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ES1702 Graphics & Test Thread

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The 2017 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 15 June 2017, two years after the previous general election in 2015; it was the first since 1992 to be held on a day that did not coincide with any local elections. The governing Conservative Party remained the largest single party in the House of Commons but lost its small overall majority and suffered its worst result since 2005. For the first time since February 1974, the party with the most seats failed to win the most votes. The Labour Party won the most votes and came within four seats of the Conservatives, resulting in the Conservatives being unable to form a majority with other parties and the formation of a Labour minority government with a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Scottish National Party (SNP).

The Conservative Party, which had governed as a senior coalition partner from 2010 and as a single-party majority government from 2015, was defending a working majority of 17 seats against the Labour Party, the official opposition led by Jeremy Corbyn. It was the first general election was to be contested by either May or Corbyn; May had succeeded David Cameron following his resignation as Prime Minister the previous summer, Corbyn had succeeded Ed Miliband who resigned following Labour's failure to win the general election two years earlier.

Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 an election had not been due until May 2020, but Prime Minister Theresa May's call for a snap election was ratified by the necessary two-thirds vote in the House of Commons on 9 May 2017. May said that she hoped to secure a larger majority to "strengthen [her] hand" in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

The local elections held on 4 May 2017 showed an 11-point lead for the Conservatives and the positive results for the party are thought to have been what convinced May to change her mind on calling an early election. At the opening of the campaign, the Conservatives had a 17-point lead in the opinion polls, though this began to diminish during the campaign after terrorist attacks in London and Manchester, the positive reaction to the Labour manifesto and the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017.

The Conservative Party made a net loss of 38 seats despite winning 40.3% of the vote (its highest share of the vote since 1992), whereas the Labour Party made net gains of 57 seats and won the highest share of the vote on 43.0% (its highest vote share since 1997, representing its highest increase in vote share between two general elections since 1918). It was the first election since 1997 in which the Tories made a net loss of seats or Labour a net gain of seats. The election had the closest result between the two major parties since February 1974 and resulted in their highest combined share of the vote since 1970. The Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Liberal Democrats both lost vote share; media coverage characterised the result as a return to two-party politics. The SNP, which had won 56 of the 59 Scottish seats at the previous general election in 2015, lost 17. The Liberal Democrats remained on 8 seats. UKIP, the third-largest party in 2015 by number of votes, saw its share of the vote reduced from 12.6% to 1.4% and lost its only seat. In Wales, Plaid Cymru lost one seat, giving it a total of two seats. The Green Party retained its sole seat, but saw its share of the vote reduced. In Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) won 10 seats to make it the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons. Sinn Fein won five seats, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) won two seats and Independent Unionist Sylvia Hermon retained her seat. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) lost all its seats.

Negotiating positions following the UK's invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union in March 2017 to leave the EU were expected to feature significantly in the campaign, but did not as domestic issues took precedence instead with security, austerity and the NHS featuring prominently. The campaign was interrupted by two major terrorist attacks: Manchester and London Bridge; thus national security became a prominent issue in the campaign.

Aftermath

Results for all constituencies were reported by the morning after the election. The Conservatives won 293 seats with 40.3% of the vote, while the Labour Party won 289 seats with 43.0% of the vote. The election resulted in the third hung parliament since the Second World War, elections in February 1974 and 2010 having previously resulted in hung parliaments. Sinn Fein's five seats reduced the threshold for a working majority to 323 seats.

The SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Greens had all ruled out forming a deal with the Conservative Party in the event of a hung parliament. The DUP were the only party willing to offer the Conservatives their support, but the two parties combined only had 303 seats - 20 short of a working majority. Labour and the Liberal Democrats both rejected deals with each other and with the Greens and SNP, although the SNP stated it was open to working with Labour but not in a coalition. Labour and the SNP held 328 seats in the House of Commons - a working majority of 11 seats.

On 16 June, Theresa May resigned as Leader of the Conservative Party and as Prime Minister and advised the Queen to appoint Jeremy Corbyn. May apologised to candidates who lost their seats. Corbyn was appointed Prime Minister in the afternoon on 16 June without any deals in place with other parties. Negotiations between Labour and the SNP began on 16 June with the parties aiming to achieve a deal before the State Opening of Parliament, scheduled for 22 June. A confidence and supply deal was reached on 21 June, with the SNP backing Labour in key votes in the House of Commons over the course of the Parliament. The agreement included additional funding for Scotland, involved for the devolved governments in the Brexit negotiations, economic stimulus, a constitutional convention, reducing the voting age to 16, reintroducing the 50p tax rate and keeping the state pension triple lock. It also included commitments to legislate for a referendum on the final Brexit deal, and set the conditions for a second referendum on Scottish independence to be held.

