Q for Brits. What determines the amount of time between national elections that could result in a new PM?

Question

(In other words, what is the longest amount of time a PM could wait from the preceding election before calling for the next election? And what about bi-elections--what determines when they are held and where?
Another question: how do the two major parties (Labor and Tory) differ as to the UK's entry into the EU?

Answer 1

A Parliament can last for five years - the last General Election was in May 2005, so another need not be held until 2010. However, by and large Prime Ministers (who take the decision to call an election) don't usually wait as long as that. During Tony Blair's time as PM General Elections were held every 4 years, in 2001 and 2005. There is something to be said for taking the power from PMs to call elections be providing that Parliaments sit for fixed terms, come what may so we don't have the nonsense that is happening now - will he. won't he, call an autumn election .

By-elections are held when there is a vacancy in a particular constituency, either due to death of the sitting member or him/her ceasing to sit for any other reason. It is for the party who held the seat at the preceding General Election to 'move the writ' for the bye-election, so it can be a short time (as when Tony Blair resigned as an MP in June), or a long time if that suits the party. There are procedures for another party to move the writ, but I am not sure how they go about that.

Both the two major parties agree that the UK should remain a member of the EU - they differ on matters of detail (not for nothing did the French call us perfidious Albion - when you join a club, you accept all the rules. IMHO the current attitude of the UK towards the EU is a bit like a soccer team coming on to the pitch and saying 'we are going to ignore the off-side rule)

Answer 2

The maximum period between elections is 5 years, although the PM can call a general election anytime he/she likes. A general election involves the re-election of every member of parliament.

A by-election is held whenever the sitting member resigns or dies. They are held only in the constituency of the member involved and affects just one seat in parliament.

Both New Labour and the Conservatives are split quite strongly over the question of Britain's membership of the EU. Whilst neither party would contenmplate Britain ever leaving the EU, both parties are divided on how deep integration with the EU should be. Similarly both parties are split on the issue of Britain ever joining the common currency - the Euro.

The country at large almost certainly has a majority that favours weakening our ties with the EU and what seems to be a huge majority against joining the Euro. These are just my feelings - no government has dared ask the country these questions formally!