Date: Thursday 4th July 2024
Seats: 650 (all)
Party Leaders
- Rishi Sunak (Conservative- Richmond Yorks)
- Sir Keir Starmer (Labour- Holborn and St. Pancras)
- John Swinney (Scottish National Party- Perthshire North)/ Commons Leader: Stephen Flynn (Aberdeen South)
- Ed Davey (Liberal Democrats- Kingston and Surbiton)
- N/A for Democratic Unionist Party/Commons Leader: Gavin Robinson (Belfast East)
- Mary Lou McDonald (Sinn Féin- Dublin Central)- Does not take seats
- Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru- Ynys Môn)/ Cabinet Leader: Liz Saville Roberts- Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
- Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic and Labour Party- Foyle)
- Alex Salmond (Alba)/ Commons Leader: Neal Hanvey (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
- Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay (Green)/ Sole MP: Caroline Lucas (Brighton Pavilion)
- Naomi Long (Alliance- Belfast East)/ Sole MP: Stephen Farry (North Down)
- George Galloway (Workers Party of Britain- Rochdale)
- Richard Tice (Reform)/ Sole MP: Lee Anderson (Ashfield)
Seat Makeup
- Conservatives- 344 seats (down 21 since 2019)
- Labour- 202 seats (up 3 since 2019)
- SNP- 43 seats (down 5 since 2019)
- Liberal Democrats- (up 4 since 2019)
- DUP- 7 seats (down 1 since 2019)
- Sinn Féin- 7 seats (unchanged since 2019)
- Plaid Cymru- 3 seats (down 1 since 2019)
- SDLP- 2 seats (unchanged since 2019)
- Alba- 2 seats (up 2 since 2019)
- Green Party- 1 seat (unchanged since 2019)
- Workers Party- 1 seat (up 1 since 2019)
- Reform- 1 seat (up 1 since 2019)
- Independent- 11 seats (whip withdraw etc)
The Situation
A lot has changed since Boris Johnson led the Conservatives to an 80 seat majority. There have been two new Prime Ministers, a massive pandemic, a new monarch, war in Ukraine, inflation, Brexit and so much more. Here are some of the biggest things that have affected politics and MPs:
- On the 31st January 2020, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union, nearly four years after the referendum
- On the 13th February 2020, Rishi Sunak became Chancellor of the Exchequer
- On the 23rd March 2020, a national lockdown was implemented as a reaction to COVID
- On the 4th April 2020, Sir Keir Starmer is elected as Labour Party leader following Jeremy Corbyn’s resignation
- On the 6th April 2020, Boris Johnson is admitted to ICU as his COVID gets worse
- On the 23rd May 2020, the Dominic Cummings scandal breaks
- On the 27th August 2020, Sir Ed Davey is elected as Liberal Democrat leader
- On the 13th November 2020, Dominic Cumming resigns
- On the 8th December 2020, the first British person receives their COVID vaccine
- On the 21st April 2021, a treaty between the U.K. and EU is ratified
- On the 26th June 2021, Health Secretary Matt Hancock resigns after pictures of him kissing an aide are released
- On the 15th October 2021, Conservative MP Sir David Amess is murdered by an Islamic extremist at a constituency surgery
- On the 31st January 2022, an initial report by Sue Gray regarding parties at Downing Street ‘Partygate’ is released
- On the 6th February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates seventy years on the throne with her Platinum Jubilee
- On the 24th February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine
- On the 12th April 2022, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are among the politicians issued with a fixed penalty notice after breaking lockdown rules
- On the 14th April 2022, the U.K. signs a plan to send illegal migrants to Rwanda
- On the 5th and 6th July 2022, a large amount of cabinet secretaries and ministers resign, including Chancellor Rishi Sunak
- On the 7th July 2022, Boris Johnson resigns as Prime Minister
- On the 5th and 6th September 2022, Liz Truss is announced as both Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister
- On the 8th September 2022, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died.
