We have a new deputy PM in the form of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

What does a Deputy Prime Minister do?

The Deputy Prime Minister office is a relatively new post with the first Deputy Prime Minister being Labour’s Clement Attlee under Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s coalition war time government 1940-1945.

When you think Deputy Prime Minister you most draw similarities between the Vice Presidency in the US system who if the President dies/becomes ill etc… basically becomes the President. The Deputy Prime Ministers office is not formalised under Britain’s constitution and there are no such “vice presidential” powers associated with the office of Deputy Prime Minister, in fact the office has no powers at all and it’s down to the Prime Minister of the day to decide what powers the Deputy PM wields.

I’m sure it will help Nick Clegg during Prime Ministers Question Time where normally he is jeered by the Conservative party, but beyond being heard in parliament over the din, what powers will David Cameron give Nick Clegg?

Recent Deputy Prime Ministers

Prime Minister : John Major >> Deputy PM : Michael Heseltine (1995)
Prime Minister : Tony Blair >> Deputy PM : John Prescott (1997)
Prime Minister : Gordon Brown >> Deputy PM : Peter Mandelson (2009)