Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,181 
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Post by Confessor on Sept 5, 2022 14:54:52 GMT -5
Yeah, like Roquefort Raider and rags have already said, the party that wins the general election remain in power for between 4 and 5 years even if the PM at the time of the election retires, resigns or dies during that term. The selection of a new leader after Boris Johnson resigned was a matter for the paid up members of the Conservative party; the ordinary general public don't get to vote on this.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 5, 2022 14:58:01 GMT -5
Seems like a strange way to pick a leader, though I suppose it's a step up from relying on strange women laying in ponds to distribute swords to the right people.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2022 15:26:02 GMT -5
I’m totally OK with sticking to discussion of funnybooks. Thats why I’m here anyway. My last word on the matter is simply best wishes for a speedy recovery to @rags .
I'm thankful that my taste buds have not been affected, an icy cold beer and spicy food hits the magic spot. And I have enough energy to do some weights later on. I'm social distancing with family (luckily none of them have it yet, hoping it stays that way) but my dog will have none of it and refuses to leave my side.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Sept 5, 2022 15:44:12 GMT -5
Seems like a strange way to pick a leader, though I suppose it's a step up from relying on strange women laying in ponds to distribute swords to the right people. That's because the leader doesn't change, technically speaking; it remains the queen. Stephen Fry has a nice way of explaining how that might be a good idea: prime ministers must always acknowledge that there is a level of authority and legitimacy that exceeds their own. A prime minister can never act as if their authority was absolute, even when holding an absolute majority; there actually is an individual above them that can fire them. I'm no monarchist, but I can see the logic in there... especially since the monarch's power, while real, is mostly symbolic. |
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Post by berkley on Sept 5, 2022 16:18:00 GMT -5
Seems like a strange way to pick a leader, though I suppose it's a step up from relying on strange women laying in ponds to distribute swords to the right people. That's because the leader doesn't change, technically speaking; it remains the queen. Stephen Fry has a nice way of explaining how that might be a good idea: prime ministers must always acknowledge that there is a level of authority and legitimacy that exceeds their own. A prime minister can never act as if their authority was absolute, even when holding an absolute majority; there actually is an individual above them that can fire them. I'm no monarchist, but I can see the logic in there... especially since the monarch's power, while real, is mostly symbolic.
yes, I think there's something to this. Another, related advantage is that it allows the population's irrational need for reverence to be directed in a relatively harmless way towards a completely ceremonial post. No one in the UK or Canada, Australia, NZ would ever see the office of the prime minister in the same reverential way the US presidency is often spoken of.
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Post by berkley on Sept 5, 2022 16:21:49 GMT -5
On a more serious note, why didn't the people elect a new PM? How does that system work? Since Canada works roughly like the U.K. in that regard, let me give it a shot: we never directly vote for the Prime Minister anyway; we only vote for Members of Parliament (M.P.s, the equivalent of House representatives in the U.S.). The queen then asks the leader of the party with the largest number of elected M.P.s to form the government. If the Prime Minister resigns, it doesn't invalidate the previous election; the party still gets to decide who is its leader (and, by default, the new Prime Minister). That's how Canada got a few P.M.s who had been elected as M.P.s, but not as potential Primer Ministers: in recent memory, John Turner, Kim Campbell and Paul Martin all became P.M. by default when their predecessor resigned.
And it often seems to turn out badly for them when they do have to go to the voters, so I think there may possibly be some hidden resentment felt towards leaders who sort of slip in to the Prime Minster's office without being elected to it. Same thing happened with Theresa May in recent years, didn't it? Not sure if there are any other UK or NZ or Australian parallels.
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Post by The Captain on Sept 5, 2022 16:37:18 GMT -5
I’m totally OK with sticking to discussion of funnybooks. Thats why I’m here anyway. My last word on the matter is simply best wishes for a speedy recovery to @rags .
I'm thankful that my taste buds have not been affected, an icy cold beer and spicy food hits the magic spot. And I have enough energy to do some weights later on. I'm social distancing with family (luckily none of them have it yet, hoping it stays that way) but my dog will have none of it and refuses to leave my side.
