On 4th July 2024, the UK Parliamentary election, also known as the general election, will take place. This is how the British public decides who they want to represent them in parliament. Let’s break down what a general election is, why it’s important, and how it all works.
What is a General Election?
A general election is a significant event where citizens of the UK vote to choose their Members of Parliament (MPs). These MPs will represent their interests and make decisions on their behalf. General elections typically occur every five years, although they can happen more frequently, if necessary, which is called a ‘snap election’. This one is happening earlier than the usual 5 years with special permission from King Charles III.
How do General Elections work?
The UK is split up into 650 of these areas called ‘constituencies’. You may have also heard of these being called ‘seats’, as a nod to those being elected being allowed a seat in the House of Commons. Each constituency has its own MP, voted for by the people living in that area. There are 32 constituencies in Wales, and you can find out which one you are in by searching for your postcode on the UK Parliament website.
Even though there are 650 elected MPs, there are actually only 427 physical seats in the House of Commons. If more than 427 MPs turn up to a debate, some of them will have to stand!
By splitting the UK up into these smaller areas, we can ensure that every part of the UK has a voice in Parliament, with each MP providing representation for the needs and concerns of the residents in their area.
The general election vote takes place on one day, across all 650 constituencies across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Votes are cast at polling stations. Each village, town and city will have at least one polling station.
Who Can Vote?
In the UK, you can vote in a general election if you:
- Are 18 years old or older.
- Are a British citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, or a qualifying Commonwealth citizen.
- Are registered to vote.
The people who aren’t allowed to vote are those under 18 years old, people in prison, and members of the House of Lords.
Voting Rights for 16-Year-Olds
In the UK, the general voting age is 18. However, there are some important exceptions:
- Scottish Parliament
- The Welsh Senedd
- Local Elections
In Scotland and Wales, 16- and 17-year-olds are allowed to vote in elections for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd, as well as in local council elections. This means that young people in these parts of the UK have a say in many important decisions that affect their daily lives.
There are ongoing campaigns to lower the voting age to 16 for all elections across the UK. Supporters argue that young people are engaged, informed, and deserve a say in their future. The Green Party, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru all support lowering the voting age for all elections to 16.
Devolved Powers
Wales has its own government, the Welsh Government, which has powers over certain areas like health, education, and local government. This government operates separately from the UK Government and is based in Cardiff. The Welsh Parliament, known as Senedd Cymru (the Senedd), provides the main democratic scrutiny of Welsh Government, including when passing new laws for Wales within devolved powers.
Key Issues for Wales
Wales has specific issues that often come up in elections, such as:
- The future of the Welsh language and culture.
- Investment in infrastructure and public services.
- Health services, particularly in rural areas.
- Economic development and employment opportunities.
The Role of the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is the head of the UK government. After a general election, the leader of the political party that can command a majority of votes amongst MPs elected to the House of Commons is invited by the monarch to become the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister leads the government and makes key decisions about running the country.
Political Parties
Political parties are groups of people who share similar ideas about how the country should be governed. Here are some of the parties in the UK that you may have heard of:
- The Conservative Party
- The Labour Party
- The Liberal Democrats
- The Scottish National Party (SNP)
- The Green Party
- Plaid Cymru
- Reform UK
Each party creates a manifesto, which is a document outlining their plans and promises if they win the election.
You do not have to be a member of a political party to be a candidate in a constituency, but in practice most people who get elected are.
Policies That Affect Children
Political parties often have specific policies aimed at improving the lives of children and young people. Here are some of the policies each party would look to implement that would affect the lives of children and young people:
Conservative Party:
- Banning the use of mobile phones during the school day.
- Mandate two hours of PE every week in primary and secondary schools.
- Establish clear age-limits on what children can be taught on Relationships, Sex and Health Education
- National Service will be compulsory
- Create more places in children’s homes
- Consult on introducing further parental controls over access to social media
Labour Party:
- Introduce a new offence of criminal exploitation of children, to go after the gangs who are luring young people into violence and crime
- Introduce new legal safeguards around strip-searching children and young people
- Ban vapes from being branded and advertised
- Every young person caught in possession of a knife will be referred to a Youth Offending Team and will receive a mandatory plan to prevent reoffending, with penalties including curfews, tagging, and custody for the most serious cases
- Ensure schools address misogyny and teach young people about healthy relationships and consent
- Ensure that young people presenting to the NHS with gender dysphoria are receiving appropriate and high-quality care
- Give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections
- Improve careers advice in schools and colleges
Liberal Democrats
- Introducing an emergency scheme to guarantee access to free NHS dental check-ups for children
- Opening walk-in hubs for children and young people in every community to improve access to mental health services
- Providing supervised toothbrushing training for children in nurseries and schools
- Introducing regulations to halt the dangerous use of vapes by children
- Support children in kinship care and their family carers by introducing a statutory definition of kinship care and building on the existing pilot to develop a weekly allowance for all kinship carers
- Make care experience a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 to strengthen the rights of people who are in or have been in care.
Green Party:
- Reform of the UK’s counterproductive drug laws to allow the UK to move towards a legally regulated market that stops criminal supply and profiteering, and that reduces harm including by preventing children from accessing drugs
- Campaign for funding to allow community hubs and primary care to provide a roll-out of free dental nursing for children
- More accessible and prompt mental health needs assessments for children and adolescents
- Schools to involve children in growing, preparing and cooking food, as part of the core curriculum, so that they recognise and understand how to use basic fresh produce
- Children and young people are never strip-searched without an appropriate adult present, and only in very exceptional circumstances.
- Fostered young people can choose to stay with foster parents until they are 21
Plaid Cymru:
- Increase child benefit by £20 per week for all children
- Ensure that all children have access to quality Welsh language teaching to enable them to achieve fluency through their school life
- Increase the availability of degree apprenticeships in the healthcare sector to provide greater opportunities for young people to enter the profession and remain in Wales to work
- The school curriculum should equip young people with an understanding of climate challenges and encourage a philosophy of engaging with climate change and the natural world.
- Investigate a scheme for Young Peoples bus passes, encouraging them to get used to using public transport, wherever they are in Wales
Reform UK
- Make child grooming an aggravating offence.
- Ban Transgender Ideology in Primary and Secondary Schools
- Double the number of Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) to allow for permanent exclusions for violent and disruptive students
- Promote Child Friendly App Restricted Smartphones
- Reopen High Intensity Training Camps for young offenders to tackle youth crime.
These are just a few short snippets from each of the above parties’ manifestos. It is also worth remembering that the parties may have views about devolved issues, so what they want to happen in the UK might not necessarily happen in Wales. If you’re interested in seeing what each political party has to say about your lives, and your future, all the manifestos are available to view online.
The Electoral System
The UK uses a system called First Past the Post. In this system, the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins a seat in parliament. This system is simple but can sometimes lead to debates about fairness and representation. For example, a party may get a lot of votes, but not win the majority vote in their individual constituencies meaning that they are not represented in parliament.
Conclusion
Understanding the general election is essential for anyone interested in how the UK is governed. It’s a fundamental part of democracy, allowing citizens to influence their leaders and the direction of the country. Whether you’re close to voting age or just curious, knowing how elections work helps you appreciate the importance of participation and informed decision-making.
Remember, each vote is a voice in the future of the country. One day, you might be casting your vote or even running to become a Member of Parliament yourself! And for those in Wales, your vote is crucial in shaping the local and national future of Wales. So, get informed, stay engaged, and make your voice heard!
The Children’s Legal Centre Wales is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supportive of any political party. We maintain a strictly neutral stance and are dedicated to providing information, legal education, and enhancing children’s rights across Wales.