Last Time A Minister Was Fired?

Spurred by recent conversation regarding the Liam Fox controversy and whether or not he will resign, when was the last time a senior Minister in the UK was properly fired from their post rather than being edged out, moved out at the next reshuffle or being convinced to jump themselves?
 
If you mean getting called into No 10 and getting a Alan Sugar style "you're fired!" never. Minister are always asked to resign, or reshuffled out or generally gotten rid of in such a way as to cause minimum fuss and embarrassment.
 
If you mean getting called into No 10 and getting a Alan Sugar style "you're fired!" never. Minister are always asked to resign, or reshuffled out or generally gotten rid of in such a way as to cause minimum fuss and embarrassment.
But looking at it from a purely cynical point of view, surely a lot of resignations would have gone down a lot better if they had been properly fired instead. It lets the Prime Minister show authority and an unyielding attitude to corruption or incompetence. Quite apart from the principle of sometimes someone does something so bad surely they don't deserve the dignity of getting to jump themselves.
 
Yes, but you are expected to write a nice thank you for firing me letter to the Prime Minister who after much soul searching will accept.

One of Mrs Thatcher's ministers refused to play the game - his resignation letter consisted of one sentence, along the lines of "Margaret, you have ordered me to resign, so I am resigning." Unfortunately i can't remember who it was at this distance...

But looking at it from a purely cynical point of view, surely a lot of resignations would have gone down a lot better if they had been properly fired instead. It lets the Prime Minister show authority and an unyielding attitude to corruption or incompetence. Quite apart from the principle of sometimes someone does something so bad surely they don't deserve the dignity of getting to jump themselves.

I think there are two problems with this - firstly, the prime minister usually wants to keep open the possibility of recalling the miscreant at some point in the future (something that was taken beyond the point of satire by the last Labour government with Mandelson's revolving door resignations), even if only to encourage the resignee to remain loyal. And secondly, firing them for gross incompetence/corruption/criminality will call into question the prime minister's judgement for appointing them in the first place. Best to let them spend more time with their family/concentrate on clearing their name/draw a line under the controversy etc.

As for the actual question, most reshuffles usually see at least one or two ministers being given the opportunity to support the government from the back benches. This is usually a firing, but one that's done under cover of a reorganisation. I can't remember the last time a minister was fired without such cover though.
 
As for the actual question, most reshuffles usually see at least one or two ministers being given the opportunity to support the government from the back benches. This is usually a firing, but one that's done under cover of a reorganisation. I can't remember the last time a minister was fired without such cover though.

I was going to say that.

Don't forget that even if they arent a minister they are still a member of parliament. Nothing stopping them from crossing the floor if they get annoyed enough and decide they don't care if they get re-elected next election.
 
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