UK/General election/2024

 UK/General election/2024 (UK/General election)

Date	4 July 2024
Description	UK's 2024 election.

The 2024 UK General Election took place on Thursday 4 July 2024 to elect 650 Members of Parliament to the House of Commons.

On 22 May 2024, addressing the nation outside Downing Street, a rain-soaked Rishi Sunak said it was “the moment for Britain to choose its future” as he claimed the Tories could be trusted to lead the country during a time of global instability. He said:

“This election will take place at time when the world is more dangerous than it has been since the end of the cold war. These uncertain times call for a clear plan and bold action to chart a course to a secure future. You must choose in this election who has that plan.”

On 30 June 2024, Electoral Calculus predicted a Labour majority of 290 seats. In the event, Labour achieved a majority of 174 seats, winning a total of 411 seats, the party's second-best result in terms of seat share after the 1997 General Election. Labour's vote share of 33.7 per cent was the smallest of any majority government in British history. Labour won 211 more seats than the previous UK/General election/2019, but received fewer total votes. The party became the largest in England for the first time since 2005, in Scotland for the first time since 2010, and retained its status as the largest party in Wales.

Background

The Conservatives Boris Johnson won big at the 2019 general election and the new government made Brexit happen. The COVID-19 lockdown - that Johnson first wanted no part in - saw the government institute public health restrictions, including limitations on social interaction, that Johnson and some of his staff were later found to have broken. The resulting political scandal dubbed "Partygate", were presented as catalyst for his own cabinet members revolting against him. After Johnson resigned, a string of people fought for the position in the media, seemingly with no leadership closing ranks. After a very short stint by Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak was selected as PM.

First nation-wide test

General Election 2024: Why are voters choosing Reform UK?

Sky's economics editor Ed Conway looks at what factors that may have prompted Rishi Sunak to call a general election.

The UK Conservative Party faces its first nation-wide election after selecting Rishi Sunak as British Prime Minister on 25 October 2022.

Challenge for Starmer

Whereas the Leader of the Labour Party Keir Starmer is to be challenged in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency by the Independent candidate Andrew Feinstein, who is aiming to un-seat Starmer.

Boundary changes

Constituency boundary changes will, in effect, be the first such changes since before the UK/General election/2010.

Gamblegate

During the campaign, allegations were made that bets were placed on gambling sites by individuals with insider knowledge of the date of the general election before Rishi Sunak publicly announced when it would be held. On 12 June 2024, The Guardian reported that a Conservative candidate in the election and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Craig Williams, had put a £100 bet on a July election with gambling site Ladbrokes in a branch in his constituency of Montgomeryshire on 19 May, days before Rishi Sunak announced the election to the public. An apology followed, but everyone remained silent when asked who had given him this info. One week later, less than a month before the election, half a dozen more employees of Sunak were facing a police investigation for the same insider betting charges.

Deep state Policies

Civil Liberties

The Conservatives promised to enact a new law to "enter premises without a warrant to seize stolen goods such as phones". The Conservatives also proposed a Royal Commission to investigate and set up mandatory national service. After Sunak also hinted youth could be forced by financial and regulatory fines, they backtracked, but not back-tracked on the proposal.

Permanent War Mentality

Labour leader Starmer promised more nuclear weapons, including four new nuclear submarines, possibly for use against Russia.

Armageddon warning

Britain will be dragged into a full-scale war with Russia "within six months" if Labour leader Keir Starmer becomes Prime Minister, George Galloway claimed at the manifesto launch of the Workers Party of Britain. Dismissing Starmer and Tory PM Rishi Sunak as "two cheeks of the same backside", Galloway said:

"We are potentially headed to Armageddon. And if we don't get out of this death spiral, then none of this will be worth arguing over at all."

"I want to make a prediction. If Keir Starmer becomes the Prime Minister, within six months, Britain will be at war."

"I don't mean a proxy war. I don't mean Special Forces dressed up as Arabs or Russians or Ukrainians.

"I mean, an actual war, with British forces deployed within six months of Keir Starmer becoming Prime Minister.

"And then it's game on, I'm afraid to say."