When is the next UK General Election taking place and how often do the votes have to be held?
GENERAL Elections in the UK by law have to be held within five years of each other. Here is all you need to know about when we are likely to next head to the polls. What is a General Election? A General Election is the chance for people in the UK to select an MP to […]
GENERAL Elections in the UK by law have to be held within five years of each other.
Here is all you need to know about when we are likely to next head to the polls.
What is a General Election?
A General Election is the chance for people in the UK to select an MP to represent their local area in the House of Commons.
Normally there will be several candidates, each from a different political party, standing to be the Member of Parliament in each constituency.
The vote will also determine who will be elected as the UK Prime Minister.
The last General Election was held on June 8, 2017.
How often are General Elections held in the UK?
General Elections have to be held at least every five years in the UK.
Previously elections could be called simply by the Prime Minister going to the Queen at any point within five years of the last one.
But after the Fixed Term Parliament Act was passed in 2011 the five-year gap was enshrined in law.
The act states that General Elections are to be held on the first Thursday in May every five years.
However, it has two provisos for the polls opening early.
Firstly: “A motion of no confidence passed in Her Majesty’s Government by a simple majority and 14 days elapses without the House passing a confidence motion in any new Government formed.”
And Secondly: “A motion for a General Election is agreed by two thirds of the total number of seats in the Commons including vacant seats (currently 434 out of 650).”
When is the next General Election?
The next General Election in the United Kingdom is scheduled to be held on May 5, 2022, under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011.
The date of the last General Election was June 8, 2017, which saw the Conservatives lose their majority but remain in Government after they struck a deal with the DUP.
In December, May faced a vote of no confidence in her leadership after Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee, received more than the required 48 letters from MPs to trigger a vote.
This meant an election could have been triggered, but she survived with a majority of 83.
Weeks later on January 15, after her Brexit deal was voted down by 432 to 202, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a vote of no confidence in her Government.
It was debated and voted on on January 16, and May narrowly won the vote of no confidence 325 to 306.
If she lost, it could have triggered an election in 2019.
MORE ON GENERAL ELECTIONS
What could cause a snap election?
A snap election could be called if there is a Remainer revolt against a No Deal Brexit.
Rivals of Boris Johnson believe that the frontrunner for No10 is gearing up for a General Election later this year.
Britain isn’t due a national election until 2022.
Theresa May called a shock snap election in 2017 to try and strengthen the Conservative’s hold on Parliament backfired when her majority was slashed by 13 seats.
If Boris becomes PM next month, he could call a General Election for early September.
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