Can a Prime Minister be Member of Parliament in the same time?

Mr. David Cameron was Member of parliament (MP) during the period from 2001 until 2016; thereafter, he became Prime Minister (PM) from May 2010 until July 2016. Is it possible for a person to be MP and PM in the same of time? What about the conflict of interest?

yes

Original post by SherinOthman

Mr. David Cameron was Member of parliament (MP) during the period from 2001 until 2016; thereafter, he became Prime Minister (PM) from May 2010 until July 2016. Is it possible for a person to be MP and PM in the same of time? What about the conflict of interest?

Yes it is, and this is indeed often the case. What conflict of interest?

Reply 3

SherinOthman

OP

2

Original post by CatusStarbright

Yes it is, and this is indeed often the case. What conflict of interest?

The conflict of interest I assume is coming from the fact that the government is accountable to the Parliament. If one person belongs to both sides, how he/she will participate in questioning him/herself?

Reply 4

lbenson88

14

Original post by SherinOthman

The conflict of interest I assume is coming from the fact that the government is accountable to the Parliament. If one person belongs to both sides, how he/she will participate in questioning him/herself?

I think you’re a bit confused.

All prime ministers are also members of parliament.

Parliament is a collection of elected members- MP’s

The party with the most elected members forms a ruling government. The leader of that party is the Prime Minister. Ie first/top/leader of the parliament. (But still a member of it)

But all the government MP’s are still members of parliament. MP stands for Member of Parliament...

Reply 5

CatusStarbright

22

Original post by SherinOthman

The conflict of interest I assume is coming from the fact that the government is accountable to the Parliament. If one person belongs to both sides, how he/she will participate in questioning him/herself?

We have a fusion of the executive and the legislative here in the UK, as the members of the executive are also members of the legislative. This is deliberately designed to ensure that the former is able to get their legislation though parliament. The government is accountable to parliament in that it can be questioned by the opposition and by the backbenchers (i.e. non-government members) of the leading party.

Reply 6

Connor27

19

Original post by lbenson88

I think you’re a bit confused.

All prime ministers are also members of parliament.

Parliament is a collection of elected members- MP’s

The party with the most elected members forms a ruling government. The leader of that party is the Prime Minister. Ie first/top/leader of the parliament. (But still a member of it)

But all the government MP’s are still members of parliament. MP stands for Member of Parliament...

Not strictly true that they HAVE to be an MP - historically some Prime Ministers have also been members of the Lords (most recently Lord Salisbury) and Sir Alec Douglas-Home was, for a time, Prime Minister without sitting in either chamber (until he was later elected to the commons in a by-election.)

It’s just convention that the Prime Minister is an MP, all they need is to “command a majority of the Commons”, it is theoretically possible to command such a majority without being part of it.

Can a Prime Minister be Member of Parliament in the same time?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you