Election Result: Rishi Sunak wins Richmond & Northallerton

Election Result: Rishi Sunak wins Richmond & Northallerton

Mr Sunak, who was beforehand MP for Richmond, has turn out to be the brand new MP for Richmond and Northallerton after modifications to the constituency boundary.

He collected 23,059 votes, profitable the seat with a majority of greater than 12,000.

On the 2019 election, Mr Sunak received with a majority of 27,000.

Has a Prime Minister ever misplaced their seat in a UK election?

Based on the Institute for Authorities web site, no incumbent (presently holding workplace) prime minister has ever misplaced his or her seat at a common election.

There have been Prime Ministers who’ve received with comparatively small majorities although, similar to Boris Johnson in 2019 who received by 7,210 votes within the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat.

The Institute for Authorities provides: “Two prime ministers have come near dropping their seats. In December 1905, Arthur Balfour resigned as prime minister in an try and pressure an election, however the chief of the opposition, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, as a substitute fashioned a authorities and have become PM. Balfour went on to lose his constituency on the election a month later.

“Within the 1935 common election, Ramsay MacDonald was defeated, having resigned as head of the nationwide authorities not lengthy earlier than the marketing campaign began.” 

Clearly, there have been loads of instances the place the present Prime Minister has received their seat however their celebration has misplaced general.

This meant they may stay as an MP in Parliament, while most definitely resigning from the management place of their celebration.



What would occur if a Prime Minister misplaced their seat however their celebration received?

There is no such thing as a precedent for this case occurring so it’s troublesome to say what would occur on this state of affairs.

The Cupboard Handbook says {that a} Prime Minister “will usually be the accepted chief of a political celebration that instructions nearly all of the Home of Commons”, nevertheless it doesn’t say that this have to be the case.


Really helpful studying:


The Institute for Authorities states: “Nevertheless, prime ministers are anticipated to be accountable to parliament by means of Prime Minister’s Questions, delivering statements and showing in entrance of the Liaison Committee.

“It will due to this fact not be sustainable for a primary minister to remain in workplace with out being an MP indefinitely.”

The most definitely factor that will occur is that the Prime Minister would resign, a Cupboard minister of deputy chief could be made an interim PM after which a management contest would happen inside the celebration to nominate a brand new one.