As campaign ended last night, Millions of Eligible voters across United Kingdom goes to polls today to elect those that will represent their constituency in the Parliament and ultimately who becomes their Prime Minister among the Candidates of the leading Political Parties in this election.
The Polling booths to enable the electorates cast their ballots opens at 7am and closed by 10 pm. Immediately counting of votes commences when Polls closed
The 2024 UK general election will be the first in which Voters Identification is required in person in Great Britain. The general election will be the first since Brexit on the 31st of January, 2020 which was a major issue in previous elections and it will also be the first to take place under the dissolution and calling of Parliament Act 2020.
Today’s election will also determine the composition of the House of Commons, which determines the government of the United Kingdom. There are 650 Seats in the House of Commons and 326 Seats needed for a majority to be declared winner of the general election.
The Political Party that wins the most seats in today’s general election usually forms The new government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister and govern for the next five years.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the Monarch, which is guided by Constitutional Conventions . These conventions, laws and rules are set out in the cabinet manual. This affects the conduct and operation of government, it includes the role of the Sovereign.
The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 revives the power of the monarch to dissolve the parliament, at the request of the prime minister of the day.
The maximum term of a parliament is five years from the day on which it first met. The current parliament met on Tuesday, 17 December 2019 and would have automatically dissolved on Tuesday, 17 December 2024. Had it not been dissolved sooner.
The dissolution of the parliament took place on Thursday, 30 May 2024. With this dissolution All business in the House of Commons and House of Lords has come to an end. There is currently no MPS and every seat in the Commons is vacant until after the outcome of the general election which is been held today the 4th of July 2024.
After the 650 Members of Parliament have been elected. On Tuesday 9 July parliament returns for the election of the Speaker. The Speaker is elected or re – elected on the first day that House meets after the General Election. MPS and members of the House of Lords Swear to Oath of allegiance or make a Solemn affirmation.
On Wednesday 17 July — State Opening of Parliament. The state opening marks the formal start of the Parliamentary Year. The King’s speech sets out the government’s proposed policies and legislations for the coming session.
At the last general election held on 12 December 2019, Conservative Party led by Rishi Sunar the current Prime Minister has 344 Seats, Keir Starmer led Labour Party secured 205 Seats, the Scottish National Party has 43 Seats while Ed Davey led Liberal Democrats got 15 Seats. At the end of voting in today’s general election and when the results is announced which among the leading political parties from either Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrats, will have the required majority of seats needed to form the new government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister only time will tell.
