The first such motion of no confidence to defeat a ministry was in 1742 against Robert Walpole, a Whig who served from 1721 to 1742 and was the de facto first prime minister to hold office. Thereafter there have been 21 votes of confidence successfully motioned against British governments.
Full Answer
When was the first vote of no confidence in a government?
This a list of votes of no confidence in British governments led by prime ministers of the former Kingdom of Great Britain and the current United Kingdom. The first such motion of no confidence to defeat a ministry was in 1742 against Sir Robert Walpole, a Whig who served from 1721 to 1742 and was the de facto first prime minister to hold office.
Can a UK Prime Minister survive a vote of no confidence?
IT is rare for a UK Prime Minister to undergo the stress and humiliation of losing a vote of no confidence. Theresa May was the last to survive the dreaded vote, but many other embattled PMs have faced it over the years. When was the last time a Prime Minister faced a vote of no confidence?
How many Australian prime ministers have been defeated by no-confidence votes?
Only one Australian prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, has ever been defeated in the House of Representatives by an explicit motion of no confidence.
How many votes of no confidence have been successfully motioned against governments?
The first such motion of no confidence to defeat a ministry was in 1742 against Sir Robert Walpole, a Whig who served from 1721 to 1742 and was the de facto first prime minister to hold office. Thereafter there have been 21 votes of confidence successfully motioned against British governments.
Has any prime minister lost a no confidence vote?
The last time an election had been forced by the House of Commons was in 1924, when Ramsay MacDonald, the first Labour prime minister, lost a vote of confidence.
When was the last vote of no confidence in the UK?
A no-confidence vote was last successfully used on 28 March 1979, when the minority government of James Callaghan was defeated.
Was there a vote of no confidence in Margaret Thatcher?
A vote of no confidence in the British Labour government of James Callaghan occurred on 28 March 1979. The vote was brought by Opposition leader Margaret Thatcher and was lost by the Labour Government by one vote (311 votes to 310), which was announced at 10:19 pm.
How did Margaret Thatcher leave office?
She resigned as prime minister and party leader in 1990, after a challenge was launched to her leadership. After retiring from the Commons in 1992, she was given a life peerage as Baroness Thatcher (of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire) which entitled her to sit in the House of Lords.
What happens if a vote of no confidence is passed?
If a vote of non-confidence passes, the prime minister is required to either resign or request the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament and call a general election.
How old was Winston Churchill in his second term?
Health issues to eventual resignation Churchill was just short of his 77th birthday when he became prime minister again and he was not in good health. The main worry was that he had had a number of minor strokes and he was not heeding their warnings.
What did the poll tax replace?
The Community Charge, popularly dubbed the "poll tax", was a tax to fund local government, instituted in 1989 by the government of Margaret Thatcher. It replaced the rates that were based on the notional rental value of a house.
When did John Major resign?
The 1995 Conservative Party leadership election was initiated when the incumbent leader and Prime Minister, John Major, resigned as leader on 22 June 1995, in order to face his critics within the party.
Who was the first Prime Minister to resign after a vote of no confidence?
The 1742 vote of no confidence in the government of Sir Robert Walpole was the first time that a Prime Minister of Great Britain resigned after a vote of no confidence by the House of Commons.
What was the vote of no confidence in the government of the Duke of Wellington?
The 1830 vote of no confidence in the government of the Duke of Wellington occurred in November 1830 when a government motion over a financial question was defeated in the House of Commons. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in January 1828.
What was the first time a British cabinet was forced to resign?
The 1782 vote of no confidence in the government of Lor d North was the first time that a British Cabinet was forced to resign after a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons. Frederick North, Lord North became Prime Minister in January 1770. After the defeat of the British troops in the Siege of Yorktown, Henry Seymour Conway, a Whig MP, introduced into Parliament a motion to end "the further prosecution of offensive warfare" in America. The motion was passed in the House of Commons by a vote of 234 to 215 on 27 February. The vote symbolised the loss of King George III 's support in Parliament for the war, as well as the loss of Parliament's confidence in the North government. Feeling unable to hold his office any longer, North submitted his resignation on 22 March and his Cabinet resigned with him. This was the first time that the Cabinet took collective responsibility and resigned after the loss of support in the Parliament. The King then asked Lord Rockingham to form a government .
What did Walpole say to the House of Commons?
As early as 1739, Walpole told the House of Commons that the ministry should be accountable to the Parliament. During the following years, the support for the government in the House of Commons decreased gradually. In January 1742, the government introduced in a petition against the return of two Members of Parliament for Chippenham in recently held by-elections. The petition was defeated in the House of Commons by a vote of 235 to 236 on 28 January.
What was the first defeat of Lord John Russell?
The 1851 vote of no confidence in the government of Lord John Russell occurred in February 1851 when a motion of enfranchisement was carried in the House of Commons against the government's will . Lord John Russell became Prime Minister in June 1846.