- On the 19th September 2022, Elizabeth II’s state funeral is held
- On the 23rd September 2022, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng held a mini budget. It is controversial.
- On the 14th October 2022, Kwasi Kwarteng is sacked as Chancellor
- On the 20th October 2022, Liz Truss resigns as PM, becoming the shortest reigning in U.K. history
- On the 24th and 25th October 2022, Rishi Sunak becomes both Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister
- On the 16th January 2023, the UK government blocks a Scottish legal bill for the first time
- On the 15th February 2023, SNP Leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon resigns
- On the 1st March 2023, WhatsApp messages from the lockdown era first are leaked
- On the 27th and 28th March 2023, Humza Yusaf becomes Leader of the SNP and First Minister of Scotland
- On the 6th May 2023, King Charles III and his consort Queen Camilla are crowned in the coronation
- On the 7th October 2023, Hamas attacks Israel
- On the 13th November 2023, Suella Braverman is sacked as Home Secretary and former PM David Cameron becomes Foreign Secretary in a reshuffle
- On the 5th February 2024, King Charles II announces that he has cancer
- On the 22nd March 2024, Katherine, Princess of Wales announces that she has cancer
- On the 29th April 2024, Humza Yousaf resigns
- On the 6th May 2024, John Swinney becomes Leader of the SNP and First Minister of Scotland
- On the 22nd May 2024, Rishi Sunak announces that the next General Election will be on Thursday 4th July
By-elections since 2019:
Hartlepool, 6th May 2021
- Former MP: Mike Hill (Labour)
- Reason for by-election: Resigning because of allegations of inappropriate behaviour
- New MP: Jill Mortimer (Conservative)
- Labour Vote: 8,589 (15,464 in 2019)
- Conservative Vote: 15,529 (11,869 in 2019)
Airdrie and Shotts, 13th May 2021
- Former MP: Neil Gray (SNP)
- Reason for by-election: Resigning to represent the seat in Scottish Parliament
- New MP: Anum Qaisar (SNP)
- SNP Vote: 10,129 (17,929 in 2019)
Chesham and Amersham, 17th June 2021
- Former MP: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Passed away
- New MP: Sarah Green (Lib Dem)
- Conservative Vote: 13,489 (30,850 in 2019)
- Lib Dem Vote: 21,517 (14,627 in 2019)
Batley and Spen, 1st July 2021
- Former MP: Tracy Babin (Labour)
- Reason for by-election: Resigning to run for Mayor of West Yorkshire
- New MP: Kim Leadbeater (Labour)
- Labour Vote: 13,296 (22,594 in 2019)
Old Bexley and Sidcup, 2nd December 2021
- Former MP: James Brokenshire (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Passed away
- New MP: Louie French (Conservative)
- Conservative Vote: 11,189 (29,786 in 2019)
North Shropshire, 16th December 2021
- Former MP: Owen Paterson (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned for breaking lobbying rules
- New MP: Helen Morgan (Lib Dem)
- Conservative Vote: 12,032 (35,444 in 2019)
- Lib Dem Vote: 17,957 (5,643 in 2019)
Southend West, 3rd February 2022
- Former MP: Sir David Amess (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Murdered
- New MP: Anna Firth (Conservative)
- Conservative Vote: 12,792 (27,555 in 2019)
Birmingham Erdington, 3rd March 2022
- Former MP: Jack Dromey (Labour)
- Reason for by-election: Passed away
- New MP: Paulette Hamilton (Labour)
- Labour Vote: 9,413 (17,720 in 2019)
Wakefield, 23rd June 2022
- Former MP: Imran Ahmad Khan (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after sexual offences conviction
- New MP: Simon Lightwood (Labour)
- Conservative Vote: 8,241 (21,283 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 13,166 (17, 295 in 2019)
Tiverton and Honiton, 23rd June 2022
- Former MP: Neil Parish (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after watching porn in the Commons
