Constitutional issue

[nonegreen]

Just curious about the issue of Gordon resigning. There are many instances of the PM being sacked as a result of leadership challenges. However, are there any instances of this happening twice in succession? And is it constitutionally permissable? Is this the real reason why the spineless and the criminal are resigning en masse? Yet the thoroughly bewildered are digging in behind him, perhaps to hang on for a bit more redundancy pay, post expenses / pay rejig?

[Fittster]

Andrew Bonar Law to Stanley Baldwin.

Poor health used to force changes of PM. Law took over a Coalition government but throat cancer meant he had to pass the job to Baldwin, who admittedly did quickly call an election.

[ninja-lewis]

Leadership elections are relatively recent inventions (Labour 1922 and Tories 1965). AFAIK, there's no limit to the number of PMs between elections. I posted a list in another topic the other night of all the Parliaments where more than 1 PM had served. This would be the fifth time we've had 3 PMs without calling an immediate election (as Baldwin pretty much did following Bonar Law) - we've even had Parliaments led by 4 and even 5 PMs between elections if you go back to the 18th Century.