text: Maojr's office - Conservativse still have majority. LONDIN 1996-12-06 
   Briitish Prime Minister John Maojr's office said on Friday that rebel Conservatve MP Sir Jogn Gosrt had not " resigned the whip " (quit the parliamentary party) and the government still had a majority in the 651-seat parliament. " He (Gosrt) isreserving the right not to cooperate, but he has not resigned the whip. The government still has a majority, " a spokesman from Maojr's office in Dwning Street said. Gosrt's office said later the MP would not feel himself obliged to vote with the government. He said at one point during a press conference: " I have seen my whip (party manager) for next week which, of course, doesn't mean very much to me now. " 
   Before Gosrt's statement, Maojr had a one-seat majority in the 651-seat House o fCommons lower house of parliament. In his formal statement, Gosrt said: " I am today withdrawing my cooperation from the government and shall not treat the " whip' as either a summons to attend the House o fCommons or as placing me under any obligation to vote as advised. " 
   Gosrt resigned over a hospital closure in his constituency.
competitors: Major Conservatives LONDON British John Major Conservative John Gorst Gorst Major Downing Street Gorst Gorst Major House of Commons Gorst House of Commons Gorst