Parliamentary Elections Question

[John Upham]

Someone in this place may know the answer to this....

Can a Parliamentary election go-ahead with only one candidate name on the ballot sheet?

Potentially Count Binface (formerly Lord Buckethead) will be busy in August and no-body else can be bothered to waste time with NFs circus show.

Would that election be permitted to go ahead with one candidate (NF) only?

[John Townsend]

Presumably, it would need to go ahead in some form; otherwise, Clacton would have no M.P..

[Kevin Thurlow]

Traditionally, the Speaker usually stood unopposed, as (s)he was considered independent. However, sufficient people considered Bercow unpleasant enough that he was challenged, and I believe the practice has continued with the current one.

The more important question is surely, "If Count Binface wins, will he be allowed to attend Parliament without his costume?"

[Derrick Walker]

If there is only one person nominated to stand, when the nominations are published, there is no ballot and that person is declared elected.

[John Upham]

What are the criteria that would enable (or otherwise) Count Binface to be granted a party political broadcast on the BBC?

[Derrick Walker]

I have no idea, try Google - -everyone else does. But I don't ever remember seeing a party political broadcast for a By-election.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Traditionally, the Speaker usually stood unopposed, as (s)he was considered independent. However, sufficient people considered Bercow unpleasant enough that he was challenged, and I believe the practice has continued with the current one.

The more important question is surely, "If Count Binface wins, will he be allowed to attend Parliament without his costume?"

This is not *quite* right, the last time the incumbent Speaker was elected unopposed at a GE was in 1931. What is true is that the "main" parties do not usually contest the seat (though there are exceptions to this too - Labour and SDP/Lib stood against Bernard Weatherill in the 1987 GE and the SNP against Michael Martin when he was Speaker) but they have always had some opposition - even if just a "fringe" candidate - since then.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Thanks - I suppose the "main" parties liked to appear sporting!

[NickFaulks]

If there is only one person nominated to stand, when the nominations are published, there is no ballot and that person is declared elected.

Where does that leave my democratic right to spoil my ballot paper?

[Derrick Walker]

Always trade-off's in a democratic society. I prefer the £250k saving in not having the voting.

Each to their own.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Off topic, but I am impressed with Binface's manifesto, where it says that CEOs of water companies should be forced to swim in British rivers.

[Alex McFarlane]

Kevin, I disagree with that policy as they would choose to swim in Scotland. Make them swim in there own rivers.

Scottish Water is publicly owned and, though not perfect, is infinitely better than some of the suppliers south of the border.

[Phil Neatherway]

It's not hard to be infinitely better than Thames Water.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Kevin, I disagree with that policy as they would choose to swim in Scotland. Make them swim in there own rivers.

Scottish Water is publicly owned and, though not perfect, is infinitely better than some of the suppliers south of the border."

Yes, fair enough... A family member recently did an "Iron Man" event in Scotland ("Celtman"), and they started with a 3.4 km swim through jellyfish-infested waters, but still preferable to English water...

[John Upham]

It's not hard to be infinitely better than Thames Water.

Thames Water was ruined by Australian asset strippers Macquarie Group.

Obviously Maggie should never have allowed this happen in the first place.
One of her very worst decisions IMHO.