This blog was last updated on June 27, 2021
Prime Minister Theresa May has called for an early general election on June 8, claiming it’s the only way to guarantee certainty and stability in Brexit negotiations. The Prime Minister’s Conservative Party is currently polling far ahead of the opposition Labour Party, and her clear hope is that Conservatives will gain enough seats in Parliament to ensure approval of any final EU agreement.
Under the rules, an early election must be approved by two-thirds of MPs in the House of Commons before being called. Absent this approval, the UK’s next general election is scheduled for 2020 – well beyond the two-year deadline for Brexit negotiations to conclude. At this stage, it appears very likely that early elections will indeed occur as Labour leadership has already stated that they will not contest the issue.
