2017 United Kingdom general election
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| 2017 United Kingdom general election | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | 2017 United Kingdom general election |
| Date | 8 June 2017 |
| Type | parliamentary |
| Previous election | 2015 United Kingdom general election |
| Next election | 2019 United Kingdom general election |
| Seats for election | 650 seats in the House of Commons |
| Majority seats | 326 |
| Turnout | 68.7% |
2017 United Kingdom general election The 2017 United Kingdom general election was held on 8 June 2017 to elect members to the House of Commons at Westminster. The election followed a snap dissolution of Parliament by Prime Minister Theresa May and resulted in a hung Parliament, altering the trajectory of Brexit negotiations involving European Union institutions and domestic actors such as Parliament of the United Kingdom and devolved legislatures like the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd. Campaign dynamics involved major figures including Jeremy Corbyn, Boris Johnson, Philip Hammond, Diane Abbott, and institutions such as the Conservative Party (UK), Labour Party (UK), and Liberal Democrats (UK).
Background
A Conservative majority government led by Theresa May had been formed after the 2015 United Kingdom general election; May called a snap election citing the need for a mandate for negotiations following the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016. The political context included the resignation of David Cameron, the appointment of May, and cabinet figures like Amber Rudd, Michael Fallon, and David Davis (politician), as well as opposition shifts under Jeremy Corbyn and organisational changes in parties such as Sinn Féin, Democratic Unionist Party, and Plaid Cymru. Constitutional arrangements involved the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 and prerogative powers exercised at Buckingham Palace with monarch Elizabeth II.
Parties and campaigns
Major campaigns were led by the Conservative Party (UK), the Labour Party (UK), the Liberal Democrats (UK), the Scottish National Party, and the Democratic Unionist Party. Campaign manifestos referenced institutions including the Bank of England, public services such as the National Health Service, and funding frameworks like European Investment Bank. Frontbenchers included Jacob Rees-Mogg, Amber Rudd, Owen Smith, Tom Watson (politician), and Jo Swinson, while campaign strategists and groups such as CCHQ, Momentum (organisation), Best for Britain, and Leave.EU shaped messaging. Controversies involved events tied to Manchester Arena bombing, security policy debates referencing MI5 and Metropolitan Police Service, and social media incidents linked to platforms like Twitter and Facebook that affected candidates such as Naz Shah and Paul Nuttall.
Opinion polling and forecasts
Polling organisations including YouGov, Ipsos MORI, ComRes, Survation, and Lord Ashcroft Polls produced varied projections, with aggregated models by Fivethirtyeight and academic groups offering probabilistic forecasts. Polling debates referenced methodologies used by researchers at University of Oxford, London School of Economics, and University of Manchester and considerations about turnout models derived from past elections such as the 2015 United Kingdom general election and European Parliament elections. Polling uncertainty was influenced by regional dynamics in Scotland relating to the 2016 Scottish Parliament election and demographic shifts observed in constituencies like Battersea, Manchester Central, and Enfield North.
Election results
The result produced a hung Parliament: the Conservative Party (UK) won the largest number of seats but lost its overall majority, while the Labour Party (UK) gained seats and vote share relative to 2015. Smaller parties such as the Liberal Democrats (UK), the Scottish National Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, Plaid Cymru, Green Party of England and Wales, and UK Independence Party saw mixed outcomes across constituencies including Bishop Auckland, Kingswood (UK Parliament constituency), and Copeland. Individual high-profile results involved losses and victories for figures such as Michael Fallon, Nicky Morgan, Jo Cox's successor selections, and notable swings in Bethesda-adjacent seats. The DUP later agreed to support a Conservative minority administration in a confidence and supply arrangement.
Aftermath and government formation
After negotiations, the Conservative Party (UK) formed a minority government with support from the Democratic Unionist Party under a confidence and supply agreement negotiated by cabinet members including David Lidington and Damian Green (politician). The House of Commons arithmetic influenced the role of the Speaker of the House of Commons and the legislative timetable for bills related to European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 preparations and debates in committees chaired by MPs from constituencies such as Islington North and Brighton Pavilion. The period saw leadership challenges, resignations, and ministerial reshuffles involving figures including Boris Johnson, Amber Rudd, and Penny Mordaunt.
Impact and analysis
Analyses by commentators at outlets such as BBC News, The Guardian, The Times, Financial Times, and think tanks including the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Resolution Foundation, and Chatham House examined implications for Brexit negotiations with the European Commission and member states like Germany and France. Academic studies at University of Cambridge and University College London assessed campaign effects of grassroots movements like Momentum (organisation) and online mobilisation through platforms such as Change.org; electoral law scholars considered the impact on boundaries overseen by the Boundary Commission for England. The election reshaped party strategy ahead of subsequent contests including the 2019 United Kingdom general election and influenced debates in devolved institutions such as the Welsh Government and Scottish Government.
Category:United Kingdom general elections Category:2017 elections in the United Kingdom