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Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito
Good point MC. But in reality the Queen always dissolves Parliament when asked. The last time that he didn't was way back in 1923. If Elizabeth was asked to dissolve and she refused, it might cause a constitutional crisis.
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Very true, and I was just gigging you a little. Nevertheless, there are protocols that must be followed, and I think we Americans tend to not fully appreciate the role the Crown has in government (the Queen-in-Parliament). My son and I were hearing the story on NPR about Brown resigning and a "new government" in the UK. The "new government" caught his ear, as it sounded to him like a new system of government. We discussed what it means in the British context, including how Brown didn't just resign, he submitted his resignation to the Queen, who on accepting it invited David Cameron to form a new government.
The decision to dissolve Parliament is the government's; the power to dissolve Parliament is the Crown's.