- New MP: Richard Foord (Lib Dems)
- Conservative Vote: 16,393 (35, 893 in 2019)
- Lib Dem Vote: 22, 537 (8,807 in 2019)
City of Chester, 1st December 2022
- Former MP: Chris Matheson (Labour)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after sexual misconduct allegations
- New MP: Samantha Dixon (Labour)
- Labour Vote: 17,309 (27,082 in 2019)
Stretford and Urmston, 15th December 2022
- Former MP: Kate Green (Labour)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned to Deputy Mayor of Great Manchester
- New MP: Andrew Western (Labour)
- Labour Vote: 12,828 (30,195 in 2019)
West Lancashire, 9th February 2023
- Former MP: Rosie Cooper (Labour)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned for a role in the NHS
- New MP: Ashley Dalton (Labour)
- Labour Vote: 14,068 (27,458 in 2019)
Uxbridge and South Ruislip, 20th July 2023
- Former MP: Boris Johnson (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after the Partygate hearings implicated him
- New MP: Steve Tuckwell (Conservative)
- Conservative Vote: 13,965 (25,351 in 2019)
Selby and Ainsty, 20th July 2023
- Former MP: Nigel Adams (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after not getting an honour
- New MP: Keir Mather (Labour)
- Conservative Vote: 12,295 (33,995 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 16,456 (13,858 in 2019)
Somerton and Frome, 20th July 2023
- Former MP: David Warburton (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after being suspended by the Conservatives over sexual offences allegation
- New MP: Sarah Dyke (Lib Dem)
- Conservative Vote: 10,179 (36,230 in 2019)
- Lib Dem Vote: 21,187 (17,017 in 2019)
Rutherglen and Hamilton West, 5th October 2023
- Former MP: Margaret Ferrier (SNP)
- Reason for by-election: Recalled after breaking COVID rules
- New MP: Michael Shanks (Labour)
- SNP Vote: 8,399 (23,775 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 17,845 (18,545 in 2019)
Mid Bedfordshire, 19th October 2023
- Former MP: Nadine Dorries (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after not getting an honour
- New MP: Alistair Starthern (Labour)
- Conservative Vote: 12,680 (38,692 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 13,872 (14,082 in 2019)
Tamworth, 19th October 2023
- Former MP: Chris Pincher (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after sexual offences allegations
- New MP: Sarah Edwards (Labour)
- Conservative Vote: 10,403 (30,542 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 11,719 (10,908 in 2019)
Wellingborough, 15th February 2024
- Former MP: Peter Bone (Conservative)
- Reason for by-elections: Recall after bullying and sexual offences allegation
- New MP: Gen Kitchen (Labour)
- Conservative Vote: 7,408 (32,277 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 13,844 (13,737 in 2019)
Kingswood, 15th February 2024
- Former MP: Chris Skidmore (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned in protest over government issuing more oil and gas licences
- New MP: Damien Egan (Labour)
- Conservative Vote: 8,675 (27,712 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 11,176 (16,429 in 2019)
Rochdale, 29th February 2024
- Former MP: Tony Lloyd (Labour)
- Reason for by-election: Passed away
- New MP: George Galloway
- Labour Vote: 2,402 (24,475 in 2019, from first to fourth)
Blackpool South, 2nd May 2024
- Former MP: Scott Benton (Conservative)
- Reason for by-election: Resigned after being subject to a recall petition
- New MP: Chris Webb (Labour)
- Conservative Vote: 3,218 (16,247 in 2019)
- Labour Vote: 10,852 (12,557 in 2019)
MPs currently independent
- Dianne Abbott (Labour, Hackney North and Stoke Newington)- Suspended in April 2023 after an op-ed she wrote in The Observer regarding racism against Jewish people.
