[Brakenshire]

Could a situation like this happen in the UK, do you think? Not voting through a budget would normally be a confidence issue, which would bring about the fall of the government, could we have a situation where that went on for a period of time without causing a new election?

[arethuza]

I think it used to be that a government losing a vote on a budget would mean a general election but since the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 I believe there has to be an explicit vote of no confidence in the government (or a two thirds vote by MPs) to trigger an election.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-term_Parliaments_Act_201...

Of course, somewhat inevitably, since that Act was introduced I don't think any government has actually had a full fixed term...

[pjc50]

Arguably since the Lib Dems detached confidence votes from normal business the constitution has been broken; previously the "May Deal" would have been a confidence vote and its failure would have collapsed the government.

While I don't think we'll have budget issues we're very likely to go the other way: use of emergency powers to suspend Parliamentary democracy. I believe some of the Tory party are already calling for this.

[te_chris]

We barely have a government now but things seem to carry on - ish.

[bencollier49]

No, and it wouldn't affect salaries in the mean-time.