2019 United Kingdom general election

2019 United Kingdom general election
Ben Shread · OGL 3 · source
Name	2019 United Kingdom general election
Country	United Kingdom
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	2017 United Kingdom general election
Previous year	2017
Next election	2024 United Kingdom general election
Next year	2024
Election date	12 December 2019
Turnout	67.3%

2019 United Kingdom general election. The 2019 United Kingdom general election was held on 12 December 2019 to elect members to the House of Commons, the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was the first general election to be held in the United Kingdom under the rules of Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, and the third to be held during the 2010s decade. The election was called by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who sought a fresh mandate to pursue his Brexit agenda.

Background and context

The 2017 general election resulted in a hung parliament, with the Conservative Party led by Theresa May forming a confidence and supply agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to maintain a majority. However, the Conservative Party struggled to maintain party unity over the terms of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, leading to the resignation of Theresa May and the election of Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister. Boris Johnson sought to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, but ultimately agreed to the same terms as May, with minor changes. The Brecxit withdrawal agreement bill was passed by the House of Commons on 23 October 2019, but the Early Parliamentary General Election Act 2019 was passed on 6 November 2019, paving the way for the 2019 general election.

Campaign

The election campaign saw a significant focus on Brexit, with the Conservative Party promising to "get Brexit done" and the Labour Party advocating for a second referendum on EU membership. The Liberal Democrats, led by Jo Swinson, campaigned on a platform of remaining in the EU, while the Brexit Party, led by Nigel Farage, advocated for a no-deal Brexit. Other parties, such as the Green Party and the SNP, also campaigned on issues related to climate change and Scottish independence.

Results

The election resulted in a significant majority for the Conservative Party, with 365 seats and 43.6% of the vote. The Labour Party won 203 seats, while the Liberal Democrats won 11 seats. The SNP won 48 seats in Scotland, while the Plaid Cymru won 4 seats in Wales. The Brexit Party failed to win any seats, despite receiving 2.1% of the vote. Jo Swinson lost her seat, and Nigel Farage also failed to win a seat.

Aftermath and government formation

Following the election, Boris Johnson formed a new cabinet, with Dominic Raab as Foreign Secretary and Priti Patel as Home Secretary. The Conservative Party's majority allowed them to pass legislation without relying on other parties. The withdrawal agreement was passed by the House of Commons on 23 January 2020, and the United Kingdom formally left the European Union on 31 January 2020.

Analysis and commentary

The election was seen as a significant turning point in British politics, with the Conservative Party's majority marking a shift to the right. The Labour Party's poor performance was attributed to its stance on Brexit, as well as internal party divisions. The Liberal Democrats' failure to win seats was seen as a major blow to the party, which had previously been the third-largest party in the House of Commons. The election also highlighted the growing divide between England and Wales, with the Conservative Party performing well in England and the SNP and Plaid Cymru performing well in Scotland and Wales, respectively. Category:2019 United Kingdom general election