Election 2024: Here’s what happens next in the battle for power

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement that there will be a general election on Thursday, July 4, this is how the countdown to polling day will unfold.

May 24: Parliament prorogued

First of all, Parliament will be prorogued on Friday, May 24. Prorogation marks the end of a parliamentary session. 

May 30: Parliament dissolved

Next, on Thursday, May 30, comes the dissolution of Parliament. To achieve this PM Rishi Sunak needed to request permission from the King. This he did on May 22, a process was carried out in accordance with the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act, which in 2022 replaced the Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011.

Parliament continues to sit until its dissolution on May 30. This period is known as the ‘wash-up’ period an on this occasion it will last five days.

It is the opportunity for Parliament to get through any unfinished business before dissolution. There is usually a rush to pass legislation to get it onto the statute book, normally requiring co-operation between parties to agree which bills they will support through this expedited legislative process.

Any parliamentary business not completed by the end of the ‘wash-up’ period will not enter into law and cannot be picked up again in the next Parliament.  

The length of wash-up is decided by the prime minister and can vary. The longest wash up period since 1992 was in 2017, when parliament sat for a further seven days after the election was called. 

At this point, all business in the House of Commons comes to an end and every seat in the House of Commons becomes vacant, meaning there are no longer any MPs. Members of the House of Lords retain their positions but all business in the House ends.

May 30 to July 4: running the country

Government ministers remain in post until a new government is formed after the election. Government activity is restricted during the campaign, in what is known as the ‘pre-election period’ (previously known as purdah).

This is to ensure public money is not used to support the campaign of the party in power, and to maintain the impartiality of the civil service. Often, these restrictions come into force once Parliament has been dissolved.

June 5 to 16: Party manifestos likely to be unveiled

There is no set date for manifestos to be launched. Launch dates are decided by the political parties. Since 1997, Labour and Conservative manifestos have been launched between 18 and 29 days before the election, typically within a few days of each other.

That suggests that they are likely to be launched between June 5 and 16.

July 4: Polling Day

Voters go to the polls 25 working days after Parliament is dissolved. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as working days. This means that at this election, there are a total of 35 days between dissolution and polling day on Thursday, July 4. Polling day has been on a Thursday since 1935.

Voting can be done in person at polling stations on July 4, or before this by post. Polling stations will open at 7am and close at 10pm on July 4.

For people voting in person photographic ID will, for the first time in a general election, be required.