Plaid Cymru and Scottish National party to use allotted time in parliament to force a dissolution debate on Wednesday
MPs will be given an unexpected opportunity next week to dissolve parliament and call an early general election.
The leaders of Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National party are to use their allotted time in parliament to force a dissolution debate on Wednesday.
It aims to put David Cameron, the Tory leader, and Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, on the spot on whether they want to go to the polls.
The timing, just three days after Labour is expected to take a drubbing in the European and county council elections, is difficult to say the least for the prime minister. The move will also put pressure on Cameron, who has repeatedly called for a general election, to show his hand. He will have to decide either to support the move by the nationalist parties or abstain on the grounds that he is not going to let minority parties dictate the pace. Clegg would be in a similar position.
The debate would take place after prime minister’s question time, where the two party leaders can be expected to exchange harsh words after the European election result.
Elfyn Llwyd, the Plaid Cymru leader, said today: “We aim to see whether David Cameron and Nick Clegg really want to call an election now or just talk about it.
“We would also argue that the time has come for changes to our democracy and what better way to have a debate than hold a general election. There are a raft of issues from more devolution to Wales, to reforming the House of Lords, the MPs’ expenses issue, that need to be debated by the public.
“I don’t want this to be seen as a vote of confidence in the Labour government. It should be a vote of confidence in the whole political system in Westminster which has become tarnished by the expenses scandal.”
The motion will be backed by Alex Salmond, the SNP leader.
….and Sky reporting that Tom Watson is next down the short plank – at this rate Gordon really will be on his own in the bunker…….
H/T The Grunuardian
Anna is the landlady of the Raccoon Arms. She lives in the Monbazillac area of South West France and still takes a keen interest in British politics.
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Tom Watson! Bunker?
on his own in the bunker? – too right, the smell is horrendous!
Blink – if he’s planning a reshuffle, he’d better be quick – there won’t be enough left for a quorum soon!
“MPs will be given an unexpected opportunity next week to dissolve parliament and call an early general election.”
Not quite right. They’ll get the opportunity to pass a resolution directing the PM to seek a dissolution of Parliament.
Just as well Liz isn’t going to France then!
Gordon eats quorums for breakfast – a little bird told me ;0)
oh i’m so tired of this all, are you sure we can’t just line ‘em all up against a wall and shoot them ? i’d love to have a go with an uzi, always fancied one of them.
You can buy an Uzi quite legitimately in France if you are a French citizen – maybe that knowledge makes their MPs behave slightly better – ever so slightly!
I am fed up waiting for the phone to ring