Consider yourself very lucky that your taste buds haven't been affected. My younger daughter got COVID in April 2021 and didn't get her full function of taste and smell back until roughly December. Hope your case is mild and your recovery is quick! |
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Post by commond on Sept 5, 2022 17:14:45 GMT -5
Since Canada works roughly like the U.K. in that regard, let me give it a shot: we never directly vote for the Prime Minister anyway; we only vote for Members of Parliament (M.P.s, the equivalent of House representatives in the U.S.). The queen then asks the leader of the party with the largest number of elected M.P.s to form the government. If the Prime Minister resigns, it doesn't invalidate the previous election; the party still gets to decide who is its leader (and, by default, the new Prime Minister). That's how Canada got a few P.M.s who had been elected as M.P.s, but not as potential Primer Ministers: in recent memory, John Turner, Kim Campbell and Paul Martin all became P.M. by default when their predecessor resigned.
And it often seems to turn out badly for them when they do have to go to the voters, so I think there may possibly be some hidden resentment felt towards leaders who sort of slip in to the Prime Minster's office without being elected to it. Same thing happened with Theresa May in recent years, didn't it? Not sure if there are any other UK or NZ or Australian parallels.
When I was a child, David Lange resigned as Prime Minister of New Zealand after an unsuccessful challenge against his leadership. Geoffrey Palmer succeeded Lange as Labour Party Leader and Prime Minister and then he was replaced by Mike Moore shortly before the election, which Labour lost by a landslide. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,838
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Post by shaxper on Sept 5, 2022 20:21:44 GMT -5
Seems like a strange way to pick a leader, though I suppose it's a step up from relying on strange women laying in ponds to distribute swords to the right people.  |
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Post by Batflunkie on Sept 5, 2022 21:04:42 GMT -5
There's a quote from Big Fish that I love, "Never talk sports, politics, or religion because you never know who you're gonna offend."
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Post by Cei-U! on Sept 6, 2022 4:01:49 GMT -5
I'm thankful that my taste buds have not been affected, an icy cold beer and spicy food hits the magic spot. And I have enough energy to do some weights later on. I'm social distancing with family (luckily none of them have it yet, hoping it stays that way) but my dog will have none of it and refuses to leave my side.
Consider yourself very lucky that your taste buds haven't been affected. My younger daughter got COVID in April 2021 and didn't get her full function of taste and smell back until roughly December. Hope your case is mild and your recovery is quick! My best (female) friend caught COVID in the late summer of 2020, and she still hasn't got her senses of taste or smell back. Anybody who gets away with no permament effects should consider themselves fortunate.
Cei-U! I schedule my booster!
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Post by impulse on Sept 6, 2022 8:25:19 GMT -5
It’s probably a good thing I missed that. I could see a perma-ban coming out of it. Yeah, I'm both sorry and glad I missed that conversation. Suffice to say, I wish anyone here who has gotten it a speedy and full recovery, and I am eager to schedule my next booster as soon as I can. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 6, 2022 8:55:59 GMT -5
Consider yourself very lucky that your taste buds haven't been affected. My younger daughter got COVID in April 2021 and didn't get her full function of taste and smell back until roughly December. Hope your case is mild and your recovery is quick! My best (female) friend caught COVID in the late summer of 2020, and she still hasn't got her senses of taste or smell back. Anybody who gets away with no permament effects should consider themselves fortunate.
Cei-U! I schedule my booster!
I never lost my sense of taste or smell, but almost two years later my sense of taste has been (seemingly) permanently altered. I'm extremely sensitive to salt (I used to be a salt fiend). I like sweet things far more than I did before. My taste for beer has been completely altered. It's hard to get used to. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Sept 6, 2022 9:05:06 GMT -5
Seems like a strange way to pick a leader, though I suppose it's a step up from relying on strange women laying in ponds to distribute swords to the right people. Can I just say, I love the winking icon! |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,838
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Post by shaxper on Sept 6, 2022 14:52:53 GMT -5
Can I just say, I love the winking icon! Some gifs just beg to be made. What can I say? |
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