Disastrous result prompts renewed calls for Rishi Sunak to call national election
London:
Britain's Liberal Democrats announced on Monday that they would table a motion of no confidence in Chancellor Rishi Sunak's government in Parliament, in a bid to force a general election in June after the ruling Conservative Party suffered a crushing defeat in local elections.
Last week's election saw the Conservatives lose 474 local council seats, the main opposition Labor party gained 186 seats and the Liberal Democrats gained 104, according to a BBC tally.
The disastrous result has led to renewed calls for Mr Sunak to hold a national election. He previously said he intended to hold a vote in the second half of this year.
However, the Conservatives still have a majority in the elected House of Commons, so even if allowed to vote, the no-confidence motion is likely to fail.
“This local election has shown this country is fed up with Rishi Sunak and his indifferent Conservative government,” Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said in a statement, adding that his party would move on Tuesday. He said he would submit.
The government is not expected to provide time for parliamentary debate if an opposition party other than the official opposition party (currently the Labor Party) submits a confidence motion.
Traditionally, a government that loses a vote of confidence either resigns to pave the way for a replacement, or the prime minister asks the king to dissolve it, triggering national elections.
The last time a motion of no confidence forced an election was in 1979, when then Labor Prime Minister Jim Callaghan lost a vote in Parliament and called for dissolution.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
