A briefing paper on the office and functions of the Prime Minister

A briefing paper on the office and functions of the Prime Minister

A list of all UK General elections dates since 1832.

A list of all UK General elections dates since 1832.

Election rules include a timetable that must be followed. This briefing explains what is in the timetables and how long they run.

Election rules include a timetable that must be followed. This briefing explains what is in the timetables and how long they run.

Public resources cannot be used for party political campaigning at any time. At elections ministers will normally observe discretion over announcements or decisions that could influence voters.

Public resources cannot be used for party political campaigning at any time. At elections ministers will normally observe discretion over announcements or decisions that could influence voters.

Polling day for UK elections is usually Thursday and cannot be held at a weekend. Weekend voting pilots are being held in four areas in local elections in May 2026.

Polling day for UK elections is usually Thursday and cannot be held at a weekend. Weekend voting pilots are being held in four areas in local elections in May 2026.

The UK Government has authorised pilot schemes to take place at local elections in England in May 2026. These will test new ways of polling station voting.

The UK Government has authorised pilot schemes to take place at local elections in England in May 2026. These will test new ways of polling station voting.

There will be a Westminster Hall debate on 2 March 2026 on an e-petition calling for members of the public to be given the right to vote no confidence in the government. The debate will be opened by John Lamont MP. The Petitions Committee agreed to the debate in response to e-petition 734311 that attracted over 120,000 signatures.

There will be a Westminster Hall debate on 2 March 2026 on an e-petition calling for members of the public to be given the right to vote no confidence in the government. The debate will be opened by John Lamont MP. The Petitions Committee agreed to the debate in response...

There will be a Westminster Hall debate on 12 January 2026 on an e-petition calling for a new general election. The debate will be opened by John Lamont MP. The Petitions Committee agreed to the debate in response to e-petition 727309 that attracted over 1 million signatures.

There will be a Westminster Hall debate on 12 January 2026 on an e-petition calling for a new general election. The debate will be opened by John Lamont MP. The Petitions Committee agreed to the debate in response to e-petition 727309 that attracted over 1 million signatures.

A research briefing examining recent developments in relation to the law concerning the dissolution of Parliament

A research briefing examining recent developments in relation to the law concerning the dissolution of Parliament

There will be a Westminster Hall debate on 6 January 2025 on an e-petition calling for a new general election. The debate will be opened by Jamie Stone MP. The Petitions Committee agreed to the debate in response to e-petition 700143 that attracted over 2.9 million signatures.

There will be a Westminster Hall debate on 6 January 2025 on an e-petition calling for a new general election. The debate will be opened by Jamie Stone MP. The Petitions Committee agreed to the debate in response to e-petition 700143 that attracted over 2.9 million signatures.

A general election will take place on 4 July 2024. Before Parliament dissolves, a short 'wash-up period' allows the government to pass some legislation that is still in progress, subject to agreements with the opposition.

A general election will take place on 4 July 2024. Before Parliament dissolves, a short 'wash-up period' allows the government to pass some legislation that is still in progress, subject to agreements with the opposition.

With permission, I will make a short business statement.

Following the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, I am sure the House will understand that discussions continue on the business ahead of the Dissolution of this Parliament. With that in mind, tomorrow’s business will include consideration of a...

With permission, I will make a short business statement.

Following the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, I am sure the House will understand that discussions continue on the business ahead of the Dissolution of this Parliament. With that in mind, tomorrow’s business will include consideration of a...

I thank the Leader of the House for that emergency business statement—I think many across the country will thank her too, although I am not sure many on the Government Benches will—that Parliament will be dissolved for a general election. The country has been crying out for change, and this...

I thank the Leader of the House for that emergency business statement—I think many across the country will thank her too, although I am not sure many on the Government Benches will—that Parliament will be dissolved for a general election. The country has been crying out for change, and this...

As the shadow Leader of the House will know, discussions are ongoing through the usual channels. I thank her for her offer of help on these important Bills. Certainly, we would like our legislative programme to get through and if the Opposition were minded to assist us on those important...

