• Briefing
  • News & Politics
  • Arts
  • Life
  • Business & Tech
  • Science
  • Podcasts & Video
  • Blogs
SIDEBAR

Return to Article

Slate Contents

In Britain's system, voters select the Member of Parliament for their local district ("constituency"), and the party that wins a majority of the 646 seats in the House of Commons gets to form the government, with the party's leader serving as prime minister. So, the good people of Sedgefield in the northeast of England—Blair's constituency—are the only voters who directly vote for him.

site map | build your own Slate | the fray | about us | contact us | Slate on Facebook | search
feedback | help | advertise | newsletters | mobile | make Slate your homepage
© Copyright 2009 Washington Post.Newsweek Interactive Co. LLC
User Agreement and Privacy Policy | All rights reserved