The 55% Lock

There is a lot of chatter about the proposed 55% lock on the dissolution of Parliament and the argument that it is a bad idea.

Most of the chatter seems to be around that Parliament cannot kick out a government. This is incorrect.

The present situation is that a sitting PM, without reference to Parliament, can dissolve Parliament and start an election. This allows the PM to call an election when it suits their party.

Under the new proposals, this power is being taken away from the PM. In future, the term of Parliament will be fixed at 5 years unless 55% of MP's vote for it's dissolution. This means that the next General Election will be fixed for May 2015, unless 55% of MP's vote for the dissolution of Parliament before that date.

It is important to note that this change is only concerned with the dissolution of Parliament. It is not concerned with a vote of no confidence in the government. This remains at 50% plus one MP.

In the past, a vote of no confidence usually resulted in Parliament being dissolved. This will no longer being automatic.

Going forward, if a government loses a vote of confidence then it would be up to the opposition parties to try and form a government in it's own right. If it cannot do so, then Parliament would be dissolved by another vote of Parliament.

Let's look at the present make up of Parliament and how the new rules would come into play.

Presently, the make up is CON 307, LAB 258,LD 57, OTHERS 28 (apologies to others for lumping them as one) - Thirsk and Malton as been included and awarded to CON who won the seat last time.

This gives CON 47% of MP's, LAB 40%, LD 9%, and OTHERS 4%.

Now, under the new rules, a minority Tory government cannot dissolve Parliament just because the Polls are favourable to them. Dissolution would only come about if 8% of opposition MP's joined with the government for dissolution.

If a minority Tory government was to lose a vote of no confidence then it would be up to the Opposition parties to try to form an alternative government. It is only if they could not that Parliament would vote for dissolution.

This is the difference that the 55% lock makes. Under the present rules, a minority Tory government could call an Election when it was beneficial without any recourse to Parliament, which does not presently have any right to call for the dissolution of Parliament.

It is also worth pointing out that there are arguments to have a higher lock. The Scottish Parliament has a 60% lock on dissolution.

The proposed change is not a fix or a stitch up, as is being alleged. It is a honest attempt to remove some power from the sitting PM and to pass that power to Parliament.