As the shadow Leader of the House will know, discussions are ongoing through the usual channels. I thank her for her offer of help on these important Bills. Certainly, we would like our legislative programme to get through and if the Opposition were minded to assist us on those important...

Other than providing time for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill—she knows that matters greatly to me and that there is widespread support for it across the House, including from both Front Benches—does the Leader of the House plan to allow time for Members who are retiring from the House to...

Other than providing time for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill—she knows that matters greatly to me and that there is widespread support for it across the House, including from both Front Benches—does the Leader of the House plan to allow time for Members who are retiring from the House to...

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that matter as it will be a concern to many Members on all sides of the House. The usual channels are aware of hon. Members’ wish to do that and I hope to be able to update the House tomorrow.

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that matter as it will be a concern to many Members on all sides of the House. The usual channels are aware of hon. Members’ wish to do that and I hope to be able to update the House tomorrow.

Announcement of the change in the Business of the House on 23 and 24 May 2024 ahead of Dissolution following an announcement of a General Election on 4th July 2024.

Announcement of the change in the Business of the House on 23 and 24 May 2024 ahead of Dissolution following an announcement of a General Election on 4th July 2024.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, this SI forms part of the Government’s ambitious programme to deliver a smarter regulatory framework for financial services and to replace areas of assimilated law, formerly known as retained EU law, in financial services with an approach to regulation that is tailored to the UK. That includes the...

My Lords, this SI forms part of the Government’s ambitious programme to deliver a smarter regulatory framework for financial services and to replace areas of assimilated law, formerly known as retained EU law, in financial services with an approach to regulation that is tailored to the UK. That includes the...

My Lords, we welcome this SI and will support it today. Its provisions are clearly necessary and are mostly explained clearly in the accompanying documentation. I would be grateful, however, if the Minister could say a few words about commencement and address a few questions.

Two provisions seem to come into...

My Lords, we welcome this SI and will support it today. Its provisions are clearly necessary and are mostly explained clearly in the accompanying documentation. I would be grateful, however, if the Minister could say a few words about commencement and address a few questions.

Two provisions seem to come into...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for introducing this SI and setting out its purpose. I welcome him to his place.

As the noble Lord noted in his opening remarks, this statutory instrument forms part of a wider programme to deliver a smarter regulatory framework for financial services....

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for introducing this SI and setting out its purpose. I welcome him to his place.

As the noble Lord noted in his opening remarks, this statutory instrument forms part of a wider programme to deliver a smarter regulatory framework for financial services....

My Lords, I am grateful for the contributions to this short debate. I will try to answer some of the detailed questions that were asked as well as I can but I will have to write on some of them, I am afraid.

Let me first respond to some of the...

My Lords, I am grateful for the contributions to this short debate. I will try to answer some of the detailed questions that were asked as well as I can but I will have to write on some of them, I am afraid.

Let me first respond to some of the...

There will be an e-petition debate relating to the next general election. This debate will take place in Westminster Hall on 29 January 2024. the subject for this debate was determined by the Petitions Committee. The debate will be opened by Tonia Antoniazzi, on behalf of the Petitions Committee.

There will be an e-petition debate relating to the next general election. This debate will take place in Westminster Hall on 29 January 2024. the subject for this debate was determined by the Petitions Committee. The debate will be opened by Tonia Antoniazzi, on behalf of the Petitions Committee.

A general election must be called at some time in 2024 and the latest date an election can be held is 28 January 2025

A general election must be called at some time in 2024 and the latest date an election can be held is 28 January 2025

Unless a Parliament runs for a full five years, the King may dissolve Parliament before the expiry of its maximum term. By convention, the King exercises those powers only following a request by the Prime Minister.

Unless a Parliament runs for a full five years, the King may dissolve Parliament before the expiry of its maximum term. By convention, the King exercises those powers only following a request by the Prime Minister.

A debate has been scheduled in Westminster Hall at 4.30pm on Monday 17 October on e-petition 619781, calling for an early general election. The subject for the debate has been nominated by the Petitions Committee.

