The United Kingdom’s 2024 Election

Summary:

Polls indicate that the opposition Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, is likely to win the general election scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom (UK) on July 4, 2024. The Conservative Party has led the UK government for the past 14 years, first under Prime Minister David Cameron (2010-2016), followed by Theresa May (2016-2019), Boris Johnson (2019-2022), Liz Truss (2022), and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (since 2022). Labour last governed under Prime Ministers Gordon Brown (2007-2010) and Tony Blair (1997-2007).

The Conservatives’ tenure in government has been defined to a large extent by the party’s support for Brexit, the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU) in 2020 following a national referendum in 2016. A number of factors have eroded public support for the Conservatives, including a sluggish economy, the rising cost of living, the perceived decline of public services including the National Health Service (NHS), a series of scandals, and party infighting over issues such as taxes and immigration.

The Labour Party appears poised to capitalize on this sense of disillusionment; a 2024 study of voter attitudes in the UK found public trust and confidence in government at record lows. Some analysts observe that since Starmer became Labour Party leader in 2020, he has sought to shift the party’s policy positions from the left toward the center. In a 2023 manifesto, the Labour Party announced that its priorities in government would consist of boosting economic growth, developing clean energy, combatting crime, improving the education system, and reforming the NHS.