When did Sir Robert Peel become Prime Minister?
Sir Robert Peel became Prime Minister in December 1834. However, his party formed only a minority in the House of Commons.
When was the first motion of no confidence?
The first such motion of no confidence to defeat a ministry was in 1742 against Sir Robert Walpole, a Whig who served from 1721 to 1742 and was the de facto first prime minister to hold office. Thereafter there have been 21 votes of confidence successfully motioned against British governments.
When was the last time a Prime Minister faced a vote of no confidence?
Theresa May was the last Prime Minister to face a vote of no confidence, in December 2018.
Which Prime Ministers have faced a vote of no confidence?
It is extremely rare for Prime Ministers to lose a no confidence motion.
Who were the three prime ministers who lost a vote of confidence?
Hanna Suchocka (1993) Waldemar Pawlak (1995) - (orchestrated by the majority with the aim of changing the prime minister without consent of the President Lech Walesa) Marek Belka (2004) - lost a vote of confidence.
How many prime ministers have been defeated in the House of Representatives?
Only one Australian prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, has ever been defeated in the House of Representatives by an explicit motion of no confidence. In addition, six prime ministers were unable to enact important policy and therefore resigned, two prime ministers were unable to obtain supply from the House of Representatives, ...
Which prime ministers were unable to pass important policy-related legislation?
These prime ministers were able to gain supply from the House of Representatives, but were unable to pass important policy-related legislation: Chris Watson (1904, Conciliation and Arbitration Bill) George Reid (1905, amendment on the address-in-reply)
Who lost the vote of confidence?
Helmut Schmidt (1982) Helmut Kohl (1982) - lost a vote of confidence (orchestrated by the majority with the aim of triggering an early federal election) Gerhard Schröder (2005) - lost a vote of confidence (orchestrated by the majority with the aim of triggering an early federal election)
How many times has the government lost a no confidence vote?
There's only been one occasion since World War Two when the government lost a no-confidence vote.
What is a no confidence vote?
It's a vote in which MPs from all parties decide whether they want the government to continue. It has the power to trigger a general election and could see a new prime minister appointed.
What happens if the government loses?
If the government loses, it has 14 days to try to win back the confidence of MPs through another vote. At the same time, opposition parties can try to form their own alternative government.
What is the wording of a no confidence motion?
The wording of a no-confidence motion is: "That this House has no confidence in Her Majesty's Government.". It needs a simple majority to pass - so it only requires one more MP to vote in favour than the number voting against. If the government wins the no confidence motion, it carries on as before. At present, the government cannot count on ...
What would happen if the Queen did not step down?
Failing to step down would risk bringing the Queen into the Brexit dispute, as the monarch appoints PMs and, in theory, can dismiss one who behaves unconstitutionally.
Will Labour introduce a no confidence motion?
Jeremy Corbyn says Labour wants to introduce a no confidence motion. But he says it will only do this once the threat of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October has been removed. However, the government accuses Labour of running scared. It says Labour should immediately bring a vote of confidence to end the Brexit stalemate.
Can a government lose a no confidence motion?
It's very rare for a government to lose a no confidence motion.
What is the history behind the vote of no confidence – when was it first used in Britain and how common were they in previous centuries?
Votes of no confidence – or their historical equivalent – were a fairly regular occurrence in the 19th century, but from 1900 to the present day they have not come about very often, says Toye.
When did a vote of no confidence last lead to a general election?
The last time a vote of no confidence led to a general election was in 1979. The Labour government led by James Callaghan faced a vote of no confidence on 28 March 1979 following a defeat over a referendum for devolution to Scotland and lost by just one vote. Following the vote, which was brought by opposition leader Margaret Thatcher, Callaghan was forced to call a general election which was won by Thatcher’s party.
What is a vote of no confidence?
There are two types of votes of no confidence: one, in the party leader – which is what the former prime minister Theresa May faced in December 2018 – the other is a parliamentary no-confidence vote, which signifies that the government itself has lost the support of the Commons.
What are the rules for the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011?
The current rules are outlined in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011. If a motion stating “That this House has no confidence in HM Government” is lost by the government and a new government with the support of a majority of MPs cannot be formed within 14 days, parliament is dissolved and an early general election is triggered.
What does it mean to retain the confidence of the Commons?
Retaining the confidence of the Commons is a core principle of the UK constitution. The current rules are outlined in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011.
Why is it important to remember that in previous centuries MPs were less blindly loyal to their party?
Toye says: “It’s important to remember that in previous centuries MPs were less blindly loyal to their party – in the 19th century, for example, there weren’t really ‘career politicians’ in the sense that we have them today. MPs, who weren’t paid, weren’t under the same pressure to remain loyal in order to keep their jobs, and party discipline was therefore less rigid. In this sense, 19th-century governments were less stable than modern governments.”
