New Hansard Society publication launched
No Overall Control? The impact of a 'hung parliament' on British politics, is an edited collection of essays from distinguished commentators, academics and parliamentarians, including; Simon Jenkins of The Guardian and The Sunday Times, Dr David Butler from the University of Oxford and Simon Hughes MP.
There has been increasing speculation that the next UK general election might produce a parliament in which no single party holds a majority of seats - a ‘hung parliament'. This is a phenomena that few within Westminster will have had personal experience of, or even remember, the last instance being in 1974.This book provides a wide range of views on coalition governments and hung parliaments from individuals with first hand experience of power sharing. It includes examples, both international and from the devolved UK institutions, of what happens when no single party has an overall majority. So what would be the modern day consequences for Parliament, the political parties, individual MPs, and the public? Would a hung parliament strengthen Parliament and better reflect the wishes of the electorate or would it render government indecisive and unstable?