Winning the Election, but losing in your constituency

[potterfan3]

What would happen if, for example, the Conservatives win the general election overall, but David Cameron loses in his constituency?

[potterfan3]

Very hypothetical situation I realise because they wouldn't be let them be leader of the party if they thought they'd lose in their own constituency.

[jake-the-peg]

Well in theory they could go to the Lords but nobody has been prime-minister from the house of Lords since the Marquis of Salisbury in 1902.

There would have to be a new leader of the party chosen and the opposition would probably push to re-run the election although I don't know if that would be sucessful or not.

Very hypothetical

[mike11111]

Alec Douglas-Home was briefly PM from the Lords in 1963 before renouncing his peerage to seek election to the Commons.

[mike11111]

In theory there is nothing to prevent Cameron from being PM wihout a seat in parliament. It is merely custom whereby members of the Executive are drawn from the legislature. Patrick Gordon-Walker was Labour Foreign Secretary for 5 months from October 1964 after losing his seat in the general election, resigning only when he failed to win a by-election. In practice a member for a very safe conservative seat would be promoted to the Lords and Cameron stand in the resultant by-election.