[ianch99]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Gordon Brown was elected by Labour MPs who in turn were elected in a general election:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_L...rship_election

MPs have a electoral mandate from their constituents, so there is still representation of the electorate when MPs vote for a new leader that will also become Prime Minister.

This is also how previous Conservative leaders were elected when the party was in power.

My understanding is that this is the first time that members of any political party, and not elected MPs, have had a final vote for a party leader that will also become Prime Minister. The issue is that the party members have no electoral mandate of their own from the wider electorate.

The same issue would happen if or when other party members vote for a new leader that would also automatically become Prime Minister. It's not an issue specifically directed at the Conservatives, other than they are the ones currently in office.

It has been said before but it worth repeating:

“Without a mandate from the British people”: how Boris Johnson described Gordon Brown in 2007

“The extraordinary thing is that it looks as though he will now be in 10 Downing Street for three years, and without a mandate from the British people. No one elected Gordon Brown as Prime Minister…”

You couldn't make it up if you tried ..