Circumstances

Members may theoretically table motions of censure or of no confidence in the Government, or motions critical of individual ministers, at any time.

Modalites

Any member of the House may table a motion criticising the actions of the Government or of an individual minister. In most cases these motions are set down for debate on "an early day" (that is, on no specified date). As the Government itself decides which motions are to be set down on the order paper for debate in the House, very few, if any, such motions are formally considered. If, however, a motion of censure is tabled in the name of the leader of the official opposition, convention dictates that Government will set it down for debate at an early opportunity. As with any other motion, a simple majority is all that is required for a motion of censure to be carried.

Consequences

No resignations immediately ensue as the result of a vote of no confidence being. carried but convention dictates that the Prime Minister will seek an early dissolution of Parliament and a general election. If the Prime Minister refused to seek dissolution, it would theoretically be open to the Sovereign to dissolve Parliament on his or her own account, or to dismiss the Government. This would represent a major breach of constitutional convention unheard of in modem times. In 1979 the House carried a motion of no confidence, moved by the then leader of the opposition, Margaret Thatcher, by 311 votes to 310. As a consequence the then Prime Minister, James Callaghan, sought the dissolution of Parliament. At the ensuing general election, the Conservative Party secured a majority of seats in the House and Mrs. Thatcher was invited to form a Government. Between 1991 and 2004, six motions of censure were tabled: two motions of no confidence in the Government, and four expressing criticisms of ministers. All six were opposition motions, and none was agreed to by the House.