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Minority government in Britain

This article by Professor Robert Hazell explores the experience of minority and coalition governments in the UK, highlighting lessons learned and their implications for the civil service and parliament. It also discusses the conditions under which minority governments can be successful. For further research on this topic, contact Professor Hazell at r.hazell@ucl.ac.uk or visit www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit.

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Minority government in Britain

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  1. Minority government in Britain Professor Robert Hazell The Constitution Unit, UCL 6 May 2009

  2. Minority government 1900-2000

  3. UK experience of minority and coalition government • 20 governments in C20 at Westminster • 5 were coalition governments • 5 were minority governments • No experience of coalition government since 1945 • Last experience of minority government 1976-79 • Minority government seen as unstable, ineffective, incoherent and undesirable

  4. Experience in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland • Scotland Lab/Lib Dem coalition govts in 1999 and 2003 SNP minority government since 2007 • Wales Labour minority govt in 1999-2000 and 2005-07 Labour/Lib Dem coalition 2000-03, and 2003-05 Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition since 2007 • Northern Ireland Compulsory power sharing coalition, with four parties Led by Ulster Unionist Party/SDLP 1999-2002 Led by Democratic Unionists/Sinn Fein since 2007

  5. Lessons from minority government in Scotland • Legislation lite: seven bills in two years • Scottish Parliament has not filled the gap, despite committees’ power to initiate legislation • Adversarial culture of government versus opposition, no acceptance so far that minority government might be desirable or become the norm • Opposition parties have not wanted to trigger early election • Scotland Act constrains possibility of early election

  6. Lessons for the Civil Service • Be prepared for inter party negotiations before new government is formed • Minority government is conducted with an eye to the next election, which might be soon • Government wants to deliver quickly. Little scope for Civil Service to amend or improve its policies • Policies need to be negotiated with other parties to get their support • Be aware of MPs with swing votes and their interests

  7. Lessons for Parliament • Minority government strengthens Parliament vis-a-vis the Executive • Could increase prospects for parliamentary reform, but only if support parties promote that agenda • Tighter whipping likely in Commons • House of Lords is already chamber with no overall control. Govt defeated in one third of votes in the Lords

  8. Minority government can work if • It has confidence and supply agreements with support parties • It can build legislative coalitions with different parties on different issues • It is not frightened of a snap election, and is doing well in the polls • The PM does not seek to govern in a majoritarian way

  9. For our research on minority and coalition government contact Professor Robert Hazell r.hazell@ucl.ac.uk 0044 (0)207 679 4971 www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit

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