Last week, after months of suspense, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a general election and today (May 30) Parliament has officially been dissolved. Britons across the country will head to the polls in just a few short weeks to vote for their local MPs and decide which party will gain a majority – and thus control of the country.
The last time the UK held a general election was way back in December 2019, when Boris Johnson’s Conservative party won a landslide victory.
Keen to have your voice heard at the 2024 General Election? So you should be. Here’s everything you need to know.
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How to vote at the 2024 General Election.
How to apply for a postal vote in the UK, including the 2024 general election registration deadline.
When is the 2024 General Election?
The UK’s next general election will take place on July 4 2024. If you’re going on holiday that week, you can apply for a postal vote in advance – see our voting guide below.
How much notice do you need for a general election?
A general election can take place a minimum of 25 days after parliament has been dissolved for that express purpose (not including weekends and bank holidays). Typically, general elections take place on Thursdays.
The latest the next UK general election could have been held is January 28 2025.
What are the early odds?
Last time we checked OddsChecker, Labour is 2/17 to get the most seats, while the Conservatives are 16/1 to get the most seats. A Labour majority is 2/17, while a Conservative majority is 33/1.
On PaddyPower, the odds of a Labour majority was 1/20, a Conservative majority was 25/1 and the odds of no overall majority was 8/1.
Who can vote in a general election?
In the UK, all British citizens and British Overseas Voters over the age of 18 can vote. Irish and Commonwealth citizens residing in the UK (and over the age of 18) can also vote.
Citizens of other countries and convicted prisoners cannot vote.
How to vote
There are several ways you can vote, from going to your local polling station in person to postal voting and voting by proxy. You just need to have registered beforehand.
See our full guide to how to vote in the UK here and how to postal vote.
Who decides when an election takes place?
The Prime Minister decides when a general election will take place.
How is a general election decided?
The UK is divided into 650 different constituencies – in each constituency, each voter has one vote, and they decide which local candidate to vote for. Those candidates usually represent a national political party, though sometimes they stand as independents. The candidate with the most votes in a local area becomes the constituency’s MP.
If a national party receives a majority of MPs (ie 326 or more), the King then asks it to become the ruling party.
The leader of the second-largest party becomes leader of the opposition. If no party has a majority, the result is a hung parliament.
How long is a political term in the UK?
A political term in the UK can last a maximum of five years. However, general elections can still be called within that time, shortening the length of the term.
How long have the Tories been in power?
The Conservative party has been the primary governing party in the UK since 2010, so it has been in power for 14 years. The party has governed with an overall majority since 2019.
When was Labour last in power?
The Labour party was last in power in 2010.
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