Would the Tories dare to hoist yet another prime minister onto the country?

I now think anyone would be better than Sunak. I used to like him but this business with the steel industry just about does it for me. He needs to go. What is the UK now, Little India ?

It’s unthinkable after the events of the last year. If they sack Sunak I think there would have to be a general election. Or at least I would hope so. Hopefully there will then be a change of government and Starmer will have his chance to prove himself.

It comes back to us, the electorate. The Conservative constituencies, that have in recent years chosen candidates that are more and more right wing and the electorate who have voted for these MPs, thus convincing the Conservatve constintuency associations that extreme right wing candidates are the way to go. But, as they say, you can have too much of a good thing and the extreme right wing policies of this government are turning people away from them, big time.

Now, with, not just electoral defeat but electoral wipe out facing them, they are all fighting like rats that are unable to desert a sinking ship

Good point M0nica but how did the government manage to alienate its own MPs? Or is this the usual way of conducting business? The government will rely on the fact that Conservative MPs will eventually pass legislation despite the hype. Back to turkeys and Christmas argument?

This country has NEVER ever had elected Prime Ministers and it is not them bringing the country to its knees, it is the political party as a whole that they represent, as he can only put forward policies that they support, as we have seen so clearly recently.

I am disgusted that unelected Prime Ministers are bringing this country to it's knees and unelected House of Lords are having so much input into the running of the country.

If we had voted for May and Sunak then what has happened to this country would have been the fault of the voters but when Boris Johnson was ousted there should have been a general election there and then.

I have no idea who I will vote for in the next General election as I trust none of these toffs to help the people of this country. They have turned a once Great Brtitain into a country of murderers, rapists, muggers, child abusers because the legal system is not fit for purpose.

Worst PM in the last fourteen years? Plenty of choice....

Louella12

I don't like Rishi. I think he'll go down as one of the worst PM's ever.

However there was never a chance he would leave. Just MSM babbling away.

The worst!?

DaisyAnneReturns

maddyone

I have no idea what’s going on as I’m in New Zealand as I’ve said before, but I’ll just put my four penneth worth in.
I don’t like Sunak and feel he is ineffective as PM. I think he wanted the role to improve his global image.

We are certainly doing lots of deals with, or behaving in ways that are of advantage to India, currently. This may be coincidence and due to India's growing influence on the world stage but watching those in Wales, whose income will be mainly wage dependant, lose their jobs to the advantage of others in India whose income is mainly wealth dependant does not sit well with me.

^Tata Steel Limited is an Indian multinational steel-making company, based in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand and headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.^

I don’t understand why there isn't a public outcry about what’s happening to our steel industry. Have we learned nothing from being dependent on countries like Russia, China and India (who are still supporting Russia) for things that we rely on. The very people that wax lyrical about being so patriotic and wanting the UK to be great again seem to happily watch our great industries, ship building, steel making, train manufacturing, die before our eyes and all they seem focussed on are people trying to get to this country on boats
. And I am suspicious of the Brexit supporting Sunaks connections with India.

I think you could say that about any of our PMs for the last 14 years... it's hard to pick the worst one...

I don't like Rishi. I think he'll go down as one of the worst PM's ever.

However there was never a chance he would leave. Just MSM babbling away.

ronib

The point is that in France, there is system where a President stands for election, wins the vote and “he is much better than anyone else”. Although arguably, it doesn’t work out like that in the USA. However, in the UK , the electorate does not have the opportunity to vote for a leader of the country in such a direct way. So French voters are more invested and connected to their own political hierarchy than in the UK?

I think what I have come to understand over the years, is how deeply invested the values of the Republic (liberty, equality, fraternity) are, both overtly and in the national psyche. Voting, debating politics and demonstrating when you don't like it, are part of that. You are expected to do what is required of you as a citizen and in return the state looks after you.
It is very different from how the UK is now.

maddyone

I have no idea what’s going on as I’m in New Zealand as I’ve said before, but I’ll just put my four penneth worth in.
I don’t like Sunak and feel he is ineffective as PM. I think he wanted the role to improve his global image.

