Srong-sngrjal ministry
Srong-sngrjal ministry | |
|---|---|
| Cabinet of Themiclesia | |
| Date formed | 23 June 1971 |
| Date dissolved | 20 June 1972 |
| People | |
| Head of state | L′jabh-tsung |
| No. of ministers | 27 |
| Status in legislature | minority |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 1971 general election |
The Srong-sngrjal ministry (雙山政府, srong-sngrjal-tjengh-pjo′) was formed by the 4th Lord of Srong-sngrjal on Jun. 22, 1971, in consequence of the Conservative plurality in the 1971 general election. The intended leader, Kop Ben, died after the election, leaving Srong-sngrjal, to accept the appointment. Since before inauguration, the ministry's legitimacy without its leader in the House of Commons was widely controverted. The prime minister called the 1972 general election to bolster the legitimacy of his government, but it was then defeated by the Progressives. The ministry governed for a total of 353 days.
History
In 1971, the Conservatives were returned to Parliament with a plurality of seats, hoping to form a minority government under party leader Kop Ben. The election results were announced on July 10, the incumbent Liberal ministry announcing its resignation on the 22nd. However, Kop suffered a stroke on the 17th and died, leaving the leadership of an internally-divided Conservative Party to his lieutenant, the Lord of Srong-sngrjal (雙山侯), who was earmarked to be deputy prime minister and foreign secretary. While he was not a controversial choice for a foreign secretary, the Liberal Party soon attacked the idea of his becoming head of government, saying that a member of the unelected upper house should not lead it. They said the last PM not to be an MP stepped down in 1932, and the people are "entitled to a head of government that answers to them". The Conservative Party's spokesperson replied that ministers can be responsible to either house of the legislature, and there was no legal reason to distinguish the prime minister from other ministers. Rumours surfaced that the Liberal government may refuse to resign to block Srong-sngrjal's appointment, but it did resign on the day declared. Srong-sngrjal was appointed prime minister by Emperor L′jabh-tsung on the 23rd.
The ministry led by the Lord of Srong-sngrjal was plagued not only by internal division, having to survive three backbencher revolts within six months, but also the attack from the Liberal and Progressive opposition. The PM sat in the House of Lords when it was in session and in the Commons galleries when important debates were taking place. Politics on the Commons' floor was largely controlled by Kah Pin-ngjon, who was a divisive figure that served as finance secretary. The Progressives took virulent exception to the prime minister's absence from the Commons and focused their polemics on this fact, constantly heckling they would have the prime minister answering questions there and would not deal with "lower ministers". Kah announced, with Srong-sngrjal's approval, that he would speak for the prime minister in the chamber. The Progressive leader in the chamber questioned Kah why would he not take over the Party, if he could stand in for the prime minister in the chamber "of consequence". Kah refused to answer what he called a "smear". Despite this, Kah was alienated from Srong-sngrjal, and the latter suspected the former of higher ambitions. After a dispute in November 1971, Kah was dismissed from the ministry without warning and replaced with Edward Kjong, foreign secretary. The Progressives capitalized on Kah's dismissal, changing their position to portray Kah as a victim of manipulation from the unelected house.
By February 1972, the opposition ran an ongoing publicity campaign questioning Srong-sngrjal's legitimacy, since he was neither elected nor expected to become the head of government when the poll happened. His lack of performance, largely due to his separation from the Commons chamber, had also become quite thorny for his supporters. In view of this, Srong-sngrjal called a general election for June 20, 1972, in an attempt to demonstrate the legitimacy of his government. He proclaimed to the House of Lords in April 1972 that if his government was re-elected, he would consider "all questions regarding the legitimacy of the present ministry absolutely quashed". He was questioned in the Lords whether a resulting majority or minority would at all affect his judgment. Srong-sngrjal replied that he believed a majority was the more welcome, but even a minority would make him "feel empowered to remain in office". Constitutional scholars debated whether Srong-sngrjal would set a precedent: a prime minister who was neither an MP nor the party leader must call a general election, after appointment, to confirm his legitimacy. This problem remained academic: the election resulted in a Progressive majority and the reduction of the Conservatives from 125 seats to 71 seats. The Lord of Srong-sngrjal resigned the night results were announced, conceding to the Party that he had "completely failed to fulfil the public demand for progress". His finance secretary, Gwjang, formed a brief caretaker ministry until the Progressive takeover on June 29.
After the election, Srong-sngrjal revealed in an interview that he believed he, as an experienced civil servant and diplomat, would have been able to do much more for the nation had the public attention not been "so extravagantly concentrated on the chamber where he sat, rather than what he said." When asked if he believed his removal was "unfair", he said that he "served at the pleasure of the people, and if [he] displeased them for any reason, then it was [his] duty to vacate office." In 1980, he said to another journalist he believed "the people had placed [him] in office in July 1971, and the people had removed [him] from ofice in June 1972" and he had "no complaints at all, but much regret".
Composition
| Portfolio | Holder | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | ||
| Prime Minister | Tsa′ Ring-tje, 4th Lord of Srong-sngrjal | 1971 – 1972 |
| Deputy Prime Minister Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs |
Edward Gwjang | to Nov. 1971 |
| James Kwran | Nov. 1971 – Jun. 1972 | |
| Deputy Prime Minister Secretary of State for Rites |
Mik Hngja′ | 1971 – Mar. 1972 |
| Ralph Tjep | from Mar. 1972 | |
| Secretary of State for Appropriations | Kah Pin-ngjon | to Nov. 1971 |
| Edward Gwjang | from Nov. 1971 | |
| Secretary of State for Defence | Siw Gwreng, Lord Kaw-t'jang | 1971 – 1972 |
| Secretary of State for Administration | Margaret Seng, 1st Lady of Tseng-lang | 1971 – 1972 |
| Secretary of State for Transport | Hap Dagh | 1971 – 1972 |
| Secretary of State for Home Affairs and Local Government | James Pro, Lord Kuh | 1971 – 1972 |
| Secretary of State for Industry | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Secretary of State for Health | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Secretary of State for Social Services | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Secretary of State for the Environment | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Secretary of State for Employment | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Attorney-General | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Chancellor | 2nd Lord of Ra-′rjem | 1971 – 1972 |
| Minister without Portfolio | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Minister without Portfolio | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Also attending cabinet meetings | ||
| Marshal of the Galleries (as Chief Whip) | 1971 – 1972 | |
| Lords-in-Waiting | Eddy Prat, 8th Lord of Mhje′-ndjang′ Tjei Lar-hjunh, 2nd Lord of Ljep-lang |
1971 – 1972 |
| Gentlemen-in-Waiting | 1971 – 1972 | |