Now that Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister, you might be wondering whether we are heading for another general election.
Sir Keir confirmed he would be stepping down after overwhelming pressure from Labour MPs to make way for Andy Burnham to become Labour leader.
There have been two UK general elections in the past five years: one in 2019 and one in 2024.
In that time, we have had four Prime Ministers: Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, and Sir Keir Starmer.
Watch live: My statement. https://t.co/MX7ga3FRGq
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 22, 2026
Is there going to be a general election?
A UK general election is when voters across the country choose all 650 MPs for the House of Commons, and this decides who forms the next government and who becomes prime minister.
At this moment in time, it is unclear whether we will be heading for another election, as whoever takes over from Keir Starmer may not call one.
Liz Truss did not call one, and neither did Rishi Sunak initially; he did later, after two years in charge.
Who is going to take over from Keir Starmer?
The main candidates for taking over from Keir Starmer are Wes Streeting, Andy Burnham and Angela Rayner.
Rayner served under Starmer as Deputy Prime Minister, and Wes Streeting was Health Secretary.
Burnham recently won the by-election in Makerfield, fighting off Reform and putting himself at the forefront of Labour’s next leader.
What happens if there is a general election?
If MPs vote to hold an early general election, the country would go to the polls at some point in the near future, giving registered voters the chance to have their say.
Recent polling suggests that Reform would be the largest party, with the Conservatives being the second largest party, and Labour, the Greens, and the Liberal Democrats all getting a similar share.
What happens when a general election is called?
Before polling day, Parliament is dissolved, and all MP seats become vacant and the formal election campaign begins.
Parties then select candidates in every constituency and publish manifestos setting out what they would do in government.
Every registered voter aged 18 or over can vote for one candidate in their local constituency, usually at a polling station between 7am and 10pm, or by post.
Who do you want to be the next Prime Minister? Let us know in the comments
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