THE SUN may have declared Gordon Brown a Downing Street “squatter” in its post-election front page on Saturday, but under Britain’s constitution the incumbent prime minister remains in charge until it becomes clear which party or combination of parties can command the most support in the new parliament.
Conventions released publicly by Britain’s cabinet office before last Thursday’s election made clear that in the event of a hung parliament, the sitting prime minister stays until a workable government can be presented to the queen for approval.
Prof Robert Hazell and Peter Riddell, both of the Institute for Government, an organisation that works to increase government effectiveness, have noted that there are clear precedents for this, with Stanley Baldwin in 1923 and Ted Heath in 1974. “We must always have a government, and until a new government can be formed the present government carries on,” they said.
“However, following a tightening of the guidelines, ministers are constrained by the election purdah rules which ensure they should not take actions which could be deferred and which might bind their successors.”