Ministers resign.... what's significance?

[Eateneasterchocsalready]

Obviously! It's not good but surely ministers resigning means they themselves remove their own vote in house of commons...

Ie let's say 10 Pro breixit MPs resign, And commons votes on stuff... doesn't that mean it more likely anti breixit votes get through?
And then how does that affect Theresa may, IE surely for her that's good...if she's against breixit?

Wouldn't it be best to stay and work from the inside?

Normally they resign their ministerial post, not actually being an MP so they can still vote. It's to show that they disagree with the Government approach.

They'll still be there voting but will now have fewer qualms about going against the whip. And it weakens her because it makes clear those who work closely with her don't have confidence in her and are willing to perhaps adversely affect their careers to say so.

They still have their vote and their role as constituency MPs and their role (if they have one) on Committees. Just not on the Government payroll any more, and so not obliged to vote with the Government (though normally they would vote with their party, anyway). Government ministers wear several hats - resigning only removes one of them.

They're still MPs and able to speak and vote in Parliament. Backbenchers actually have greater freedom to speak out than Cabinet members.

Usually ministers resign because they feel they cannot support the official party line on a particular issue. Especially true of Cabinet ministers (not all ministers are members of the Cabinet). Once something is decided in Cabinet, ministers are expected to support it or resign - that's why Boris resigned.

Brilliant explanations thank you. So it will put tm in difficult position.

Normally it would but given the disarray of the current government, not much.

Heaton-Harris was the one who wrote to universities demanding to be told which staff were teaching Brexit related material and copies of the relevant syllabus. McCarthyism much?

TM must have been in a pretty weak position to have such people in her cabinet in the first place.

Not aware of that but generally we do need to make sure education is balanced and that we raise independent thinker s who can draw back behind what's being told too them and make their own minds up.

Political censorship is not “ensuring balanced education”.

He had to backtrack and try to make out it was research for a book.