SNP to be official opposition?

On the basis that Labour cannot fill its front bench opposition obligations, as most Labour MPs do not support Corbyn, the SNP will ask to be declared as the official opposition.

More opportunist that opposition, IMO, but you've got to admire their gusto and self promotion.

(Edit. Source = BBC 5 live radio news at 0800)

On the basis that Labour cannot fill its front bench opposition obligations, as most Labour MPs do not support Corbyn, the SNP will ask to be declared as the official opposition.

 

More opportunist that opposition, IMO, but you've got to admire their gusto and self promotion.

 

(Edit. Source = BBC 5 live radio news at 0800)

Just been on the television news. It just demonstrates the SNP have contempt for the results of elections and referendums. The SNP came third in the UK general election which means they are not the official opposition because they didn't come second in that contest.

Similarly they came second in the Scottish Referendum, which means they didn't win so they don't get their wish.

Just been on the television news. It just demonstrates the SNP have contempt for the results of elections and referendums. The SNP came third in the UK general election which means they are not the official opposition because they didn't come second in that contest.

 

Similarly they came second in the Scottish Referendum, which means they didn't win so they don't get their wish.

Utter nonsense.

It is perfectly possible, under our constitution, to come third in a General Election and still form a Government. (Just ask Nick Clegg about that).

Now you understand that, try this bit. Parties in Parliament only need to be assured that they can get enough parliamentary votes. You give MPs that power when you elect them. At the moment, the SNP are cohesive and could easily form an effective opposition. Labour are a total shambles.

Utter nonsense.

 

It is perfectly possible, under our constitution, to come third in a General Election and still form a Government. (Just ask Nick Clegg about that).

 

Now you understand that, try this bit. Parties in Parliament only need to be assured that they can get enough parliamentary votes. You give MPs that power when you elect them. At the moment, the SNP are cohesive and could easily form an effective opposition. Labour are a total shambles.

Labour are the official opposition because they came second in the last General Election and the winning party have an overall majority in parliament. You can nitpick all you like, but the SNP are not the official opposition or entitled to be, based on the results of the last General Election.

Where are they standing in England, Wales and NI then?

Labour are the official opposition because they came second in the last General Election and the winning party have an overall majority in parliament. You can nitpick all you like, but the SNP are not the official opposition or entitled to be, based on the results of the last General Election.

I'm not nit-picking. I'm just telling you how it is. The General Election vote is an irrelevance. Power is what matters. That power comes from the support of MPs.

Were are they standing in England, Wales and NI then?

What if the Labour MPs in Scotland who don't agree with Corbyn defect to the SNP?

It could boost the SNP numbers by one.

The official opposition is the second largest grouping in the commons. If groupings change, merge or break-up; then the largest grouping now may not be what it was after the GE.

If Labour are no longer a single grouping, but a set of factions which are either not defined or smaller than the SNP, then the SNP is the second largest grouping in the commons. They are quite entitled to challenge for official opposition status if they suspect that all this has come to pass.

I'm not nit-picking. I'm just telling you how it is. The General Election vote is an irrelevance. Power is what matters. That power comes from the support of MPs.

The SNP seem to cherry pick the relevance of elections and referendums. If the SNP like a result, then it has more relevance than a result they don't like. If you give the SNP an inch they will take a mile. For arguments sake, lets allow them to be the official opposition, then next week they will demand to replace the Conservatives as the governing party.

The SNP seem to cherry pick the relevance of elections and referendums. If the SNP like a result, then it has more relevance than a result they don't like. If you give the SNP an inch they will take a mile. For arguments sake, lets allow them to be the official opposition, then next week they will demand to replace the Conservatives as the governing party.

With the greatest respect, may I suggest that you read my posts and the excellent one by Unbeliever again, more carefully this time. They explain the situation very clearly. No amount of anti-SNP bigotry on your behalf will change that.

I'm not nit-picking. I'm just telling you how it is. The General Election vote is an irrelevance. Power is what matters. That power comes from the support of MPs.

In practical real world terms, you're right, but legally, technically, constitutionally, I think you're wrong. Its the numerically second biggest single party who forms her majesty's Official opposition as I understand it.

In practical real world terms, you're right, but legally, technically, constitutionally, I think you're wrong. Its the numerically second biggest single party who forms her majesty's Official opposition.

The question is: legally, technically and constitutionally; if Labour split are they still a party for the purposes of parliamentary rules?