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Robert Phillips's avatar

Thanks Eliot hope all is going well for you whilst studying the machinations of democracy,a greek drolery that implied there are very extraordinary capabilities in very ordinary people.Of course ,to qualify for a vote one also had to have at least a certain number of slaves.

Robert Phillips's avatar

Is this the same individual who purported to be a solicitor and never qualified as such ?

Eliot Wilson's avatar

Might be… apparently he hates being Chief Whip and never wanted the job.

Robert Phillips's avatar

Thanks for your response . Best wishes.

Hugh Rawlings's avatar

But what happens after a Member has been appointed to one or other of the disqualifying offices? Does he or she have immediately to resign it so that there can be a vacancy for another Member to apply for?

Eliot Wilson's avatar

Usually they’re deemed to have resigned after a certain period. But it can be a quick turnaround: in December 1985, the 15 Unionist Members from Northern Ireland all resigned in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement to force by-elections in their constituencies, so people had to be appointed to the disqualifying offices and then be regarded as having resigned them almost immediately so that 15 Members could leave on the same day.

Thomas Hannigan's avatar

Does it follow from this that the two Scottish by-elections will likely be held on the same say as the Makerfield by-election?

Eliot Wilson's avatar

It’s certainly possible.