Harry Hayfield
Green
Cavalier Gentleman (as in 17th century Cavalier)
Posts: 2,922 
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Post by Harry Hayfield on Sept 16, 2012 7:09:39 GMT
Because if my memory is correct, we have by-elections pending and pre announced in:
Corby
Cardiff South and Penarth
Manchester Central
Mid Ulster
and I am sure there's a fifth one I cannot remember
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YL
Non-Aligned
Either Labour leaning or Lib Dem leaning but not sure which
Posts: 4,913
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Post by YL on Sept 16, 2012 7:16:34 GMT
Because if my memory is correct, we have by-elections pending and pre announced in: Corby Cardiff South and Penarth Manchester Central Mid Ulster and I am sure there's a fifth one I cannot remember The first three are supposedly going to be on 15 November, but that won't be official until the writs are moved (and I'm not aware of either Lloyd or Michael having officially been appointed to Northstead or the Chiltern Hundreds, so the Manchester and Cardiff seats aren't vacant yet). I'm not sure there will be a Mid Ulster by-election. McGuinness said he was resigning, but as we all know you can't just do that. With Adams the Government interpreted that as asking to be appointed to Northstead or the Chiltern Hundreds, but they haven't yet done so with McGuinness. I don't know what the fifth one you have in mind is. There has been some speculation, but I'm not aware of anything definite. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2012 10:21:55 GMT
go on let us in on that one ...
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 38,947
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Post by The Bishop on Sept 16, 2012 13:17:45 GMT
Mid Ulster is definitely happening - no date set as yet, though.
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Harry Hayfield
Green
Cavalier Gentleman (as in 17th century Cavalier)
Posts: 2,922
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Post by Harry Hayfield on Oct 7, 2012 8:01:57 GMT
So, we now have:
Corby (resignation of Con MP): Resignation yet to happen
Ulster Mid (resignation SF MP): Resignation yet to happen
Manchester Central (resignation of Lab MP): Resignation yet to happen
Cardiff South and Penarth (resignation of Lab MP): Resignation yet to happen
Croydon North (death of Lab MP): By-election yet to be called
Middlesborough (death of Lab MP): By-election yet to be called
In the case of Croydon North and now Middlesborough, that is entirely understandable (in fact I would not expect any by-election writ to be moved until at least the end of October), but as for the others why haven't the MP's resigned yet (considering that in the case of Mid Ulster, he told us before the locals that he was going to)
* List amended to take into account current situation
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Oct 7, 2012 8:30:58 GMT
So, we now have: Corby (resignation of Con MP): Resignation yet to happen Ulster Mid (resignation SF MP): Resignation yet to happen Manchester Central (resignation of Lab MP): Resignation yet to happen Cardiff South and Penarth (resignation of Lab MP): Resignation yet to happen Croydon North (death of Lab MP): By-election yet to be called In the case of Croydon North, that is entirely understandable (in fact I would not expect any by-election writ to be moved until at least the end of October), but as for the others why haven't the MP's resigned yet (considering that in the case of Mid Ulster, he told us before the locals that he was going to) They're all (possibly with the exception of Mid-Ulster) going to be on 15 November and that means the writs will have to be moved no earlier than Monday 22 October (and no later than Friday 26 October). The outgoing MP normally does not actually relinquish their seat until the day before the writ is to be moved; that's because the staff and office of the outgoing MP can only be funded when there actually is an MP. |
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Harry Hayfield
Green
Cavalier Gentleman (as in 17th century Cavalier)
Posts: 2,922
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Post by Harry Hayfield on Oct 7, 2012 9:03:26 GMT
Well, that's progress I suppose, but why does it take so long for an MP to resign? If I say to an employer "I resign" within 24 hours I am considered not being employed by that company. Perhaps (in all this constitutional reform fervent which has been aimed at the voting system and second chamber) we should have a debate on the topic "How long can an MP remain as an MP once they have announced that they want to resign as an MP?". My opinion would be a minimum of 24 hours (if the announcement is made on Monday - Thursday) and up until the following Monday (if the announcement is made on Friday - Sunday)
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Oct 7, 2012 9:11:27 GMT
The process of resigning takes a matter of minutes; the MP simply sends a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking to be appointed Steward or Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds (or Manor of Northstead), and the Treasury then issues a press release confirming the appointment and arranges for the insertion of the notice in the London Gazette.
MPs intending to resign normally announce their intention to do so in advance to enable their party to make arrangements for a byelection. This isn't their formal resignation.
I really don't know what your problem is with this.
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baloo
Conservative
Posts: 760
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Post by baloo on Oct 7, 2012 9:26:35 GMT
I agree with David, the process doesn't take that long it's just that the parties manipulate the timing to their advantage.
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YL
Non-Aligned
Either Labour leaning or Lib Dem leaning but not sure which
Posts: 4,913
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Post by YL on Oct 7, 2012 11:19:14 GMT
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Post by andrewteale on Oct 7, 2012 15:08:36 GMT
Well, that's progress I suppose, but why does it take so long for an MP to resign? If I say to an employer "I resign" within 24 hours I am considered not being employed by that company. Perhaps (in all this constitutional reform fervent which has been aimed at the voting system and second chamber) we should have a debate on the topic "How long can an MP remain as an MP once they have announced that they want to resign as an MP?". My opinion would be a minimum of 24 hours (if the announcement is made on Monday - Thursday) and up until the following Monday (if the announcement is made on Friday - Sunday) The one time I actively resigned from a job I worked two or three weeks' notice (it was supposed to be four weeks but I got paid off before the end). I don't see any problem with pre-announcing a resignation. For one thing, it gives electoral services extra time to put the preparations in place. |
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Post by johnloony on Oct 8, 2012 9:42:56 GMT
The process of resigning takes a matter of minutes; the MP simply sends a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking to be appointed Steward or Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds (or Manor of Northstead), and the Treasury then issues a press release confirming the appointment and arranges for the insertion of the notice in the London Gazette. MPs intending to resign normally announce their intention to do so in advance to enable their party to make arrangements for a byelection. This isn't their formal resignation. I really don't know what your problem is with this. His problem is that he is devoid of common sense. Perhaps it's a side-effect of being a Lib Dem.  |
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Post by johnloony on Oct 8, 2012 9:44:43 GMT
The process of resigning takes a matter of minutes; the MP simply sends a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking to be appointed Steward or Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds (or Manor of Northstead) I know they usually take it in turns between SotCH and SaBotMoN, but I wonder hopw often the outgoing MP expresses a preference for one rather than the other? I think if it were me, I would request the Chiltern Hundreds. |
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Oct 8, 2012 9:58:23 GMT
I've read some of the letters applying for the post that have found their way to the National Archives (from the 1940s and 1950s) and they generally do specify the post; however I think this was because an MP intending to resign had consulted the Speaker and been advised which to apply for. There doesn't seem to be anyone who asked for the Chiltern Hundreds even though it was Northstead's turn.
The last occasion on which the sequence of alternation was broken was in 1954 when William Cuthbert (Arundel and Shoreham) took the Chiltern Hundreds on 12 February and Sidney Marshall (Sutton and Cheam) took it on 3 October, with no intervening appointment to the Manor of Northstead. This was apparently because a Northstead appointment had been prepared for Peter Baker (South Norfolk) due to his trial for uttering forged documents. Baker was convicted and although disqualified automatically by receiving a long sentence, apparently expressed a preference to be expelled the House.
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Post by greatkingrat on Oct 8, 2012 10:08:17 GMT
Martin McGuinness should ask to be appointed Escheator of Ulster.
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