British Prime Minister, Liz Trussis clinging to her job after a political crisis and market turmoil triggered by her fiscal plans, which have led her to fire her finance minister and backtrack on major parts of her flagship tax-cut program.
Despite holding a press conference that has not allayed his own lawmakers’ concerns about his leadership, the way to remove her as prime minister, should it occur, it is not easy. These are the different scenarios that could occur in the United Kingdom.
Truss resigns
Truss could decide that she has lost the support of too many members of her party and cabinet and resign. Until now has given no sign of being willing to do so.
[Liz Truss nombra a Jeremy Hunt nuevo ministro de Economía tras destituir a Kwasi Kwarteng]
Ministers try to force his way out
Truss’s cabinet, as well as his own ministers, could begin to resign to force his departure. They currently support her and none have resignedwith the exception of Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng.
‘tory’ vote of confidence
A vote of confidence among Conservative lawmakers is a mechanism to remove the leader of his party. However, since Truss did not become leader until last month, the current rules say that that vote cannot take place until September 2023.
The 1922 Committee of Conservative lawmakers, which sets the rules for leader selection and change, could lift that restriction if there was enough pressure within the party.
Under current rules, 15% of the 356 Conservative Party lawmakers would have to write a letter to the chairman of the 1922 Committee requesting a vote of confidence.
Liz Truss, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, this Friday.
Labor vote of confidence
Opposition parties could present a motion of censure against the government. If enough Conservatives sided with the opposition, the prime minister would be expected to resign or call for parliament to be dissolved, triggering an election.
When the Conservatives have tried to remove their leaders they have voted against the Labor Party to avoid an election.
[Reino Unido intenta evitar la quiebra de sus fondos de pensiones mientras favorece a los ‘hedge funds’]
General elections
Truss could call a general election herself, although with the Tories trailing Labor in the polls, she need not unless she loses a vote of confidence in the Commons.
How would it be replaced?
If Truss resigns or loses a vote of confidence among Conservative lawmakers in her leadership, there is a process for selecting a new leaderoverseen by the 1922 Committee.
In previous elections, the legislators who presented themselves needed a certain number of candidates to be able to go to the vote. This method reduced to two the candidates who were submitted to the subsequent vote of the party members. However, since that process was slow and led to instability, some want the replacement to be selected by a different method.
Some have suggested that the nomination hurdle be so high that only one candidate can be on the ballot. However, others have warned that replacing Truss in this way would be undemocratic.
