Prime Minister Boris Johnson this month tried twice to pass a motion to call for an early election, which was both times voted down by the opposition. His request for a snap election required a two-thirds majority of MPs, and the results fell well short of this in both votes. This was due to Labor, the Liberal Democrats and SNP agreeing to not support an election until an extension to Brexit has been nailed down.
Mr Johnsonhas lost his working majority in Commons after Tory MP Phillip Lee defected to the Liberal Democrats, and 21 Tory rebels were stripped of the whip after voting against the Prime Minister on a bill to extend Brexit.
Amber Rudd also resigned from the Conservatives in solidarity at those who had lost the whip, leaving Mr Johnson significantly short of a majority.
Currently, Mr Johnson has (MPs, and 10 of those are DUP MPs, compared to the opposition parties with 341 voting MPs.
These are 245 Labor MPs , 35 SNPs, 21 former Tories, 18Liberal Democrats, 12 Independent, five TIG, four Plaid Cymru and one Green Party MP .
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UK election polls tracker: The Conservatives top the polls but with not enough for a majority(Image: GETTY)
Should an election take place, the polls are varying wildly on how people will vote as uncertainty over Brexit continues.
However, the latest Opimium poll taken between September 11 to 13 of 2, 002 GB adults found theConservativeswould win with 37 percent of the vote.
Second would beLaborwith 25 percent, third Liberal Democrat with 16 percent and fourth Brexit Party with 13 percent.
However, 37 percent of the vote equates to just 240 seats, which is below the majority of 326 seats needed to claim a victory.
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UK election polls tracker: Jeremy Corbyn is focused on extending Brexit before an election(Image: GETTY)
Should the Conservatives join forces withNigel Farage‘s Brexit Party, adding their 13 percent the coalition would have 324 seats – just two shy of a majority.
With 25 percent of the vote, Labor would have 162 seats, and with 16 percent the Liberal Democrats would hold 104 seats.
This combined total of 266 seats would also not be enough to gain a majority .
This would result in a hung parliament, and the possibility for further parties to try and create a coalition government, but if this does not happen then parliament will be dissolved again and there will be another election.
UK election polls tracker: Jo Swinson has said her party would revoke article 50 if elected(Image: GETTY)
A union between Mr Farage’s Brexit Party and the Conservatives is not certain, as Downing Street told the Mirror Mr Johnson ruled out any future election pact with theBrexit Party.
A No 10 spokeswoman said: “The PM has been clear – no pact.
“ Nothing has changed on this. ”
Separately, a spokesman for the Prime Minister later added: “The Prime Minister will not be doing deal with Nigel Farage.”
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UK election polls tracker: Mr Farage would achieve 13 percent in an election should one be held now(Image: GETTY)
Opimium poll taken between September 11 to 13 of 2, 002 GB adults of how they would vote in a general election
- Conservatives –percent
- Labor – 25 percent
- Liberal Democrats – 16 percent
- Brexit Party – 13 percent
- SNP – 4 percent
- Green – 2 percent
- Plaid Cymru – 1 percent
- UKIP – 1 percent
- Change UK – 0 percent
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