UK Election 2015
UK PARLIAMENT AT A GLANCE
The UK parliament is bicameral, consisting of an upper house (the House of Lords with 845 seats and a lower house (the House of Commons) with 650 seats. Members of the House of Lords are appointed, not elected. But, the lower house or the House of Commons is a democratically elected chamber. All government ministers, including the Prime Minister belong to the House of Commons or, less commonly, from the House of Lords. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, a general election must be held for new parliament.
This year, the campaign for a new parliament was launched on March 30 after the country’s constitutional head, Queen Elizabeth II, dissolved parliament at Prime Minister David Cameron's behest. Dissolution means an end of the five-year-term of the House of Commons. The general election will take place on Thursday 7 May 2015.
The queen will issue a royal proclamation summoning the new parliament after the vote on Monday 18 May 2015. Parliament and government are two separate institutions. The government does not resign when parliament is dissolved. Government ministers remain in charge of their departments until after the result of the election is known and a new government is formed.
The 326 seats are needed for an overall majority and to form a government. In case, none of the parties secure majority, one or both main parties may seek to form a coalition government with smaller parties. In 2010, elections failed a decisive result hence; a coalition government was formed between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. However, if parties fail to make consensus this time in case of a hung parliament, a fresh election may be the last resort.
Britain has a multi-party democracy. Over a dozen parties are in the election fray this year.
MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES:
• Conservative Party • Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) • Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
• Labour Party • UK Independence Party (UKIP) • Plaid Cymru
• Liberal Democrats • Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) • Sinn Féin
• Green Party UK • Social Democrat and Labour Party (SDLP)
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