An end to snap general elections?

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An end to snap general elections?

By Mark Pack | Sat 19th July 2008 - 1:54 pm

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A welcome suggestion, in line with what the Liberal Democrats have previously called for, from the Electoral Commission in one of its new reports:

The prime minister should give more than a month’s notice if he is calling a general election, a watchdog has suggested in a report.

The Electoral Commission recommends extending the parliamentary election timetable from 17 to 25 working days – in line with that of local government.

Read more by Mark Pack or more about electoral commission.
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5 Comments

Alex Foster 19th Jul '08 - 3:16pm

Pff. The Prime Minister should not have the power to decide when General Elections are held, full-stop.
Greenfield 19th Jul '08 - 3:52pm

I’m still convinced of fixed terms, but even 24 hour notice of a GE wouldnt save Brown & Labour at present!!
Mark Wright 20th Jul '08 - 8:32pm

Agree with Alex.
anonymous 22nd Jul '08 - 1:17pm

And of course would make it easier for us to win by elections! 🙂
Mike Falchikov 23rd Jul '08 - 10:25am

We have fixed term (4-year)parliaments in Scotland, so what on earth is preventing the UK parliament from doing likewise. There is a mechanism written into the Scotland Act
which allows for a premature election to be held if the government falls or cannot construct a majority, but as the follow-up from last May’s “hung” election showed, no-one wanted this to happen, so the SNP formed a minority administration. Not being able to “cut and run” for a snap election concentrates the mind wonderfully.