Practice Head, Advocacy @SECNewgateUK, former SpAd and lover of Parliamentary procedure. OMTCC cricketer, MiddxCCC, Watford and NH racing fan. Views my own.
Sep 6, 2019 • 14 tweets • 4 min read
The PM wants an election, but he can't get one. As long as the Opposition stay united, the timing of any poll is entirely in their hands, and they could even force him to request an extension, something he'd rather 'die in a ditch' than do.
A thread explaining why👇
In 2011 Parliament passed the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (FTPA). This stripped the PM of being able to call an election when he wants, meaning there are now 3 routes to a GE:
1⃣ 2/3rds of MPs vote for an early election (FTPA)
2⃣ Vote of No Confidence (VONC) (FTPA)
3⃣ Change FTPA
Sep 5, 2019 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
Courts have also released the Minutes of the Cabinet Call on the Queen's Speech and prorogation:
Contd
Jun 26, 2019 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
The latest move by MPs seeking to stop no deal: cut off the Government’s provision to spend money unless:
1️⃣ The Commons passes a Withdrawal Agreement
2️⃣ The Commons agrees to leave the EU without a Withdrawal Agreement.
Why is this important? Annual expenditure control remains a constitutional requirement, and the Commons must approve the Estimates each year. Estimates scrutiny has historically been very poor, and the @CommonsProcCom produced a report on this in 2017 publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cm…
Jan 9, 2019 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
The Speaker's ruling to allow the Grieve amendment to be tabled to the Government's Business of the House motion (which has now passed by 308 votes to 297) has two practical impacts:
1⃣ If the Govt loses the MV next week it will have to announce Plan B in Parliament in 3 days 1/
2⃣In a hung Parliament, the Speaker effectively becomes the sole arbiter of Parliamentary procedure, able to impart his own interpretation against the advice of qualified and experienced Clerks. 2/
Dec 6, 2018 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
The Chief Whip, in the middle of the most important vote the PM has faced in her premiership, has allowed a TV crew in to film the inner workings of the whips office. This is a monumentally bad idea 1/
Firstly, it's a distraction. I was involved in the filming of the Michael Cockerell documentary Inside the Commons in 2014/15. It took ages - film crews asking for reshoots, the team ensuring nothing sensitive is said on camera that could be misconstrued. 2/
Contd 
