Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hints at Autumn 2024 for next general election- how long is a parliamentary term?

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reportedly outlined autumn 2024 as the rough date for the UK’s next general election. This has been revealed by one national newspaper in the UK.

Autumn time suggests that it could be around October or November, and gives the Conservative party around 18 months to rebuild their standings in the polls. In recent months, Labour have had considerable leads in polls, with it  reaching over 30 points late last year.

If the election was to take place during this predicted time, it would be almost five years since the last. There are specific rules in place to prevent the nation going too long without being given a chance to go to the polls.

At present, the UK must hold a general election no every five years. As the last general election took place in December 2019, this means the next election could take place no later than January 2025.

The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 revived the power of the monarch to dissolve Parliament. It is then up to the government  to decide on  the date  of an election.

How long is a parliamentary term?

The maximum length of a parliamentary term is five years. The current term after the last general election began on December 17, 2019, meaning that parliament will be automatically dissolved on December 17 2024 - however King Charles has the power to dissolve parliament at an earlier date.