UK Parliamentary General Election

On Thursday 4 July 2024 a UK Parliamentary election will be held.

The UK Parliament represents the people of the United Kingdom. It makes decisions and passes laws on a wide range of issues that affect you.

 

How is it elected?

The UK Parliament is elected at a UK general election.

At a general election you have one vote to choose a candidate to represent your constituency in the House of Commons.

Most candidates are from a political party but there can also be independent candidates.

After a general election, the leader of the party with the most MPs is asked by the King to become Prime Minister and to form a government that will run the country. The leader of the party with the second highest number of MPs becomes the Leader of the Opposition.

 

Who is eligible to vote?

To vote at the UK general election you must be registered to vote and:

• 18 years of age or over on polling day
• be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
• be resident at an address in the UK (or a UK citizen living abroad who has previously been registered to vote in the UK or has lived in the UK)
• not be legally excluded from voting

Further information including key dates can be found on our Elections page or on the Electoral Commission website.