HOWARD PERRY refers to Theresa May as an “unelected” prime minister in the leader letter (The Press, January 11).
I assume he does this to imply that Mrs May’s appointment as PM is in some way inauthentic. I beg to disagree.
Could I remind Mr Perry that here in the UK we don’t elect prime ministers; at a general election we elect a parliament of MPs from which a government is formed.
The government selects a leader and this leader is then appointed by the monarch as prime minister.
In the USA the population elects a president. This is not the USA.
For information, over the past 100 years, half of all prime ministers were not in fact leaders of their party at a general election.
To choose a few notable examples: Herbert Asquith (1908), David Lloyd George (1916), Winston Churchill (1940), Anthony Eden (1955), Harold Macmillan (1957), Alec Douglas-Home (1963), James Callaghan (1976), John Major (1990), Gordon Brown (2007).
I rest my case.
Nick Parker, Haxby Road, York
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel