How and when could an election be called?

September Scenario A

PM calls an early election under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, supported by two-thirds of MPs

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Election called

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

25 working days until election can be held

16

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

October

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Earliest possible date an election could be held is 14 October, but due to Jewish holiday of Sukkot it would probably be on 15 October

21

22

28

29

30

31

UK leaves

the EU

September Scenario B

Government loses a confidence vote (which it may have to call)

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Vote of no confidence, government loses

Opposition has 14 days to form a new government

9

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

28

29

25 working days until election can be held

30

October

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

29 October is the earliest possible date election could be held

14

19

20

21

26

27

28

29

30

31

UK leaves

the EU

September Scenario A

September Scenario B

PM calls an early election under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, supported by two-thirds of MPs

Government loses a confidence vote (which it may have to call)

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

1

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Election called

Vote of no confidence, government loses

Opposition has 14 days to form a new government

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

9

15

25 working days until election can be held

16

20

21

22

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

23

28

29

25 working days until election can be held

30

30

Earliest possible date an election could be held is 14 October, but due to Jewish holiday of Sukkot it would probably be on 15 October

October

October

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

6

29 October is the earliest possible date election could be held

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

7

12

13

14

15

16

19

20

14

15

16

19

20

European

council

European

council

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

28

29

30

31

UK leaves

the EU

UK leaves

the EU