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British ruling party loses parliamentary majority
December 7, 1996
Web posted at: 12:45 p.m. EST (1745 GMT)LONDON (CNN) -- Britain faced the prospect of its first minority government in 17 years Saturday after a Conservative member of Parliament withdrew his support for Prime Minister John Major. Other lawmakers threatened to follow suit.
Ending what political commentators saw as the worst week for Major since he became leader in 1990, the government saw its one-seat majority in the 651-seat House of Commons effectively wiped out Friday when Conservative Sir John Gorst withdrew his support in protest over a hospital closure in his constituency.
Another Conservative, Hugh Dykes, warned he was ready to follow suit over the same issue and a third lawmaker, Terry Dicks, threatened to quit unless Major ruled out Britain joining a single European currency.
"I don't want to be on a ship like the Titanic where the helmsman can see the ice ahead and simply says, "Let's wait and see what happens,'" Dicks said.
An editorial in Britain's Financial Times warned: "Time and hope are running out for John Major's administration."
In addition, the Ulster Unionists, who currently hold nine seats in Parliament, have announced that they may buck tradition and withdraw their support for the Conservatives.
Major's support wanes as election looms
Major took office with a 21-seat majority. He must call a general election by May. A recent public opinion poll showed the Conservatives trailing the Labor Party by about 20 percentage points.
An election Thursday in a Labor Party stronghold of northern England is expected to seal the government's status as a minority administration.
Hoping to ease Labor's momentum, Cabinet ministers went on national radio Saturday to defend Major. But opposition leader Tony Blair kept the heat on the prime minister, saying the government was "disintegrating before our eyes."
"This shambles cannot go on any longer, and the sooner we get the chance to put them out of their misery the better," Blair said, referring to when and if parliament holds a confidence vote.
The last Labor government clung on for two years before losing power in 1979.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related story:
- Britain's political turmoil grows - December 6, 1996
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