Can the Queen actually sack Boris Johnson?
The Queen sought advice in pre brexit days on the circumstances in which she can dismiss a Prime Minister.
But what is the official position on the UK monarch's power to actually remove a sitting PM, in this case Boris Johnson?
In normal circumstances, the queen's role is mostly ceremonial, but she does have access to reserve powers under the constitutional monarchy system that exists in the UK.
What are reserve powers?
A reserve power is one that can be exercised in the UK by the head of state without the approval of another branch of the government.
Unlike in a presidential system of government, the head of state is generally constrained by the Cabinet or legislature in a parliamentary system, with most reserve powers usable only in certain exceptional circumstances.
Typically these powers are to grant pardon, to dismiss a prime minister, to refuse to dissolve Parliament, and to refuse or delay royal assent to legislation.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson
There are usually strict constitutional conventions concerning when these powers may be used and these conventions are enforced by public pressure. Using these powers in contravention of tradition would generally provoke a constitutional crisis.
When has a UK monarch dismissed a PM?
The UK monarch's powers of dismissing a prime minister has not been used often.
The last time a ruler did it was 1834, when William IV dismissed Lord Melbourne's Whig government.
It followed years of Parliamentary wrangling over radical reforms for which there was not enough support in the country.
Melbourne claimed it was personal, but historians have claimed it had more to do with public opinion.
In 1975, the governor-general of Australia used his role as the Queen's proxy to sack the Whitlam government, which had a tiny majority, under circumstances where the opposition blocked finance bills while the PM refused to hold a general election.
Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC already warned Mr Johnson the Queen would dismiss him if he seeked to break the law over the prorogue of parliament and Brexit. The Scottish high court said the prorogue was unlawful.Grieve made the constitutional case to remove Johnson from Office.
Why a dismissal would be extraordinary
However, such a move by the Queen would represent an extraordinary act.
Queen Elizabeth II has been kept very closely in touch with the exercise of governmental power by means of a weekly audience with the prime minister during which she is fully briefed about the affairs of government, but has otherwise adopted a staunch position of remaining out of day-to-day politics throughout her reign.
Dominic Grieve: Tories should remove Boris Johnson as soon as possible
To recall an MP the constituency has to consider the following:
Conditions to trigger recall
MPs can be recalled under three circumstances:
Conviction in the UK of any offence and sentenced or ordered to be imprisoned or detained, after all appeals have been exhausted. Note – a sentence over 12 months in jail automatically disqualifies someone from being an MP;
Suspension from the House following report and recommended sanction from the Committee on Standards for a specified period (at least 10 sitting days, or at least 14 days if sitting days are not specified);
Convicted of an offence under section 10 of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 (making false or misleading Parliamentary allowances claims). Note – the sentence does not have to be custodial for this condition.
If one of the conditions is met the Speaker of the House must notify the local returning officer. They are known as a petition officer when dealing with a recall petition.
So all these matters are exceptional. But so is a Prime Minister found guilty of a crime. Partygate was not only breaking his own laws, it was repeatedly lying and denying about it too.
There comes a point when the public cannot trust their Prime Minister to lead the country.
Then there is the case for charging Boris Johnson with the common law offence of Misconduct in Public Office.
The conditions being that :-
The offence is committed when:
a public officer acting as such;
wilfully neglects to perform his duty and/or wilfully misconducts himself;
to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder;
without reasonable excuse or justification. This is a matter suggested by Mike Mansfield QC in his Covid Public enquiry. A report that is collecting dust on a desk in Scotland yard.
2 years ago I created a petition for the Queen to Remove Boris Johnson from Office It is feasible, though radical. There would have to be mounting public unrest. It is also feasible for the Member of Uxbridge to be recalled, but again this is radical. In 2 years just 4,355 people signed the petition. During that petition time 190,000 people have died of covid and many more who did not get treatment for other ailments in time like cancer or heart attacks (6m waiting lists and growing)
Less than five thousand sign a petition, meanwhile 190,000 die as Johnson watched, laughed, joked, partied, broke his own laws and so did others in the seat of Government , Downing Street. Less than 5,000 took 10 seconds to sign and share a petition, while 190,000 people died, most of them alone, leaving loved ones helpless in their grief.
Less than 5,000 bothered to sign a petition to raise publicity to orchestrate the removal of a blundering sociopath, while 190,000 red hearts were painted on a commemorative wall.
