Confidence and supply

In a parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster system, confidence and supply are required for a government to hold power. A confidence and supply agreement is an agreement that a minor party or independent member of parliament will support the government in motions of confidence and appropriation (supply) votes by voting in favour or abstaining, while retaining the right to otherwise vote on conscience.^[1]^[2]

Confidence

Main article: Motion of no confidence

In most parliamentary democracies, members of a parliament can propose a Motion of Confidence^[3] or Motion of No Confidence in the government or executive. The results of such motions show how much support the government currently has in parliament. Should a motion of confidence fail, or a motion of no confidence pass, the government will usually either resign and allow other politicians to form a new government, or call an election.

Supply

Main articles: Appropriation bill and Loss of supply

Most democracies require an appropriation bill or something similar to be passed by parliament in order for a government to receive money to enact its policies. If an appropriation bill fails, the government loses control of the money supply, and is therefore virtually powerless. The failure of a supply bill thus has the same effect as the failure of a confidence motion. In early modern England, the withholding of funds was one of parliament's few ways of controlling the monarch.

Examples of confidence and supply deals

United Kingdom

Between 1977 and 1979, Jim Callaghan's Labour Party stayed in power thanks to a confidence and supply agreement with the Liberal Party, in a deal which became known as the Lib-Lab Pact. In return, the Labour Party agreed to modest policy concessions for the Liberal party. ^[4]

New Zealand

John Key's National Party administration formed a minority government in 2008 thanks to a confidence and supply agreement with the ACT, United Future and the Maori Party.^[5] A similar arrangement in 2005 had led to Helen Clark's Labour Party forming a coalition government with the Progressive Party, with support on confidence and supply from New Zealand First and United Future.

Australia

Main article: Gillard Government § Minority government

Julia Gillard's Australian Labor Party administration formed a minority government in 2010 thanks to a confidence and supply agreement with the Greens and three independent MPs.^[6]

References

↑ James Cook, Governments, coalitions and border politics, BBC News, 7 May 2010
↑ Why the PM is safe in No 10 for the moment, The Independent, 8 May 2010
↑ Otherwise, when it is proposed by the Government itself upon a piece of legislation, "the Chambers are enslaved in the exercise of their principal function just because it was thought that their being master of the fiduciary relationship were to be reaffirmed on each bill": Argondizzo, Domenico; Buonomo, Giampiero (April 2014). "Spigolature intorno all’attuale bicameralismo e proposte per quello futuro". Mondoperaio.net. – via Questia (subscription required)
↑ http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/16/politics-what-is-confidence-and-supply
↑ Bryant, Nick (7 May 2010). "Lessons from New Zealand in art of coalition building". BBC.
↑ Rodgers, Emma (7 September 2010). "Labor clings to power". ABC News Online (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

External links

Example of confidence and supply agreement in New Zealand

Coalition Spectrum

Type of Government	Government Parties	Opposition Parties

Minority Government Confidence and Supply Rainbow Coalition Full Coalition Majority Government Grand Coalition National Unity Government	∘ ∘ ⇐ ∘ ∘ — ∘ — ∘ — ∘ ∘ — ∘ o o — o o — o — o	∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘ ∘

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