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Question

Difficulty: HardElections and Voting Systems

If a Member of Parliament (MP) dies or resigns while the House of Commons is in session, a vacancy is created for that specific constituency. What is the official procedure for selecting a new representative to fill this seat?

  1. A by-election is held in that constituency to elect a new representative.Answer
  2. B
    The political party that previously held the seat appoints a successor for the remainder of the term.
  3. C
    The candidate who received the second-highest number of votes in the previous General Election automatically takes the seat.
  4. D
    The seat remains vacant until the next mandatory General Election is called for the entire country.

Answer

A by-election is held in that constituency to elect a new representative.
A by-election is the legally required process to ensure that a constituency is represented if their MP leaves office before a General Election is called. The person who wins the most votes in this specific election becomes the new MP.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the scenario
An MP has resigned or died, creating a mid-term vacancy in a single constituency.
The question asks for the specific constitutional procedure for this event.
2
Recall the mechanism for local vacancies
A 'by-election' is the term for a fresh election held only in the affected constituency.
This distinguishes it from a General Election where all 650 seats are contested simultaneously.
3
Verify against UK parliamentary rules
The successor must be elected by the public, not appointed by a party, a council, or a previous runner-up.
The UK parliamentary democracy requires a direct mandate from the voters for every member of the House of Commons.

Key Concept

By-elections in the UK Parliamentary System

Practice More

Review the specific list of professions that are disqualified from standing for election as an MP to deepen your understanding of candidacy rules.
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Elections and Voting Systems

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