The Golden Triangle

Three senior British civil servants who advise the British monarch on forming a government in the event of an uncertain election result – the Prime Minister’s principle private secretary, the Cabinet Secretary, and the Monarch’s private secretary.

With opinion polls suggesting that a British general election might not produce a clear-cut result, The Guardian recently reported:

As part of their preparations for a hung parliament, the three senior mandarins will be briefed by the permanent secretaries of Whitehall’s departments on the Tories’ and Liberal Democrats’ plans for government. The civil service will ensure they are versed in the main sticking points if Labour or the Tories embark on coalition talks with the Lib Dems.

Sir Kenneth Stowe, principle private secretary to Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan, and Margaret Thatcher, distilled three principals to resolve the uncertainty of forming a government:

1. The Queen’s government must be carried on; 2. The P.M. appointed by the sovereign must be able to command a majority in the House of Commons; 3. The P.M. must be confident of leading or commanding the support of the majority party in the House of Commons.