Hague ‘first in line’ if Cameron killed

William Hague would be the most likely person to take over the Government in the event of the Prime Minister’s death, former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott said yesterday.

Tory backbencher Peter Bone has called for clarity on the order of succession were David Cameron to be killed. The Wellingborough MP told Parliament this week he did not believe Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg should be first in line.

And Lord Prescott told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme he expected that if the Prime Minister died, the Cabinet Secretary would look first to the First Secretary of State as the most senior member of the cabinet.

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Foreign Secretary Mr Hague currently holds the title, while under Gordon Brown it was Peter Mandelson. Lord Prescott held the title at the same time as being Deputy Prime Minister under Tony Blair.

Lord Prescott told Today: “(First Secretary of State) is really the position that the civil service recognise. The Deputy Prime Minister is not a paid role, it’s not a role in any kind of constitution, but the First Secretary of State is.”