A debate has been scheduled in Westminster Hall at 4.30pm on Monday 17 October on e-petition 619781, calling for an early general election. The subject for the debate has been nominated by the Petitions Committee.

The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 24 March 2022. The Prime Minister is now able to request a dissolution at the time of their choosing.

The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 24 March 2022. The Prime Minister is now able to request a dissolution at the time of their choosing.

This briefing paper sets out the elections that are scheduled for 2022 and future years up until 2026.The elections covered include General Elections to the House of Commons, for devolved legislatures (Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly), London Assembly and Mayor of London, local authorities (in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), combined and local authority Mayors, and Police and Crime Commissioners.

This briefing paper sets out the elections that are scheduled for 2022 and future years up until 2026.The elections covered include General Elections to the House of Commons, for devolved legislatures (Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly), London Assembly and Mayor of London, local authorities (in England, Wales,...

Moved by

Lord True

Moved by

Lord True

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I will briefly remind your Lordships of where we find ourselves. Your Lordships’ House amended the Bill, which had been passed by the other place, to give the Commons the right to a veto on dissolution and invited the other place to...

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I will briefly remind your Lordships of where we find ourselves. Your Lordships’ House amended the Bill, which had been passed by the other place, to give the Commons the right to a veto on dissolution and invited the other place to...

My Lords, after a short debate in the other place, the amendment proposed by this House was disagreed, and here we are today. There is still an issue: we believe the Dissolution of Parliament should not be based on the revival of the prerogative, but the other place takes a...

My Lords, after a short debate in the other place, the amendment proposed by this House was disagreed, and here we are today. There is still an issue: we believe the Dissolution of Parliament should not be based on the revival of the prerogative, but the other place takes a...

My Lords, I hope we are all agreed that we should not insist on the amendment that we passed on the previous occasion. However, we were right to ask the other place to think again. Indeed, even though it was a relatively short debate, and programmed as such, it was...

My Lords, I hope we are all agreed that we should not insist on the amendment that we passed on the previous occasion. However, we were right to ask the other place to think again. Indeed, even though it was a relatively short debate, and programmed as such, it was...

My Lords, we should not let this moment pass without reminding ourselves of precisely what a bizarre set of circumstances we find ourselves in. I remind the House that the Lords amendment that we sent to the Commons says:

“The powers referred to in subsection (1)”

—that is, the power to dissolve...

My Lords, we should not let this moment pass without reminding ourselves of precisely what a bizarre set of circumstances we find ourselves in. I remind the House that the Lords amendment that we sent to the Commons says:

“The powers referred to in subsection (1)”

—that is, the power to dissolve...

My Lords, I have mixed feelings on this occasion. As the House may remember from my remarks on Report, I always thought that our amendment to the Bill that we passed back to the Commons was a second best. I also regret, as the noble Lord has just said, that...

My Lords, I have mixed feelings on this occasion. As the House may remember from my remarks on Report, I always thought that our amendment to the Bill that we passed back to the Commons was a second best. I also regret, as the noble Lord has just said, that...

My Lords, I fear that if we had removed Clause 3, although I was very sympathetic to that line of argument, as the noble Lord knows, we

would have had the same result. The Commons, whipped, would have sent back the Bill with Clause 3 reinserted. We should not delude...

My Lords, I fear that if we had removed Clause 3, although I was very sympathetic to that line of argument, as the noble Lord knows, we

would have had the same result. The Commons, whipped, would have sent back the Bill with Clause 3 reinserted. We should not delude...

My Lords, I echo the sentiments of the noble Lord, Lord Grocott. This is a bizarre situation, in that we said to the House of Commons, “We think, O House of Commons, that you ought to have a bit more power on one of the most important acts of the...

My Lords, I echo the sentiments of the noble Lord, Lord Grocott. This is a bizarre situation, in that we said to the House of Commons, “We think, O House of Commons, that you ought to have a bit more power on one of the most important acts of the...

My Lords, we laugh, and in some ways, it is amusing. It is also extraordinary—I am not sure that it is amusing. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act was an Act of its time whose main purpose was to protect the coalition Government, and it succeeded in that to a degree. I...

