Tucked away in Nick Clegg’s statement confirming that the referendum on AV was
going to be on the 5th of May next year, was the abandonment of the controversial 55 percent rule for a dissolution of parliament. This has been replaced by a far more sensible arrangement. If the
government cannot win a confidence vote, there’ll then be 14 days for one that can command the confidence of the House to be formed. If that does not happen, then there’ll be an
election. However, if a government wants to dissolve parliament then it’ll require a two thirds majority. But it is still unclear how this rule could be made to bind any parliament as no
parliament can bind its successor.
Another thing I hope the Coalition will be big enough to change position on is its current contention that there’s no need to cut the number of ministers by the same percentage as the number of MPs is being reduced by.
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