paul Flynn (Labour) on 17th Feb 2019; he has been MP for that seat since 1987, so it can be regarded as a reasonably safe Labour seat in the upcoming by-election. This lowers the majority threshold to 321 seats until the vacant seat is filled.

There is no immediate impact if they do fall below that threshold though. The only way it matters is if the government loses a vote of no confidence. It is not certain that the ex -Tory members who have joined The Independent Group would all necessarily vote against the government in a no confidence motion.

share|improve this answer

edited 30 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

PhillSPhillS

3,0752720

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  As of right now there are actually 641 votes - the Speaker of the House of Commons can't normally vote except in a tie-break situation, and the MP for Newport West died four days ago and his seat his current vacant. Even if the Sinn Fein MPs took their seats, you'd currently have an even split, and the Speaker is a former Conservative and so would cast his vote in their favour.
  
  – F1Krazy
  1 hour ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @F1Krazy Good point about the speaker - I'll edit that in
  
  – PhillS
  36 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If we’re accounting for the Speaker, we need also to count the Deputy Speakers (one Conservative, two Labour) who also don’t vote. And no, it’s not a coincidence that the party makeup of the Deputy Speakers, combined with the Speaker (who used to be a Conservative) cancels out any Government/Opposition imbalance.
  
  – owjburnham
  16 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  So I make it 638 voting Members, currently, with the threshold for a majority therefore being 320. But also Eleanor Laing, as a Deputy Speaker (technically First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means) needing to be taken off any count of the (effective) number of Conservative MPs.
  
  – owjburnham
  11 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Not yet. Because Sinn Fein hold 7 seats, but they refuse to take their seats in the House of Commons. By tradition, the Speaker of the house doesn't vote.So in practice there are 642 votes in the Commons. That means that 322 votes are needed for a working majority in practice, which the government still has (with the DUP's support).

At the time of writing the seat of Newport West is vacant after the recent death of the MP Paul Flynn (Labour) on 17th Feb 2019; he has been MP for that seat since 1987, so it can be regarded as a reasonably safe Labour seat in the upcoming by-election. This lowers the majority threshold to 321 seats until the vacant seat is filled.

There is no immediate impact if they do fall below that threshold though. The only way it matters is if the government loses a vote of no confidence. It is not certain that the ex -Tory members who have joined The Independent Group would all necessarily vote against the government in a no confidence motion.

share|improve this answer

edited 30 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

PhillSPhillS

3,0752720

share|improve this answer

edited 30 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

PhillSPhillS

3,0752720

answered 1 hour ago

PhillSPhillS

3,0752720

answered 1 hour ago

PhillSPhillS

3,0752720