Motions of no confidence can negatively impact upon the public’s view of the Government

Motions of no confidence are used sparingly in the UK, with their use tending to be reserved for moments of acute political crisis for the Government, such as the resignation of Margaret Thatcher or the collapse of a cross-party agreement. Here, Laron K. Williams and Zeynep Somer-Topcu draw on research from a recent article they co-published in the European Journal of Political Research to show that while their practical use is primarily to bring about elections and topple Governments, they also influence how the public see the Government in question, and can be used by opposition parties to this end.