In forming his government on 16 June, Corbyn retained most of his Shadow Cabinet ministers. Deputy Leader Tom Watson was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Secretary, John McDonnell was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Diane Abbott was appointed Home Secretary and Emily Thornberry was appointed Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State, while Keir Starmer was appointed Exiting the European Union Secretary.

Party leadership changes

After achieving just 1.4% of the popular vote, down from 12.6% in 2015, and failing to win any seats, Paul Nuttall resigned as UKIP leader on 16 June. A leadership election followed which was won by Henry Bolton. Meanwhile, Ian Blackford become the SNP's new Leader in Westminster on 21 June, following Angus Robertson's defeat in his seat of Moray. And, Brian Paddick resigned as Home Affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats on 16 June over concerns about Farron's "views on various issues" during the campaign. Farron announced his own resignation later that day, remaining as leader until Sir Vince Cable was elected unopposed on 20 July.

Theresa May's resignation as Leader of the Conservative Party confounded problems for the party after suffering a shock defeat. May became Leader of the Opposition while the Conservatives elected her replacement. Six candidates were nominated to replace her: David Davis, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Penny Mordaunt, Rory Stewart and Liz Truss.
 
1970 - 1972: Edward Heath (Conservative)
- 1970 (630 seats): Edward Heath (CON) 330 seats; Harold Wilson (LAB) 288 seats; Jeremy Thorpe (LIB) 6 seats; Various (OTH) 6 seats
1972 - 1973: Jack Jones (Labour)
1973 - 1982: Tony Benn (Socialist)
- 1974 (630 seats): Tony Benn (BSP) 481 seats; Independents (IND) 149 seats
- 1978 (618 seats): Tony Benn (BSP) 463 seats; Independents (IND) 155 seats
1982 - 1989: Arthur Scargill (Socialist)
- 1982 (618 seats): Arthur Scargill (BSP) 492 seats; Independents (IND) 126 seats
- 1986 (618 seats): Arthur Scargill (BSP) 454 seats; Independents (IND) 164 seats
1989 - 1991: Eric Heffer (Socialist)
- 1990 (618 seats): Eric Heffer (BSP) 401 seats; Independents (IND) 217 seats
1991 - 1993: Derek Hatton (Socialist)
1993 - 1997: Jim Prior (Christian Democrat)
- 1993 (274 seats): John Smith (SDP) 81 seats; Jim Prior (CDA) 76 seats; Shirley Williams (ALP) 52 seats; Jean Lambert (ECY) 24 seats; Dennis Skinner (SDU) 18 seats; Peter Lilley (FRP) 17 seats; William Wolfe (SNP) 4 seats; Dafydd Wigley (RFW) 2 seats
1997 - 2000: Donald Dewar (Social Democrat)
- 1997 (274 seats): Donald Dewar (SDP) 83 seats; Jim Prior (CDA) 66 seats; Shirley Williams (ALP) 59 seats; Jean Lambert (ECY) 26 seats; Dennis Skinner (SDU) 20 seats; Leon Brittan (FRP) 14 seats; Margo MacDonald (SNP) 4 seats; Dafydd Wigley (RFW) 2 seats
2000 - 2005: Clare Short (Social Democrat)
- 2001 (274 seats): Clare Short (SDP) 82 seats; Stephen Dorrell (CDA) 68 seats; Hilary Armstrong (ALP) 52 seats; Jean Lambert (GRA) 26 seats; Dennis Skinner (SDU) 17 seats; John Redwood (FRP) 13 seats; Ashley Mote (BNP) 9 seats; Margo MacDonald (SNP) 5 seats; Dafydd Elis-Thomas (RFW) 2 seats
2005 - 2009: Stephen Dorrell (Christian Democrat)
- 2005 (274 seats): Stephen Dorrell (CDA) 73 seats; Clare Short (SDP) 61 seats; David Laws (ALP) 46 seats; Patrick Harvie (GRA) 34 seats; John McDonnell (SDU) 30 seats; Ashley Mote (BNP) 13 seats; John Redwood (FRP) 12 seats; John Swinney (SNP) 3 seats; Dafydd Elis-Thomas (RFW) 2 seats
2009 - 2017: David Laws (Alliance)
- 2009 (274 seats): Stephen Dorrell (CDA) 60 seats; Douglas Alexander (SDP) 56 seats; David Laws (ALP) 53 seats; Patrick Harvie (GRA) 42 seats; John McDonnell (SDU) 36 seats; Nadine Dorries (FRP) 13 seats; Andrew Brons (BNP) 8 seats; Angus Robertson (SNP) 4 seats; Dafydd Elis-Thomas (RFW) 2 seats
- 2013 (274 seats): David Laws (ALP) 57 seats; Stephen Crabb (CDA) 55 seats; Maria Eagle (SDP) 49 seats; Patrick Harvie (GRA) 45 seats; John McDonnell (SDU) 44 seats; Nadine Dorries (FRP) 16 seats; Angus Robertson (SNP) 3 seats; Nick Griffin (BNP) 3 seats; Elin Jones (RFW) 2 seats
2017 - 2023: Patrick Harvie (Green Alternative)
- 2017 (274 seats): Justine Greening (CDA) 56 seats; Patrick Harvie (GRA) 51 seats; David Laws (ALP) 50 seats; Andy Burnham (SDP) 46 seats; John McDonnell (SDU) 45 seats; Nadine Dorries (FRP) 18 seats; Nick Griffin (BNP) 3 seats; Michael Russell (SNP) 3 seats; Elin Jones (RFW) 2 seats
- 2021 (274 seats): Justine Greening (CDA) 55 seats; Patrick Harvie (GRA) 51 seats; Dawn Butler (SDU) 50 seats; Andy Burnham (SDP) 46 seats; Susan Kramer (ALP) 44 seats; Nadine Dorries (FRP) 19 seats; Michael Russell (SNP) 4 seats; Patricia Mountain (BNP) 3 seats; Elin Jones (RFW) 2 seats
 