When did Theresa May vote no confidence?
Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside Downing Street after it was announced that she would face a vote of no confidence, 12 December 2018. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) Speaking ahead of that confidence vote, Prof Richard Toye warned it was “purely an internal party leadership challenge.
Stanley Baldwin
Ramsay Macdonald
- After Mr Baldwin stepped down in January 1924, Mr MacDonald became the first Labour prime minister when his party won a landslide victory in a general election. Mr MacDonald’s party formed a minority government – but his tenure as British leader was short-lived. In October 1924 a vote of no confidence was called against his government, which it lost. The vote was one of cen…
James Callaghan
- Mr Callaghan was the last prime minister to lose a confidence vote, in March 1979. The leader’s minority Labour government was badly split following devolution referendums and the Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher brought the vote of no confidence against him Mr Callaghan lost by a single vote, 311 to 310 – and the result forced a general elect...
Other Prominent Prime Ministers to Lose A Vote
- Robert Walpole Mr Walpole was subject to many corruption allegations during his time as prime minister and was defeated in a motion of no confidence in 1742 after MPs questioned the validity of a by-election in Chippenham. Frederick North Mr North was forced out of office by a motion of no confidence in 1782 over the British defeat at Yorktown, Virginia, the previous year during the …
Overview
This a list of successful votes of no confidence in British governments led by prime ministers of the former Kingdom of Great Britain and the current United Kingdom. The first such motion of no confidence to defeat a ministry was in 1742 against Robert Walpole, a Whig who served from 1721 to 1742 and was the de facto first prime minister to hold office. Thereafter there have been 21 votes o…
Defeat of the Walpole ministry (1742)
The 1742 vote of no confidence in the government of Robert Walpole was the first time that a prime minister of Great Britain resigned after a vote of no confidence by the House of Commons. Walpole is regarded as the first British prime minister, although this was not an official position until the early twentieth century. He had been continually in office since April 1721 and relied for the co…
Defeat of the North ministry (1782)
The 1782 vote of no confidence in the government of Lord North was the first time that a British Cabinet was forced to resign after a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons. Frederick North, Lord North became Prime Minister in January 1770. After the defeat of the British troops in the Siege of Yorktown, Henry Seymour Conway, a Whig MP, introduced into Parliament a motion to end "the …
Defeat of the Pitt ministry (1784)
The 1784 vote of no confidence in the government of William Pitt the Younger occurred in February 1784.
William Pitt the Younger became Prime Minister in December 1783. He enjoyed the support of King George III but was opposed and attacked by Charles James Fox and the Whigs in Parliament. On 2 February, Thomas Coke, a Whig MP, prop…
Defeat of the Wellington–Peel ministry (1830)
The 1830 vote of no confidence in the government of the Duke of Wellington occurred in November 1830 when a government motion over a financial question was defeated in the House of Commons.
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in January 1828. By late 1830, the support for his government in Parli…
First defeat of the Peel ministry (1835)
The 1835 vote of no confidence in the government of Robert Peel occurred in April 1835 when the Commons passed a report against the government's will.
Robert Peel became Prime Minister in December 1834. However, his party formed only a minority in the House of Commons. The following general election did not change this situation, which left the Conservative Party over 100 seats s…
First defeat of the Melbourne ministry (1841)
The first vote of no confidence in the government of Lord Melbourne occurred in June 1841.
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne became Prime Minister in April 1835. On 27 May 1841, Robert Peel, leader of the Conservative Party, introduced in the House of Commons a motion of no confidence against the Melbourne govern…
Second defeat of the Melbourne ministry (1841)
The second vote of no confidence in the government of Lord Melbourne occurred in August 1841.
Queen Victoria had opened the new Parliament on 24 August. On the same day, Conservative MP John Stuart-Wortley proposed in the House of Commons an amendment to the House's address in answer to the Queen's Speech, which claimed that the government no longer possessed the confidence of Parliament. Lord Ripon, a former prime minister, proposed the same amendment i…
Overview
This is a list of prime ministers defeated by either a parliamentary motion of no confidence or by the similar process of loss of supply.
Prime ministers defeated by votes of no confidence
Only one Australian prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, has ever been defeated in the House of Representatives by an explicit motion of no confidence. In addition, six prime ministers were unable to enact important policy and therefore resigned, two prime ministers were unable to obtain supply from the House of Representatives, one prime minister was unable to obtain supply in the Senate and was dismissed by the Governor General, one Prime Minister never had the con…
Other leaders defeated in no confidence votes
These countries are generally parliamentary systems in which the President is elected by the Parliament but is also head of state.
• Adolphe Thiers (1873)
• Gaston Flosse (2005, 2008)
• Oscar Temaru (2006, 2009)
See also
• Motion of Confidence#Examples of defeats by Motions of Confidence
• Confidence and supply
• List of impeachments of heads of state