- Crispin Blunt (Conservative, Reigate)- Suspended in October 2023 after being arrested on suspicion rape and possession of a controlled substance. Already announced in 2022 that he would not be standing again in the next GE.
- Andrew Bridgen (Conservative, North West Leicestershire)- Suspended in April 2023 after controversial comments regarding the COVID vaccine.
- Nick Brown (Labour, Newcastle Upon Tyne East)- Suspended in September 2022 due to events from 25 years ago that have not yet been disclosed. Quit Labour in December 2023 and announced that he would not contest the next GE.
- Jeremy Corbyn (Labour, Islington North)- Suspended in October 2020 after allegations of antisemitism in the Labour Party. As he cannot stand as a Labour candidate in the next GE, he plans to run as an independent.
- Geraint Davies (Labour, Swansea West)- Suspended in June 2023 after accusations of sexual offences.
- Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP, Logan Valley)- Suspended in March 2024 after allegations of historic sexual offences. He also resigned as Leader of the DUP. Donaldson has been charged with 11 offences, including rape and indecent assault. His wife has been charged with three offences, including aiding and abetting.
- Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)- Suspended in May 2020 after being arrested on suspicion of assaulting his wife.
- Matt Hancock (Conservative, West Suffolk)- Suspended in November 2022 for signing up to hit reality show ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!’ He announced in December 2022 that he would not be standing in the next GE.
- Julian Knight (Conservative, Solihull)- Suspended in December 2022 after allegations of sexual assault were made to the police. He will face no criminal action. Knight announced that he would not be standing in the Next GE.
- Angus MacNeil (SNP, Na h-Eileanan an Iar)- Suspended in July 2023 after arguing with the SNP whip about missing votes. He was later expelled from the party, but plans to run again as an independent MP.
- Conor McGinn (Labour, St Helens North)- Suspended in December 2022 after a complaint of an undisclosed nature. He left the party in October 2023 and announced that he would not be running in the next GE.
- Mark Menzies (Conservative, Fylde)- Suspended/resigned the whip in April 2024 after accusations of misuse of party funds and abusing his position. He does not intend to stand in the next GE.
- Rob Roberts (Conservative, Delyn)- Suspended in September/October 2021 after sending inappropriate messages to a female aide and unwanted advances to a male assistant.
- Bob Stewart (Conservative, Beckenham)- Suspended in November 2023 after a conviction for a racially aggravated public order offence against a Bahraini activist. His conviction was quashed earlier this year. He does not intend to contest the next GE.
- Claudia Webbe (Labour, Leicester East)- Suspended in November 2020 after harassing a woman who’d been having an affair with her partner. She was suspended from the party in November 2021 after receiving a conviction.
- William Wragg (Conservative, Hazel Grove)- Resigned the whip in April 2024 after it was revealed he’d given some colleagues’ details to a blackmailer following a honeytrap on Grindr. He does not intend to stand in the next election.
MPs who had the whip restored
- Bambos Charalambous (Labour, Enfield Southgate)- Had the whip suspended after an unspecified allegation in June 2023. The whip was restored in April 2024.
- Neil Coyle (Labour, Bermondsey and Old Southwark)- Had the whip suspended in February 2022 after making racist comments. The whip was restored in May 2023.
- Tobias Ellwood (Conservative, Bournemouth East)- Suspended from the whip for missing a confidence vote in July 2022. Had the whip restored in October 2022.
- Patrick Grady (SNP, Glasgow North)- Resigned the party. following sexual assault allegations in June 2022. The whip was restored in December 2022.
- Neal Hanvey (SNP, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)- Suspended before the 2019 election regarding posts on anti-Semitism and Israel. He was readmitted to the SNP in May 2020. Hanvey later defected to Alba.
- Rupa Huq (Labour, Ealing Central and Acton)- In September 2022, Huq lost the whip after making racist comments. She had the whip restored in March 2023.