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Butler, Burnham and Greening Fight for PM Job as Assembly Convenes
BBC News - 18 September 2023

Deputy Prime Minister Dawn Butler's presumed easy walk to Number 10 hasn't gone quite to plan. As part of the coalition agreement between the Green Alternative and Butler's Solidarity Union after the 2021 election, in exchange for Patrick Harvie remaining as Prime Minister it was agreed that - given the closeness of the results with the Greens winning 51 seats and Solidarity winning 50 seats - the pair would swap roles halfway through the term. That day comes today and the Federal Assembly is convening a special sitting to elect a new Prime Minister after Harvie formally notified the Speaker and President Blair of his intention to resign last week.

It is Andy Burnham, the Social Democratic Party leader, who has thrown the spanner in the works for Butler. After joining in both of Harvie's coalitions after the 2017 and 2021 elections, Burnham and the SDP have chosen to use this moment to flex their muscles to extract more concessions. The SDP's key demands are a renewed commitment to nuclear energy to help keep the cost of household bills low, a freeze to Air Passenger Duty and tougher controls on migration including a two-year freeze on skilled migrant visas and scrapping the planned cut in the minimum residency to claim benefits from 6 months to 3.

Burnham was initially thought to be prepared to back Christian Democratic Alliance leader Justine Greening for Number 10, after denying her approaches in both 2017 and 2021. With the Freedom Party offering their support, that would have paved the way for Burnham to become Deputy PM and wield far more influence than he does now. But now sources in Westminster say Burnham believes he can go one step further and move into Number 10 himself.

SDP sources have told the BBC that Burnham has met with both Alliance Party leader Susan Kramer and Freedom Party leader Nadine Dorries in his Westminster office today ahead of the Assembly voting at 5pm. Kramer's Alliance refused to back both the coalition and Greening in the 2021 vote, despite the last time they were in government - when they led it under David Laws between 2009 and 2017 - only happening because of the support of the Greens and Solidarity. The Alliance have not backed an SDP Prime Minister since 2001. The Freedom Party, despite providing votes to successful bids for the Prime Minister in the past, has never been in government.

It would be unprecedented for the SDP to form a government with the Alliance and the Freedom Party. It would be a gamble but it could be one that pays dividends. A coalition of the centre-left, the centre and right would be the most balanced government since Stephen Dorrell's in 2005 and it would install the first SDP Prime Minister for almost two decades. It sounds like a too good to be true scenario for Social Democrats. And it might just be that. Burnham can have as many discussions as he would like, but whether such a coalition could work in reality is unknown. Whether the three party's AMs are willing to take that gamble and vote for it is doubtful. And, even if they did, whether they'd be sure to win the vote in the Assembly this evening and send Burnham off to the Palace for an audience with the President is an entirely different question.

As AMs convene in the chamber it is not yet clear who will be nominated or who will be backing whom. All that is clear is that Dawn Butler, who was so confident just a week ago of walking into Number 10 today, will be doing anything but sitting comfortably in the chamber this afternoon.
 
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New PM: Burnham Takes Shock Win By 1 Vote
BBC News - 18 September 2023

SDP leader Andy Burnham will be Britain's next Prime Minister after sweeping to a shock 1 vote victory in the Federal Assembly's vote to choose a successor to Patrick Harvie as he leaves office after 6 years. Today's vote was expected to be a formality after the three coalition parties agreed in 2021 that Harvie and SDU leader Dawn Butler would swap jobs halfway through the term, but third partner Burnham demanded more concessions from Butler in exchange for his support.