Yesterday 288 people died from covid, after being told by an irresponsible Prime Minister they had to live with it. Day before it was 348. It is about 1500 a week currently. People not living with covid, which in itself is a slogan, a political ideology and not a public health strategy.
Now we have a first. The first Prime Minister to be fined for committing an offence, for breaking laws that he made and repeated at daily press briefings. AND still people are dying, because he is doing nothing about it, nothing at all. There are upstanders in this world . There are bystanders also. There are people who do not even open their eyes and ears. The upstanders get angry, and in their compassion they want to do something. They want to get Justice. BUT they look behind them and see that not enough people are there. These people have other more important things to attend to. Even the 190,000 families have not signed a petition that would end all this daily nonsense. I am not saying it is easy. I am saying it is possible.
There is a saying, "put your money where your mouth is", except signing a petition is free, no money. There are 44 million Facebook Users in the UK. Meaning the sign and share potential is 44 million. Johnson will not resign. Every day he creates chaos and confusion, Everyday he lies ad nauseum. The Tories have no morals either. They walked passed the bereaved families on the way to a dinner party with Boris at the Plaza hotel last week. These Tory MPs did not even acknowledge them, yet alone commiserate.
Johnson should stand trial for misconduct in public office. he should leave Downing St. He should resign as an MP. BUT none of that will happen on it's own. The people have to demand it.
Or alternatively live with the variant known as Boris, I hope you can afford to.
Allan Sharpe founder
click sign share
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson has shown he is incapable of the job of Prime Minister of Britain. 1.In 4 and a half years he has lied totally about Brexit, it's benefits, and Britain's future out of the EU. He has broken international law by breaking the withdrawl agreement treaty. The Brexit Referendum Leave Campaign, which he led, was subject of subversion, illegal spending, and probable Russian intereference. 2. His dithering and delay has cost thousands of British lives to Coronavirus. Britain is the sick man of Europe, with the highest death toll, even compared to countries with larger populations. His delays were not just the 1st wave, but the recent 2nd wave as well. 3, He has squandered Billions of £s of tax payers money on outsourcing NHS contracts to private acquaintences, who have failed in many instances to deliver. Protective clothing that can be used, a test and trace mechanism that has taken months and is still failing. 4. The Country now faces a £2tn recession the worse in history and the worse in G7 countries. Meanwhile, as well as wasting £bns on privatised coronavirus failed services, he has spent more on Brexit than the 47 years Britain contributed to the EU as a member. 5. If allowed to remain in office, we will see the break up of the United Kingdom. Scotland first look certain to ask for independence and rejoin the EU. There are also problems imposed by Brexit on the N Ireland border with Eire. Wales have their own coronavirus strategy.
Britain under Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, is a land of chaos and confusion, with many people losing their jobs and businesses closing. Regulations made by the Prime Minister without consent of Parliament, have too many exemptions and loopholes to be totally enforceable and effective. They are also unfair to certain businesses and individuals.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson has also bolstered his party numbers in the House of Lords by granting peerage to relatives, friends and donors.
In Britain today people are dying unnecessarily, there is unnecessary poverty and misery. Public Services are straining to cope.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson stands accused of Cronyism, Kleptocracy, deception, incompetence, indecision, divisiveness. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson has shown his bluster cannot be believed and has little solid factual content. His buffoonery and blundering has cost lives as well as money. He has a lack of empathy for his people, especially the poor and more recently hungry children and exam results for teenagers.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson stands accused of destroying Britain , the British way of life, the British quality of life, the British standard of living . He has to be removed from office to save Britain from destruction. He has made Britain the laughing stock of the world.
The Queen has to use her reserved powers, and those contained in Magna Carta Article 61, and as head of state intervene on behalf of her subjects. Her Majesty has to remove Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson from 10 Downing Street, and call on Parliament to hold a snap General Election forthwith. She has to stop the suffering of her subjects at the hands of a man not fit for public office, not fit to serve his country, not fit to show duty of care to the people.
Once a new government is formed there should be a public enquiry into the legality of the actions of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, his advisors and his cabinet ministers, plus others handed jobs and given contracts without tender or experience.
IF, this petition fails, there will be more deaths, more unemployment, more poverty and hardship for the People of Britain, but as a multi millionaire, Boris Johnson and his friends will remain unscathed.
https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-public-vote-of-no-confidence-in-this-government-and-boris-johnson?
Another petition same age, more signatures, not enough though, we need millions, not thousands. Click on the link.
FINALLY IF you are interested in Boris Johnson being brought to Justice please join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/486337936484527 #arrestborisjohnson
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