Britons will go to the polls on July 4th. Here’s what you need to know about the parties, leaders and key election issues.
On July 4th, Britons will go to the polls to choose the next party to lead the country, after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced early elections on May 22nd.
Polls suggest the vote will result in a Labor majority after 14 years of Conservative government.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming UK general election.
The United Kingdom, which consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, has a population of around 67 million and has the sixth largest economy in the world.
When do the polls open?
Polling stations across the UK will be open on July 4th from 7am to 10pm local time (06am GMT to 9pm GMT).
When will the results be announced?
Exit polls on Thursday at around 10pm (9pm GMT) will give an idea of where voters stand, with some results being announced before midnight, while most election results are expected in the early hours of Friday.
In 2019, the conservatives’ victory was confirmed at around 5am.
How does voting work in the UK?
Voters in 650 constituencies across the UK will elect Members of Parliament to the lower house, the House of Commons, through the first-past-the-post system. To win each congressional district and obtain a seat in the House, candidates must receive more votes than any of their competitors.
A party needs to win at least 50 percent of the seats – 326 – to secure a majority in the House of Commons and be invited to form a government by the monarch, King Charles III. Members of the upper house of Parliament, the House of Lords, are appointed rather than elected.
If no party wins a majority, there will be a hung parliament.
How is the government in the UK structured?
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, which means that the monarch, King Charles III, is the head of state. However, the monarch’s roles are largely symbolic and ceremonial, for example granting royal assent to bills.
Parliament has a two-house system made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, based at the Palace of Westminster.
- The House of Commons is made up of 650 popularly elected Members of Parliament (MPs).
- Unlike the House of Commons, the number of members of the House of Lords is not fixed. On June 20, 2024, there is 784 effective members. It is made up of life peers, hereditary peers and bishops.
The executive branch of government, which implements laws, is headed by the prime minister, who serves a five-year term and is responsible for appointing members of the Cabinet – senior ministers who are usually heads of government departments.
The United Kingdom has devolved governments such as the Scottish and Welsh parliaments and the Northern Ireland Assembly, all of which have a degree of legislative power.
Current UK parliament
The House of Commons consists of 650 seats, each representing a constituency across the United Kingdom.
Before Parliament closed on 30 May, the House of Commons was represented by 13 parties and 17 independents, including:
- The Conservatives – 344 seats (52.9 percent)
- Labor – 205 seats (31.5 percent)
- The Scottish National Party (SNP) – 43 seats (6.6 percent)
- The Liberal Democrats – 15 seats (2.3 percent)
The remaining 43 seats were occupied by nine other parties and independents.
How did the parties perform in previous elections?
The Conservative Party has been in power for 14 years, appointing five different prime ministers.
In the 2019 election, the Conservatives won 43% of the popular vote and secured 365 seats, with Boris Johnson leading the party. Since then they have lost some seats, partly during by-elections, and now (pre-dissolution on 30 May pending the election) they have 344. The Labor Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, won 32 per cent of the vote and won 202 seats in 2019. This increased to 205.
The last Labor government was led by Gordon Brown, who led the United Kingdom from 2007 to 2010.
Who are the main leaders/parties?
There are several political parties in the United Kingdom, however, the two that have dominated the political arena in the 20th and 21st centuries are the Conservatives and Labor.
- The Conservatives, also known as the Tories, are a centre-right party, currently led by Rishi Sunak, who replaced Liz Truss in October 2021.
- The Labor Party is a center-left party, led by Keir Starmer. They were last in power between 1997 and 2010, under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
- Liberal Democrats, aligned from center to center left, led by Ed Davey. In power from 2010 to 2015, in coalition with the Conservatives under the command of Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, then leader of the Liberal Democrats.
- Greens, left-wing ecopolitics, led by Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay.
- Reform UK, right-wing party led by Nigel Farage.
- SNP, Scottish National Party, center-left party led by John Swinney.
- Plaid Cymru, centre-left Welsh party, led by Rhun ap Iorwerth.
- DUP, Democratic Unionist Party, center-right party in Northern Ireland, led by Gavin Robinson.
What are the key issues leading up to the 2024 general election?
The economy, healthcare, immigration, the housing crisis and the environment are among the most important issues facing Britons ahead of the election, according to a report. survey by research firm YouGov.
The results of the survey, as of June 24, are as follows:
- The economy: 52 percent
- Health: 50 percent
- Immigration and asylum: 40 percent
- Housing: 24 percent
- Environment: 20 percent
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
