LONDON (Reuters) -Britain will hold a national election on July 4 which opinion polls indicate will end 14 years of Conservative Party-led government.
HOW DOES THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM WORK?
Britain has a first-past-the-post electoral system.
The country is divided into 650 constituencies. In each, voters elect a local candidate who will then take up a seat in parliament. Voters choose one candidate on their ballot paper and the candidate with the most votes wins.
Candidates typically represent a larger political party.
To secure a majority in parliament, a party must win at least 326 seats. The leader of the party which crosses that line becomes prime minister and forms a government.
A hung parliament occurs if no single party wins a majority. In this case the incumbent prime minister remains in power and is given the first chance to form a government either by building a coalition or governing with a minority.
WHO CAN VOTE AND HOW?
Voters must be aged 18 or over on polling day, and be either a British citizen, Irish citizen or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.
Close to 50 million people are registered to vote. Polling stations open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (0600-2100 GMT). Votes can be cast in person, by post, or through a proxy.
Voters must take photo I.D. with them to vote. This is the first national election at which that has been required, although it has been in place for local elections since 2023.
Overseas British citizens will also get to vote regardless of how long they have been living outside the country.
Three million overseas British citizens could be eligible to vote, according to the regulator, the Electoral Commission.
WHEN WILL THE RESULTS BE ANNOUNCED?
An exit poll is released by broadcasters immediately after polls close.
Constituencies start counting votes as soon as polls close and the first results come within hours. Most are declared overnight, although in some rural areas this takes longer, particularly if the vote is close and recounts are required.
There is no central declaration of an overall winner, but the outcome is usually clear between around 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.
WHEN WILL THE NEW PRIME MINISTER BE IN PLACE?
Once the overall result is clear, if the incumbent government has lost, the prime minister will formally tender his resignation to the king. This is expected to happen on July 5.
The leader of the winning party will then meet the king, who will request he or she form a government.
The incoming prime minister usually then heads to Downing Street to make a speech to the British public.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The new leader will begin appointing government ministers, starting with senior positions and moving onto more junior roles over the coming days.
Parliament is due to return on July 9. The Speaker of the House of Commons – parliament’s lower chamber – will be elected from among members of parliament (MPs).
Each MP will then in turn swear the oath of allegiance to the king or make a solemn affirmation. This usually takes a few days.
The State Opening of Parliament and King’s Speech, setting out a government’s programme of legislation for the parliamentary session, is due to take place on July 17, although this date could be changed by an incoming government.
WHO IS EXPECTED TO WIN?
Opinion polls show the opposition Labour Party more than 20 points ahead of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives.
Pollster YouGov has projected Labour could win 425 seats, with Conservatives on 108, which would mark the lowest number of seats won by the party in its near 200-year history.
At the 2019 election the Conservatives won 365 seats and Labour 202. Since then, resignations, expulsions and other events have reduced the Conservative’s majority. Going into the 2024 election the Conservatives had 344 seats and Labour 205.
(Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Kylie MacLellan and Janet Lawrence)
