Parliamentary Elections

Parliament

The Government serves for a maximum of five years. Members of Parliament (MP) are elected into the House of Commons.

A Member of the House of Commons cannot resign their seat. Their membership ceases only on their death, the dissolution of Parliament, them becoming disqualified for membership, or their expulsion from the House.

The Prime Minister decides to call a Parliamentary (or 'General') Election - usually after discussions with his Cabinet colleagues - or circumstances dictate that an election is called, at any time during the five year period - will go to see the Monarch (Queen) to request that Parliament is dissolved. If the Queen agrees (there would have to be very strong constitutional reasons why the Queen would refuse), then a Royal Proclamation is issued which officially allows the dissolution of the Parliament. The Prime Minister will then make a statement announcing the date of the dissolution and the reason for calling a General Election.

Once Parliament has been formally dissolved, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery issues Writs of Election for each Constituency and the timetable commences. Government continues in office, but there ceases to be any MPs.

A General Election campaign usually lasts about three weeks.

By-Elections

A By-Elections occurs, when a Member dies, retires or is disqualified from membership. Voting will take place in the Constituency without a Member. There is no time limit within which a new Writ has to be issued following the vacancy, but it is usually done within three months, there has been instances where the seats remains vacancy for longer and sometimes left to be filled by the subsequent Parliamentary Election. If there is no MP the Constituency matters are handled by a Member of the same party in a neighbouring Constituency.

Information

Herefordshire has two Constituencies - Hereford and Leominster. Follow the link below under 'Related Pages' to find your MP.

More information about elections can be found by following the link under 'External Links' to the Electoral Commission website.