LBC
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed that a General Election will take place on July 4, surprising many who expected it to occur in the autumn. The process requires a simple majority in a House of Commons vote to officially trigger the election.
Following the call for an election, Parliament will dissolve next week, marking the ‘wash up’ period where any unfinished bills will not progress further. During this pre-election period, government business is restricted, and all seats in the House of Commons become vacant, although ministers retain their positions until a new government is formed. The election will occur 25 days after Parliament dissolves, with polling stations open from 7 am to 10 pm on election day, and voters can submit postal votes in the weeks leading up to the day.
Key dates leading up to the election include May 30 for the dissolution of Parliament, June 7 for candidate nominations, June 18 for voter registration, June 19 for postal vote applications, and June 26 for proxy vote applications and Voter ID certificate requests.
This election will be the first in the UK where all voters must present a valid photo ID to cast their ballot. Political parties are expected to launch their manifestos around 18 to 30 days before polling day. The election is set against a backdrop of rapid preparations as parties rush to finalize candidates for the 650 constituencies across the UK.
