Elections in the United Kingdom

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The HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" \o "United Kingdom" United Kingdom has five distinct types of HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election" \o "Election" elections: UK general elections, elections to national/regional parliaments and assemblies, elections to the European Parliament, local elections and mayoral elections. Elections are HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_Kingdom)" \o "Election Day (United Kingdom)" traditionally held on Thursdays .

General elections do not have fixed dates, but must be called within five years of the opening of parliament following the last election. Other elections are held on fixed dates though in the case of the devolved assemblies and parliaments, early elections can occur in certain situations.

United Kingdom general elections are the elections held when the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Members_of_Parliament" \o "Members of Parliament" Members of Parliament (MPs) forming the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_House_of_Commons" \o "British House of Commons" House of Commons of the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom" \o "Parliament of the United Kingdom" Parliament of the United Kingdom are elected. Following the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_Act" \o "Parliament Act" Parliament Act 1911, parliamentary sessions last a maximum of five years, and are ended with the dissolution of Parliament. The HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2009/10" \o "United Kingdom general election, 2009/10" next election is due on or before 3 June 2010.

 

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Anyone who is a citizen of the UK, the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" \o "Republic of Ireland" Republic of Ireland, or of a HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" \o "Commonwealth of Nations" Commonwealth country, who is legally resident in the UK, and who is over 18 is eligible to vote. All voters should be on the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_register" \o "Electoral register" electoral register.

 

Those who are currently members of the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Lords" \o "House of Lords" House of Lords, imprisoned for a criminal offence, mentally incapable of making a reasoned judgement, an undischarged bankrupt, or have been convicted of corrupt or illegal practices in connection with an election within the previous five years are not qualified to vote.

Voting is not compulsory. In addition, whilst UK, Irish and Commonwealth citizens may register to vote in all elections, HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union" \o "European Union" European Union nationals resident in the UK may register to vote in local, European, Scottish and Welsh elections.

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Traditionally, the UK effectively has had a HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_party_system" \o "Two party system" two party system, arising from the use of the First-Past-The-Post system for general and local elections.

Before World War I, Britain had a true two-party system, the main parties being the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tory" \o "Tory" Tories (which became the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" \o "Conservative Party (UK)" Conservative Party) and the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Whig_Party" \o "British Whig Party" Whigs (which became the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Liberal_Party_(UK)" \o "The Liberal Party (UK)" Liberal Party). After World War II, the dominant parties have been Conservative and HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" \o "Labour Party (UK)" Labour. No third party has come close to winning a parliamentary majority.

Only in 2005 the Liberal Democrats won 62 of the 646 seats in the House of Commons and some spectators started to regard the Westminster parliament as a "two and a half" party system.

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Candidates aim to win particular geographic constituencies in the UK. Each constituency elects one MP by the first past the post system of election. At the 2005 general election, there were 646 constituencies, thus 646 MPs were elected to Parliament. The party with the most seats, i.e. the most MPs, usually forms the government, and the second largest party forms HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Opposition_(United_Kingdom)" \o "Official Opposition (United Kingdom)" Her Majesty's Opposition.

Exercises