2017 general election

2017 general election was a pivotal event in the United Kingdom's political landscape, marked by the Conservative Party (UK)'s decision to hold a snap election, as announced by Theresa May, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, on April 18, 2017. The election was held on June 8, 2017, with the Labour Party (UK) led by Jeremy Corbyn and the Liberal Democrats led by Tim Farron as the main opposition parties. The election was also contested by other parties, including the Scottish National Party led by Nicola Sturgeon and the Democratic Unionist Party led by Arlene Foster. The European Union's Brexit negotiations, led by David Davis (British politician), played a significant role in the election campaign, with parties like UK Independence Party and Plaid Cymru also participating.

Background

The 2017 general election was called by Theresa May to strengthen her Conservative Party (UK)'s position in the House of Commons ahead of the Brexit negotiations with the European Union, which were led by Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker. The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016 had resulted in a vote to leave the European Union, with Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage being key figures in the Leave campaign. The Conservative Party (UK) had a small majority in the House of Commons, and Theresa May sought to increase this majority to provide stability during the Brexit negotiations, which involved European Commission and European Parliament. The Labour Party (UK) and Liberal Democrats opposed the Brexit negotiations, with Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron advocating for a softer Brexit or a second referendum, similar to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

Campaign

The 2017 general election campaign was marked by several key events, including the Manchester Arena bombing and the London Bridge attack, which led to increased focus on national security and counter-terrorism measures, with Amber Rudd and Sajid Javid playing key roles. The Conservative Party (UK) campaign was led by Theresa May and Philip Hammond, with a focus on Brexit and economic stability, similar to the 2015 United Kingdom general election. The Labour Party (UK) campaign was led by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, with a focus on social justice and public services, including the National Health Service (England) and BBC. The Liberal Democrats campaign was led by Tim Farron and Vince Cable, with a focus on Brexit and civil liberties, including the Human Rights Act 1998 and European Convention on Human Rights.

Parties_and_candidates

The main parties contesting the 2017 general election were the Conservative Party (UK) led by Theresa May, the Labour Party (UK) led by Jeremy Corbyn, and the Liberal Democrats led by Tim Farron. Other parties included the Scottish National Party led by Nicola Sturgeon, the Democratic Unionist Party led by Arlene Foster, and the Sinn Féin led by Gerry Adams. The UK Independence Party led by Paul Nuttall and the Plaid Cymru led by Leanne Wood also contested the election, with a focus on Welsh independence and Scottish independence. The Green Party of England and Wales led by Caroline Lucas and the Social Democratic and Labour Party led by Colum Eastwood also participated in the election.

Opinion_polls

The opinion polls during the 2017 general election campaign showed a significant lead for the Conservative Party (UK) over the Labour Party (UK), with some polls suggesting a lead of up to 20 points, similar to the 2015 United Kingdom general election. However, as the campaign progressed, the Labour Party (UK) gained ground, and the lead narrowed to around 5-10 points, with YouGov and Ipsos MORI being key pollsters. The Liberal Democrats and other parties also gained support during the campaign, with BBC and Sky News providing extensive coverage of the election.

Results

The results of the 2017 general election showed that the Conservative Party (UK) had won the most seats, but had lost their majority in the House of Commons, with Theresa May forming a minority government with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party. The Labour Party (UK) had gained seats and increased their share of the vote, with Jeremy Corbyn hailing the result as a success, similar to the 2017 local elections. The Liberal Democrats had also gained seats, but had failed to make significant gains, with Tim Farron resigning as leader. The Scottish National Party had lost seats, but remained the largest party in Scotland, with Nicola Sturgeon continuing as First Minister of Scotland.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the 2017 general election saw Theresa May form a minority government with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party, with Arlene Foster playing a key role in the negotiations. The Labour Party (UK) and Liberal Democrats opposed the government's Brexit plans, with Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron advocating for a softer Brexit or a second referendum, similar to the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. The European Union's Brexit negotiations, led by Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker, continued, with the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union scheduled for March 29, 2019, as per the Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. The 2017 general election had significant implications for the United Kingdom's future, with the Conservative Party (UK) and Labour Party (UK) continuing to shape the country's Brexit policy, including the Chequers agreement and the Withdrawal Agreement.

Category:2017 elections