Millions of voters in Britain are heading to the UK General Elections 2024 on Thursday to elect a new House of Commons and government. Voters will choose 650 lawmakers representing as many constituencies, and the leader of the party with the most lawmakers will become prime minister. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives are widely expected to lose to the Labour Party after 14 years in power under five different prime ministers.
The Conservatives and Labour traditionally dominate British politics under the U.K.’s “first past the post” electoral system, which makes it difficult for smaller parties to gain representation in Parliament. However, other parties in the running include the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, the Scottish National Party, and the Greens. Here’s a look at these parties, their leaders, and their promises:
Conservatives Party
Leader: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Background: Sunak, 44, took power in October 2022 after Liz Truss’s short-lived premiership. He is Britain’s first leader of color and the first Hindu prime minister. Critics say he lacks political judgment and is out of touch with ordinary voters.
Last Election Seats: 365
Promises: Stronger economy, cutting taxes by £17 billion annually, increasing public health spending above inflation, boosting defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030, capping immigration, and removing some asylum-seekers to Rwanda.
Labour Party
Leader: Keir Starmer.
Background: Starmer, 61, a former chief prosecutor, is the current favorite to be Britain’s next leader. He has steered Labour away from the socialist policies of former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Last Election Seats: 202
Promises: Promoting “wealth creation,” improving infrastructure, setting up a state-owned clean power company, taxing private schools to fund new teachers in state schools, and cutting public health waiting times.
Liberal Democrats
Leader: Ed Davey.
Background: Davey, 58, served as the energy and climate change secretary under a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition from 2012 to 2015.
Last Election Seats: 11
Promises: Improving health and social care systems, investing in renewable energy and home insulation, clamping down on sewage-dumping by water companies, lowering the voting age to 16, and rejoining the EU’s single market.
Reform UK
Leader: Nigel Farage.
Background: Farage, a key proponent of Brexit, has long been a divisive figure with his anti-migrant rhetoric. He is capturing disillusioned Conservative voters with promises to cut immigration and focus on “British values.”
Last Election Seats: None
Promises: Freezing nonessential immigration, barring international students from bringing dependents, leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, and scrapping “net zero” goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Scottish National Party (SNP)
Leader: John Swinney.
Background: Swinney, 60, became the SNP’s third leader in over a year in May, following turmoil within the party.
Last Election Seats: 48
Promises: Opening Scottish independence negotiations, rejoining the EU and single market, boosting public health funding, scrapping the U.K.’s nuclear deterrent, and calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Green Party
Leaders: Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay.
Background: Denyer, a mechanical engineer, and Ramsay, with experience in local government and environmental charities, co-lead the Greens.
Last Election Seats: 1
Promises: Phasing out nuclear power, achieving net zero by 2040, investing in home insulation and the green economy, funded by a carbon tax, a wealth tax on the very rich, and an income tax hike for higher earners.
As Britain votes in the UK General Elections 2024, the political landscape could shift significantly depending on the outcome of this pivotal election.