The Queen’s proclamation – approved in a meeting of the Privy Council earlier today – was read out in London and Edinburgh today, setting out the date when Parliament will formally return following the General Election on 7th May.
Read at both the Royal Exchange in the City of London and Mercat Cross in Edinburgh, the proclamation is the first which has been made for an election since the introduction of the Fixed Term Parliaments act, which removed The Queen’s prerogative to dissolve Parliament. Instead, elections are automatically held every five years.
The Queen met with the Prime Minister this morning at Buckingham Palace, having travelled back especially from Easter Court at Windsor Castle (where Her Majesty will be remaining until the end of April) as well as an audience with the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg before a short meeting of the Privy Council to authorise the proclamation and attend to some other business.
The next time The Queen meets with the Prime Minister will be after the election, either to inform Her Majesty he is able to continue his tenure as Prime Minister if it is likely he can command the support of the House of Commons, or to tender his resignation to The Queen if the Leader of the Opposition (Ed Miliband) does.
Should there be another hung parliament where no party commands an overall majority, it will be the role of The Queen’s Private Secretary Sir Christopher Geidt to liaise with civil servants to try to negotiate some kind of deal between the party leaders, if that’s what’s required. The Queen has a constitutional duty to ensure that the person who is most likely to command the Commons’ support is appointed as Prime Minister.
Although members of the Royal Family face no legal bar from casting a vote, by tradition they do not involve themselves in party politics.
photo credit: (screenshot) BBC Parliament
I hope ‘Fixed Term’ Parliaments are soon abolished,,Altho’ they served a purpose this time [ensuring the Coalition lasted a full term]. in fact the legislative programme was completed months ago, and MPs have had little to do except make mischief, and compile fat expenses claims…
Thanks for posting the video! I’ve been trying to follow the events from abroad and it’s very difficult to find these videos. Would you post the Royal Exchange one too, please? Thanks again
Still trying to find a version, but will when we do!
Just updated article with video from London.
Thank you very much!
I have a question it was mentioned in the article that The Queen’s prerogative for the dissolution of Parliament was removed by the Fixed Term Parliament Act, but what in the case of a Hung Parliament when a Vote of Confidence arises and the Government falls, does The Queen still have the authority to dissolve the House and call for a General Election or is the only option is to send for the Leader of the Opposition and ask for them to form a Government?
Hi! The House automatically dissolves itself 14 days after a vote of no confidence.