Normal practice in a Westminster system would have called for an LNP member of parliament from a safe seat to resign so that Newman could enter parliament via a by-election. However, it became apparent that a by-election could not be arranged. To solve this problem, former state Nationals leader Jeff Seeney, who had been elected deputy leader of the LNP, was named as the party's interim parliamentary leader—and hence Leader of the Opposition—while Newman led the LNP election team from outside the legislature. Seeney agreed to cede the post of parliamentary leader to Newman should Newman win election to the legislature. Newman's ascent to the role of leader outside of Parliament led Bligh to briefly consider breaking her previous vow to let the legislature run full-term. She had promised to focus exclusively on recovery in 2011, but was concerned that the LNP's leadership situation could make the co-operation necessary for the recovery effort impossible. Bligh also accused Newman of "abandoning" the lord mayor's post, saying that Newman should not have "cut and run" while the recovery effort was still underway.