SIR – Mrs May is very fond of stating “Brexit means Brexit.” I know what Brexit means to me; namely the United Kingdom standing as an independent sovereign state outside the undemocratic EU and unaffected by the dead hand of its endless bureaucracy.
So it would be helpful, now that Mrs May has secured the top job, if she actually set out her stall to explain what she means by “Brexit means Brexit”.
Don Bailey
Helsby, Cheshire
SIR – Assorted television journalists rushed to suggest that Theresa May ought, by some constitutional imperative, to call a general election in order to win a “personal mandate” as prime minister and thereby secure “democratic legitimacy”. This is contrary to our history and our constitutional law.
Including Mrs May, 22 people have become prime minister since 1900. Only eight entered into that office as a result of winning a general election. Of the 13 before Mrs May who succeeded to the office between elections, only one felt the need to go straight to the people to secure a mandate. That was Stanley Baldwin in 1923 and he sought not a “personal mandate”, but rather a mandate for protectionist tariffs.
Of Mrs May’s six immediate predecessors, three succeeded on the resignation of their predecessor: James Callaghan, John Major and Gordon Brown. Callaghan served for 37 months before an election was held. Mr Major served for 16 months before facing the electorate and winning a further term. And Mr Brown held office for 35 months before the 2010 election.
Nearly two thirds of prime ministers, in the last 113 years, came to office other than as the victor of a general election, but not one has sought a “personal mandate” from the electorate. Prime ministers do not have personal mandates from the public. In law they are chosen by the Queen in accordance with the convention that she must send for the person most likely to be able to command a majority in the Commons.
The public get to elect the Commons at least once every five years. We do not elect prime ministers, only MPs. While our constitution evolves, it does not necessarily change because television journalists have suggested to random passers-by, ignorant of our constitution, that it is something different from what it actually is.
The constitution, however nebulous it may seem at times, is the basic law of the country and it would be unwise to tamper with it lightly.
Dr Richard Austen-Baker
Lancaster University Law School
SIR – Jon Trickett, Labour’s election coordinator, demands an election with the change of prime minister. Did he express the same plea when Gordon Brown replaced Tony Blair?
Dr John A Rees
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
SIR – David Cameron was on the Remain side of the Brexit argument, which was lost, and so decided honourably to resign as Prime Minister. Theresa May was also on the Remain side and is now to become Prime Minister.
Have I missed something here?
Sean Putnam
Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