My Lords, we laugh, and in some ways, it is amusing. It is also extraordinary—I am not sure that it is amusing. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act was an Act of its time whose main purpose was to protect the coalition Government, and it succeeded in that to a degree. I...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken. I say to the noble Baroness that this Bill did receive detailed pre-legislative scrutiny; it was considered by a Joint Committee of both Houses and Ministers were scrutinised by committees in both Houses. Ministers in both Houses—I have had some...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken. I say to the noble Baroness that this Bill did receive detailed pre-legislative scrutiny; it was considered by a Joint Committee of both Houses and Ministers were scrutinised by committees in both Houses. Ministers in both Houses—I have had some...

Just to help the Minister, that is exactly the point I was making about the Fixed-term Parliaments Act not having proper scrutiny and getting us into the position we are in now.

Just to help the Minister, that is exactly the point I was making about the Fixed-term Parliaments Act not having proper scrutiny and getting us into the position we are in now.

I was agreeing with the noble Baroness on that. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act was an aberration from 2011 to 2022. Some noble Lords have expressed shock that the House of Commons would wish to return to an arrangement which endured for generations. I do not share that shock.

The noble Lord,...

I was agreeing with the noble Baroness on that. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act was an aberration from 2011 to 2022. Some noble Lords have expressed shock that the House of Commons would wish to return to an arrangement which endured for generations. I do not share that shock.

The noble Lord,...

Lords consideration of Commons reason for disagreeing to a Lords amendment. The Lords amendment not insisted on and the Commons reason agreed to.

Lords consideration of Commons reason for disagreeing to a Lords amendment. The Lords amendment not insisted on and the Commons reason agreed to.

I beg to move, That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 1.

The Bill passed through the other place, where it was carefully scrutinised and amended in only one respect: to seek to retain a role for this honourable House in respect of Dissolution. The Lords amendment provided that the Prime...

I beg to move, That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 1.

The Bill passed through the other place, where it was carefully scrutinised and amended in only one respect: to seek to retain a role for this honourable House in respect of Dissolution. The Lords amendment provided that the Prime...

I am hugely relieved to hear the Minister say that. I have stood in every election since 1997. Only when we saw the chaos caused by a Government who did not want to continue and an Opposition who did not want the chance to face an election could we see...

I am hugely relieved to hear the Minister say that. I have stood in every election since 1997. Only when we saw the chaos caused by a Government who did not want to continue and an Opposition who did not want the chance to face an election could we see...

I agree with my right hon. Friend; there is of course a good reason why the 2017 to 2019 Parliament is referred to as the zombie Parliament.

I remind the House of the commitments that both parties made in 2019. The Conservatives committed to repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.

I agree with my right hon. Friend; there is of course a good reason why the 2017 to 2019 Parliament is referred to as the zombie Parliament.

I remind the House of the commitments that both parties made in 2019. The Conservatives committed to repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.

Will the Minister confirm that, if we dismiss Lords amendment 1 today, the courts will not have a role in fixing the dates for elections, because, surely, that is matter for us, answerable to the electors?

Will the Minister confirm that, if we dismiss Lords amendment 1 today, the courts will not have a role in fixing the dates for elections, because, surely, that is matter for us, answerable to the electors?

My right hon. Friend is quite right that it is not productive, and, in fact, it would not be in the interests of the judiciary themselves, for the courts to have such a role.

We committed to repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, as it had led to paralysis at a time...

My right hon. Friend is quite right that it is not productive, and, in fact, it would not be in the interests of the judiciary themselves, for the courts to have such a role.

We committed to repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, as it had led to paralysis at a time...

The right hon. and learned Gentleman has mentioned what happens in the event of a minority Government. What would happen where the Prime Minister of a minority Government wished to call a general election, but there was the possibility of an alternative Government being formed? Would that Prime Minister be...

The right hon. and learned Gentleman has mentioned what happens in the event of a minority Government. What would happen where the Prime Minister of a minority Government wished to call a general election, but there was the possibility of an alternative Government being formed? Would that Prime Minister be...