- Dr. Julian Lewis (Conservative, New Forest East)- Lost the whip in July 2020 after successfully becoming the chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee over Johnson’s top pick. He had the whip restored in December 2020.
- Andy McDonald (Labour, Middlesbrough)- Had the whip suspended in October 2023 after making controversial remarks at a pro-Palestine rally. The whip was restored in March 2024.
- Anne-Marie Morris (Conservative, Newton Abbot)- Suspended in January 2022 for voting for an opposition day motion. Had the whip restored in May 2022.
- Kate Osamor (Labour, Edmonton)- Suspended in January 2024 following controversial comments regarding the Holocaust and Gaza. She had the whip restored in May 2024.
- Christina Rees (Labour, Neath)- Suspended in October 2022 after allegations of bullying staff. The whip was restored in February 2024.
MPs who have defected
- Lee Anderson (Conservative to Reform, Ashfield)- Anderson, who joined the Conservatives in 2018 after being a Labour member, first became MP for Ashfield in 2019. In February 2024, Anderson lost the Conservative Whip after comments regarding London Mayor Sadiq Khan. One month later, Anderson joined Reform, a party touting itself as an alternative to the Tories.
- Andrew Bridgen (Conservative to Reclaim, North West Leicestershire)- Bridgen was expelled from the Tories in April 2023. A month later, Bridgen joined Reclaim. He left the party in December 2023 and is now an independent.
- Lisa Cameron (SNP to Conservative, East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow). Cameron left the SNP for the Conservatives in October 2023. She cited bullying in the SNP and her lack of enthusiasm for independence.
- Natalie Elphicke (Conservative to Labour, Dover)- Elphicke defected to the Labour Party in May 2024. She proclaimed that the Tories were incompetent and divisive. Elphicke’s defection was particularly controversial. Some in Labour felt that she was far too close to the right to be a member. Her comments regarding the victims of her sex offender ex-husband and attempts to get him let off were also scrutinised.
- Dr. Dan Poulter (Conservative to Labour, Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)- Poulter joined the Labour Party in April 2024. Poulter, an NHS doctor, said that the Tories had badly damaged the health service and that they’d become ‘a nationalist party of the right.’
- Christian Wakeford (Conservative to Labour, Bury South)- Wakeford defected to Labour in January 2022. He cited Partygate and several other factors in his decision.
MPs standing down
At the time of writing, over one hundred MPs have announced that they are not standing at the next election. The majority are Conservatives, and the cynical answer is they know their chances are not great. Some of the most notable MPs standing down are:
- Margaret Beckett (Labour, Derby South, 1974)
- Mhairi Black (SNP, Paisley and Renfrewshire South, 2015)
- Ian Blackford (SNP, Ross, Skye and Lochaber, 2015)
- Graham Brady (Conservative, Altrincham and Sale West, 1997)
- Eleanor Laing (Conservative, Epping Forest, 1997)
- Matt Hancock (Conservative, West Suffolk, 2010)
- Harriet Harman (Labour, Camberwell and Peckham, 1982)
- Margaret Hodge (Labour, Barking, 1994)
- Sajid Javid (Conservative, Bromsgrove, 2010)
- Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative, Spelthorne, 2010)
- Caroline Lucas (Green, Brighton Pavilion, 2010)
- Theresa May (Conservative, Maidenhead, 1997)
- Dominic Raab (Conservative, Esher and Walton, 2010)
- Douglas Ross (Conservative, Moray, 2017)
- Ben Wallace (Conservative, Wyre and Preston North, 2005)
- Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative, Stratford-Upon-Avon, 2010)
There are a number of new seats as there are new constituencies and boundaries.
All polling indicates a Labour victory, some of whom predict a landslide. Several seats that have been historically Conservative are at risk, as well as the so-called ‘Red Wall.’ Boundary changes may also impact this. Prominent Tories at risk include Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt and Iain Duncan Smith. Duncan Smith came within just over one thousand votes of losing in 2019.