We are certainly doing lots of deals with, or behaving in ways that are of advantage to India, currently. This may be coincidence and due to India's growing influence on the world stage but watching those in Wales, whose income will be mainly wage dependant, lose their jobs to the advantage of others in India whose income is mainly wealth dependant does not sit well with me.

Tata Steel Limited is an Indian multinational steel-making company, based in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand and headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Unfortunately the election is a way off yet, and by no means certain that we won’t be landed with yet another failing Tory government.

ronib

Katie59 not forgetting that the UK electorate doesn’t get to vote for a prime minister.

I and lots of others will vote for a party leader next GE my vote goes for Starmer, I’m not really interested who is the local candidate is, once elected they all have to follow the party line.
You hope they do something useful for the locality but no guarantees.

The point is that in France, there is system where a President stands for election, wins the vote and “he is much better than anyone else”. Although arguably, it doesn’t work out like that in the USA. However, in the UK , the electorate does not have the opportunity to vote for a leader of the country in such a direct way. So French voters are more invested and connected to their own political hierarchy than in the UK?

Dinahmo

ronib

I sometimes think the Uk would be better off with a President and a Prime Minister - does it work well in France? I understand that the President has overall power and deals with foreign policy and the Prime Minister handles home affairs.

I think any British pm must be very stretched …..

Except that the French usually dislike their president soon after being appointed.

I think the phrase "performative miserabalism" sums it up perfectly. 😂
As one of my U3A students said before the last election, "we elected him, then moaned about him constantly, then we will re-elect him, because he is much better than anyone else."

I have no idea what’s going on as I’m in New Zealand as I’ve said before, but I’ll just put my four penneth worth in.
I don’t like Sunak and feel he is ineffective as PM. I think he wanted the role to improve his global image.

Katie59 not forgetting that the UK electorate doesn’t get to vote for a prime minister.

In the UK the PM has all the political power with the agreement of parliament, other countries the president may have a ceremonial head of state, a partly or fully political function.
The French enthusiastically elect a president, probably as the least worse option, then protest at all his policies. In the UK we don’t protest in the same way but disapprove politely, most of us.

ronib

I sometimes think the Uk would be better off with a President and a Prime Minister - does it work well in France? I understand that the President has overall power and deals with foreign policy and the Prime Minister handles home affairs.

I think any British pm must be very stretched …..

Except that the French usually dislike their president soon after being appointed.

ronib

I sometimes think the Uk would be better off with a President and a Prime Minister - does it work well in France? I understand that the President has overall power and deals with foreign policy and the Prime Minister handles home affairs.

I think any British pm must be very stretched …..

Not as simple as that ronib.
What the Constitution says
The text is very clear on the division of powers. The government "determines and conducts the policy of the nation." Parliament votes on laws and can overturn the government. The president, on the other hand, is an "arbiter" who ensures the "regular functioning of public powers" and "the continuity of the State." They are a guarantor of "national independence, territorial integrity and respect for treaties." They are also the head of the armed forces and the only one who can authorize a nuclear strike.
So the President is involved in both home and foreign affairs and can take control in the case of of threats to the nation, but the government decides domestic policy.

MOnica, in my opinion it does work, because the elected President does a lot of the things that the PM would do in the UK, so the balance of power is different.

ronib

Monica so would you know if public announcements are usually made by the Minister of State for a department or by the President or Prime Minister? In other words, who is most front facing?

I think Sunak is not very at ease when talking to the cameras?

Most announcements are made by the porte-parole, a minister in the government who has this rôle. It used to be Gabriel Attal who is now Prime Minister and then Olivier Véran, a neurologist who was Health Minister during Covid, there is a new one now, but I haven't seen her yet. President Macron frequently addresses the nation, which (in my opinion) he does very well.

Monica so would you know if public announcements are usually made by the Minister of State for a department or by the President or Prime Minister? In other words, who is most front facing?

I think Sunak is not very at ease when talking to the cameras?