Tag Archives: Ministers of the Crown

Ministerial Limbo

Posted on September 12, 2022 by jasonloch

One of the stranger consequences of Queen Elizabeth II’s death is that a good chunk of the British government now exists in a sort of constitutional limbo. Although she approved numerous ministerial appointments right before her death, she was unable … Continue reading →

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The Prime Minister, The Queen, And Ecclesiastical Appointments

Posted on October 20, 2021 by jasonloch

Earlier this year, there was some debate over whether or not Boris Johnson had run afoul of section 18 of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. There were reports that he’d converted to Roman Catholicism, and Roman Catholics are barred … Continue reading →

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No, The Lord Chancellor And The Lord President Can’t Vote In The House Of Lords

Posted on October 10, 2021 by jasonloch

An article in the Daily Telegraph has claimed that the Lord Chancellor and the Lord President of the Council have “archaic rights” to vote in the House of Lords even though they aren’t peers (the article is behind a paywall, … Continue reading →

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The Strange Saga Of The Information Commissioner’s Reappointment

Posted on September 17, 2021 by jasonloch

On July 13, 2021, the following notice appeared in The London Gazette: THE QUEEN has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 9 July 2021 to re-appoint Elizabeth Anne Denham, to be the Information … Continue reading →

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Should Ministers Be Appointed From Outside Parliament?

Posted on July 13, 2021 by jasonloch

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, has made headlines by suggesting that ministers need not always be MPs or peers, something the Commission for Smart Government also mooted in a recent discussion paper. While outsiders can make … Continue reading →

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The Queen And Ministerial Travel

Posted on February 11, 2021 by jasonloch

A while back, I stumbled upon something interesting in a collection of documents from John Major’s premiership. It’s a brief letter from Roderic Lyne, Major’s Private Secretary, to Sir Robert Fellowes, the Queen’s Private Secretary, seeking permission for Major to … Continue reading →

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A Few Words On The Swearing-in Of Ministers

Posted on January 21, 2021 by jasonloch

As I watched President Biden’s inauguration, I thought about how the advent of a new ministry in the UK receives very little fanfare. Aside from a photograph of the new Prime Minister with the Queen, the installation of a new … Continue reading →

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The Queen And Government Appointments

Posted on January 10, 2018 by jasonloch

I thought I’d mark Theresa May’s Cabinet reshuffle by sharing this document which I recently obtained through Britain’s Freedom of Information Act: This is Theresa May’s formal submission to the Queen recommending the appointment of her new government after she … Continue reading →

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How Does One Become A Minister?

Posted on July 14, 2016 by jasonloch

Earlier this week, I explained the formalities that a person must undergo before they can become Prime Minister. Today, I will do the same thing for the other members of Her Majesty’s Government. This is a surprisingly complex subject since ministers … Continue reading →

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How Can Theresa May Create New Departments So Quickly?

Posted on July 13, 2016 by jasonloch

A reader was surprised to learn that Theresa May has made David Davis ‘Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.’ They thought it was odd that she could create a new department out of thin air. This is possible because of the constitutional … Continue reading →

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