Prime Minister must lose power to fix election dates - Howarth

15 May 2008

On Friday the Liberal Democrats will propose a Bill to introduce fixed term Parliaments, ending the power of the Prime Minister to choose the timing of elections.

The Fixed Term Parliaments Bill proposes that General Elections should happen every four years, regardless of whether the government of the day wants an election.

Under the present system the Prime Minister can call an election whenever he wants, up to five years after the previous election.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson, David Howarth, who is tabling the Bill, said:

"The present system gives a totally unfair advantage to the party in power, by allowing Prime Ministers to take advantage of temporary popularity to keep their jobs for up to another five years.

"Just imagine that Gordon Brown had called and won an election last year - we would now be stuck with him until 2012.

"A system that is both unfair and inefficient has to go. Fixed terms work well in other countries and in local government. 

"This is an opportunity for Gordon Brown to prove that he is not the power-hungry control freak he appears to be."

A link to a copy of the Bill is below:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/030/08030.i-i.html

Applicability: this item refers to the UK.

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About Mr David Ross Howarth