Where does the PM go after a failed constituency race?

What happens when the PM, at the general election, loses his/her seat?

Do they just cease to be the PM/MP and the party launches a leadership contest or does the party find the PM/MP a new constituency by getting rid of a different MP (willingly or unwillingly)?

I'm guessing that this hasn't happened before. PMs usually have significant majorities.

Reply 1

Rakas21

Original post by tomm0

The Prime Minister is simply the leader of the largest party in parliament. In the situation you describe either we would have a caretaker PM while the party elected a new leader or the acting PM would simply give said leader a peerage and they would remain PM.

Home.

We wouldn't be able to have an un-elected official as Prime Minister in today's society. If they lost their seat, they'd probably just resign. They wouldn't have the mandate to govern.

Reply 4

nulli tertius

Original post by tomm0

I do not think it has happened in the UK before.

The three nearest examples are probably:-

Robert Peel who was Home Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons. He resigned as MP for Oxford University and forced a by-election when he swapped from opposing to supporting votes for Catholics. He lost the by-election and became an MP for Westbury in an unopposed by-election.

Ramsey Macdonald resigned as PM and lost his seat at Seeham at the 1935 general election called by his successor. However one of the people elected for Combined Scottish Universities died before the polls closed and so there had to be a by-election. Macdonald won that by-election.

Patrick Gordon Walker was defeated in the 1964 general election in Smethwick which his party, Labour, won. Despite this he was appointed Foreign Secretary. A by-election in the safe Labour seat of Leyton was engineered and Gordon-Walker managed to lose that as well. He resigned as Foreign Secretary.

Reply 5

Rakas21

I should add that this discussion is quite relevant to those who hope for a Ruth Davidson premiership, shortly after she wins the Maidenhead by-election.

Reply 6

Andrew97

Entertainment Forum Helper, Debate & Current Affairs Helper

Only two parties can realistically win a General Election. Both parties make sure their leaders stand in what is known as a safe seat for that party. So this situation will not arise.

With Ruth Davidson, what I expect the Conservatives to do is to ask Ken Clarke to resign as an MP and stand Ruth in that contstituency.

Reply 7

Jammy Duel

They don't have to do anything, there is no requirement for the PM to be an MP, practically they would resign with their deputy being a caretaker until the party elects a new leader, and in reality it is near impossible because of how safe the seats of party leaders are.

mcdonalds

Agree with most of the above: legally, there is nothing that requires a PM to have a seat in Parliament, and the PM will continue in office until another is appointed. However, in reality, they'd be out within a week after the loose ends were tied up, most likely before any party leadership contest got underway.

Reply 10

Napp

Kicked upstairs I imagine.

Reply 11

ScottishBrexitor

Original post by Rakas21

I should add that this discussion is quite relevant to those who hope for a Ruth Davidson premiership, shortly after she wins the Maidenhead by-election.

When is this happening? 2022? I think it's more likely Ruth steps down as Scots Tory leader in 2021 then announces she'll run for WM in 2022 in either Ken Clarke's or Nicholas Soames seat assuming they'll finally retire.