2017 United Kingdom general election

2017 United Kingdom general election
Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office · OGL 3 · source
Election name	2017 United Kingdom general election
Country	United Kingdom
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	2015 United Kingdom general election
Previous year	2015
Next election	2019 United Kingdom general election
Next year	2019
Seats for election	All 650 seats in the House of Commons
Majority seats	326
Turnout	68.8% (2.5%)
Election date	8 June 2017
Party1	Conservative Party (UK)
Leader1	Theresa May
Percentage1	42.4%
Seats1	317
Party2	Labour Party (UK)
Leader2	Jeremy Corbyn
Percentage2	40.0%
Seats2	262
Party3	Scottish National Party
Leader3	Nicola Sturgeon
Percentage3	3.0%
Seats3	35
Party4	Liberal Democrats (UK)
Leader4	Tim Farron
Percentage4	7.4%
Seats4	12
Party5	Democratic Unionist Party
Leader5	Arlene Foster
Percentage5	0.9%
Seats5	10
Title	Prime Minister
Before election	Theresa May
Before party	Conservative Party (UK)
After election	Theresa May
After party	Conservative Party (UK)

2017 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday, 8 June 2017, two years after the previous contest. It was called by Prime Minister Theresa May of the Conservative Party (UK) who sought to increase her party's majority in the House of Commons to strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations. The result was a hung parliament, with the Conservatives losing their majority but remaining the largest party, leading to a minority government supported by the Democratic Unionist Party.

Background

The election was triggered under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, requiring a two-thirds majority in the House of Commons to call an early vote, which was secured with support from the Labour Party (UK). Prime Minister Theresa May, who had succeeded David Cameron following the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, argued a larger mandate was needed for the upcoming Brexit negotiations with the European Union. The political landscape was dominated by the aftermath of the referendum, with debates over the terms of departure, including the Single European Act and the European Court of Justice. The Scottish National Party, led by Nicola Sturgeon, was advocating for a second Scottish independence referendum, while in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin were key players following the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Campaign

The Conservative Party (UK) campaign, managed by figures like Lynton Crosby, focused heavily on providing "strong and stable leadership" for Brexit, with a manifesto that included a controversial proposal on social care funding dubbed the "Dementia tax". The Labour Party (UK), led by Jeremy Corbyn, ran a populist campaign with promises to renationalise Royal Mail and Network Rail, abolish university tuition fees, and increase taxes on corporations and high earners. The Liberal Democrats (UK), under Tim Farron, campaigned for a second referendum on the final Brexit deal. Key events included a terrorist attack in Manchester and the 2017 London Bridge attack, which temporarily suspended campaigning and shifted focus to security policy, involving figures like Amber Rudd and Sadiq Khan.

Results

The election resulted in a hung parliament. The Conservative Party (UK) won 317 seats, a net loss of 13, and 42.4% of the popular vote, making it the largest party but short of the 326 needed for a majority. The Labour Party (UK) achieved a surprise surge, gaining 30 seats for a total of 262 and 40% of the vote, with significant gains in areas like Canterbury and Kensington. The Scottish National Party lost 21 seats, retaining 35, while the Liberal Democrats (UK) won 12 seats. The Democratic Unionist Party won 10 seats, becoming a crucial partner for the Conservatives. Voter turnout was 68.8%, with notable swings in constituencies like Portsmouth South.

Aftermath

Prime Minister Theresa May remained in office, forming a minority government with a Confidence and supply agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party, led by Arlene Foster. This arrangement was finalized at 10 Downing Street and gave the government a working majority on key votes. The result led to immediate political instability, with calls for May's resignation from within her own party, including from Boris Johnson and Michael Gove. The Labour Party (UK) under Jeremy Corbyn argued the government lacked legitimacy. The Brexit process, governed by Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, proceeded with the Department for Exiting the European Union led by David Davis, but with increased parliamentary scrutiny.

Analysis

Political analysts attributed the Conservative loss of its majority to a poorly received manifesto, a robotic campaign style by Theresa May, and a strong grassroots mobilization by the Labour Party (UK) led by Jeremy Corbyn. The result was seen as a rejection of austerity politics and a surge in youth turnout, influenced by campaigns on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The performance of the Scottish National Party was weakened by the resurgence of the Scottish Conservatives under Ruth Davidson. The election fundamentally altered the Brexit dynamic, empowering Parliament and complicating the negotiation stance of the Government of the United Kingdom. Commentators from the BBC and The Guardian noted it signaled the end of stable two-party dominance in UK politics. Category:2017 elections in the United Kingdom Category:General elections in the United Kingdom Category:2017 in British politics