A new administration for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be formed following a national election called by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and it might last for up to five years.
There are 650 seats in the UK, and political parties nominate candidates who, if elected, would become MPs (members of parliament) by a simple majority of votes. First past the post is the term for this system. In general elections, there is no proportional representation. This is often bad news for smaller parties, who can get a lot of votes in a variety of areas but not enough to win a large number of seats outright, and excellent news for the major parties, the Conservatives and Labour. In the event that the party with the most MPs forms a government, the head of that party becomes prime minister.
The controversial former leader of the Conservative Party, Boris Johnson, had a significant role in the party’s resounding 80-seat victory in the most recent general election. But Johnson’s tenure as prime minister came to an end.
Johnson was doomed when it was revealed by the media that his aides had been having wild parties during COVID lockdowns, frequently at 10 Downing Street, his official London house.
Liz Truss was his successor. She accomplished a highly unusual political achievement by making a bad situation worse. Her extreme free-market budget, which proved completely disastrous, gave new meaning to the term “crash and burn” during her 45 days in government in September and October of 2022. She became the British prime minister with the shortest tenure ever when she was forced to quit. Sunak then assumed command.
The polls indicate that the Conservatives have not bounced back from the Johnson/Truss controversies. Perceived as a more reliable individual, Sunak has enthusiastically celebrated relatively slight advancements in the economy during his tenure. However, nobody seems to be paying attention. They accuse his party of exacerbating the agony that should have been avoided during the cost of living crisis. Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour party, is his main rival. The fact that Labour party is leading by more than 20 points in the polls is probably due less to strong support for Starmer and more to the unpopularity of the Conservatives.
What is the process for holding the elections in UK?
A member of parliament (MP) will be chosen by eligible voters, who must be either UK nationals or residents of Ireland and be at least 18 on election day, to represent their constituency in the lower house of the UK Parliament, the House of Commons, for a maximum of five years. There are around 50 million eligible voters across the 650 seats.
Every voter who is registered is allowed one vote. Voters may cast their ballots in advance by mail or on election day at their neighborhood polling place in their constituency by presenting a picture ID and writing their selection on a ballot. In addition, if an individual is unable to vote in person due to a physical condition, travel, or another reason, they can seek a proxy vote, which allows someone else to cast their ballot on their place.
The polls will be available from 7 a.m. (GMT 06:00) until 10 p.m. As soon as the polls shut, votes begin to be tallied, and the results are often ready the next morning.
The prime minister leads the party that is most likely to form the next government, whichever party gains the most seats in the Commons. The monarch must still formally select the prime minister and extend an invitation for them to form a government. Ministers in other departments are then appointed by the prime minister.
In the UK, general elections are customarily conducted on Thursdays, which happens to be July 4. Though it’s not required by law, every general election held since 1935 has taken place on a Thursday.
