Britain cannot go on like this. We call for an election – now

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( October 19, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [Britain cannot go on like this. We call for an election – now]( Can Britain go on like this? Can Britain, in other words, continue to be governed by an increasingly chaotic administration that is never far from collapse, and lacks democratic support? At the time of writing, the UK has an unelected prime minister, Liz Truss, who was recently installed by a tiny cabal of activists. But she has already ceded much of her power to another, de facto prime minister – Jeremy Hunt – who is in charge of economic policy and the bulk of the government’s domestic agenda. Can this be right? Certainly, it is striking that Mr Hunt, who came last in the Conservative leadership election – with all of 18 votes from his fellow MPs – should now have leapfrogged the many others who outperformed him in the hustings, and be running the country.   2 / [UK inflation rises back to 40-year high of 10.1% as food prices soar]( The rate of Consumer Price Index inflation rose to 10.1 per cent in September from 9.9 per cent in August 3 / [Russia destroys 30% of Ukraine’s power stations in just over a week, claims Zelensky]( Ukraine says situation is ‘critical’ 4 / [Jeremy Hunt meets 1922 Committee chair as Tory MPs plot to oust Truss]( Chancellor will address Tory backbenchers on Wednesday 5 / [Nurse accused of baby murders ‘took newborn’s body to mortuary as father cried’]( Lucy Letby messaged a colleague about the death of her first alleged victim at the Countess of Chester Hospital in June 2015     The Big Question How might a general election happen? However strong the moral or democratic argument that the people should have a say in the policies and personnel of our government, the procedures for obtaining a general election make it hard. There are only two ways an early election can be held. One is that the prime minister says so. The other is that the government loses a vote of confidence in the House of Commons. So that would mean that Liz Truss – or her successor – would have to call an election; or enough Conservative MPs would have to vote for a motion of no confidence tabled by Keir Starmer to overcome the government’s majority. Truss has said that there will be no election until 2024, but if she is replaced, her successor might want to call an election before then. New prime ministers tend to want their own personal mandate from the people, but the opinion-poll picture would have to be transformed before such a decision would become likely. [For the full story click here >](   Watch/ [Who could replace Liz Truss as prime minister if she is ousted?](   NUMBER OF THE DAY 20C – Temperatures are set to hit 20C this week in the UK - but the Met Office has dashed hopes of an Indian Summer.   QUOTE OF THE DAY “The question for any leader is what happens when the programme or the platform on which you secured the leadership has been shredded.” – Michael Gove on prime minister Liz Truss' future in the role       Other stories you might like   [Jacob Rees-Mogg facing legal challenge over fracking plans](   [Little Simz announced as winner of 2022 Mercury Prize for Sometimes I Might Be Introvert](   [Secret scripts ‘prepared by BBC to reassure public in case of winter blackouts’](       Articles available exclusively to subscribers [Shweta Sharma]( , The Independent [- Can India afford not to stand up to Chinese aggression over Taiwan?](   Other newsletters you might like [The Race Report] The Race Report Fortnightly, 7am (UK time) Written by Nadine White [Sign up]( [Inside Politics] Inside Politics Weekdays, 8am (UK time) Written by Matt Mathers [Sign up](   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.