In the end, after initially flirting with the idea of voting for CDA leader Justine Greening, Burnham chose to pursue the top job himself. Swift negotiations with the Alliance and Freedom Party seem to have resulted in a new three-way coalition. It will see the SDP take the premiership for the first time in 18 years, the Alliance return to government after 6 years and the Freedom Party enter government for the first time ever.

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Greening has offered her congratulations to Burnham and wished him luck. Dawn Butler has not yet commented and there is speculation that members of her party, and the Greens, are so incensed by Burnham's apparent betrayal of them that they may seek to bring a no confidence motion in the government to the Assembly as soon as possible in a bid to force an election. A bid that would be successful if they can get either the CDA or the BNP on board.

Patrick Harvie will shortly travel to Buckingham Palace to meet with President Blair and formally tender his resignation. Burnham will then make the same journey to be appointed, before going on to Downing Street to address the people directly for the first time. He will then begin the process of forming his new government. What the exact division of jobs will be between the parties is not known. All the SDP have confirmed so far is that Alliance leader Susan Kramer will become Deputy Prime Minister, in addition to an as yet unconfirmed departmental job, and Freedom Party leader Nadine Dorries will become Defence Secretary. How long any of them will last in their new jobs, if a no confidence vote becomes a reality, is anyone's guess.
 
Shadow Cabinet of Kemi Badenoch (December 2024)

PortfolioIncumbent
Leader of His Majesty's Most Loyal OppositionKemi Badenoch
Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office		James Cleverly
Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerMichael Gove
Shadow Foreign SecretaryGillian Keegan
Shadow Home SecretaryRanil Jayawardena
Shadow Justice Secretary
Shadow Women & Equalities Secretary		Suella Braverman
Shadow Defence SecretaryTom Tugendhat
Shadow Climate Change SecretaryMichelle Donelan
Shadow Business SecretaryAndrea Leadsom
Shadow International Trade SecretaryNus Ghani
Shadow Work & Pensions SecretaryAlex Burghart
Shadow Health SecretaryJo Churchill
Shadow Education SecretaryJoy Morrissey
Shadow Culture SecretaryHarriet Baldwin
Shadow Environment SecretaryRobert Courts
Shadow Levelling Up SecretaryEsther McVey
Shadow Transport SecretaryHuw Merriman
Shadow Northern Ireland SecretaryJulian Smith
Shadow Scotland SecretaryNeil Hudson
Shadow Wales SecretaryCraig Williams
Chairman of the Conservative Party
Shadow Minister without Portfolio		Paul Scully
Shadow Chief SecretarySteve Barclay
Shadow Attorney GeneralLucy Frazer
Shadow Leader of the House of CommonsPriti Patel
Shadow Leader of the House of LordsThe Lord True
Opposition Chief WhipRebecca Harris

Total Members: 26
Men: 13 (50%)​
Women: 13 (50%)​
 
ES1702 said:
Shadow Cabinet of Kemi Badenoch (December 2024)

PortfolioIncumbent
Leader of His Majesty's Most Loyal OppositionKemi Badenoch
Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office		James Cleverly
Shadow Chancellor of the ExchequerMichael Gove
Shadow Foreign SecretaryGillian Keegan
Shadow Home SecretaryRanil Jayawardena
Shadow Justice Secretary
Shadow Women & Equalities Secretary		Suella Braverman
Shadow Defence SecretaryTom Tugendhat
Shadow Climate Change SecretaryMichelle Donelan
Shadow Business SecretaryAndrea Leadsom
Shadow International Trade SecretaryNus Ghani
Shadow Work & Pensions SecretaryAlex Burghart
Shadow Health SecretaryJo Churchill
Shadow Education SecretaryJoy Morrissey
Shadow Culture SecretaryHarriet Baldwin
Shadow Environment SecretaryRobert Courts
Shadow Levelling Up SecretaryEsther McVey
Shadow Transport SecretaryHuw Merriman
Shadow Northern Ireland SecretaryJulian Smith
Shadow Scotland SecretaryNeil Hudson
Shadow Wales SecretaryCraig Williams
Chairman of the Conservative Party
Shadow Minister without Portfolio		Paul Scully
Shadow Chief SecretarySteve Barclay
Shadow Attorney GeneralLucy Frazer
Shadow Leader of the House of CommonsPriti Patel
Shadow Leader of the House of LordsThe Lord True
Opposition Chief WhipRebecca Harris

Total Members: 26
Men: 13 (50%)​
Women: 13 (50%)​
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I feel like Kemi would make a point of not having a gender balanced cabinet just to be seen to be fighting wokeism :p
 
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