Who can call a snap election in UK? Process explained as Jeremy Hunt replaces Kwasi Kwarteng under Liz Truss

In her victory speech after being appointed as the new leader of the Tory party, current Prime Minister Liz Truss appeared to rule out the possibility of a snap poll, stating: “We will deliver a great victory for the Conservative Party in 2024.”

However, since becoming Prime Minister on 8 September, a lot has changed for Truss - today alone, she confirmed that she would be reversing her policy to scrap the planned rise in corporation tax from 19% to 25%, and replaced Kwasi Kwarteng with Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

When asked during a press conference today, Friday 14 October, whether she should resign, Truss replied that she is “absolutely determined to see through what I have promised,” and that she will “always act in the national interest”.

As part of her plan to remain in power, it’s possible that Truss could trigger a snap election - this is what you need to know.

What is a snap election?

Simply put, a snap election is an election that is called earlier than the one that has been scheduled. Snap elections are called so that the public can go to the polls without a long campaign period - they’re generally called on by the government looking to solve a pressing issue, or to capitalise on an usual electoral opportunity.

Until 2011, Prime Ministers were able to call an election whenever they pleased, as long as it was within five years of the last one - then, under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011, a general election had to be held every five years on the first Thursday of May.

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011 was repealed earlier this year by the Government with the new Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022, which states that the latest date parliament can be dissolved as “the beginning of the day that is the fifth anniversary of the day on which it first met”, with the election itself being held within 25 working days of that date.

The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 means that elections still have to be held no more than five years apart, but the timing of the election can be determined by the Prime Minister.

The next general election is scheduled to be held in December 2024, which is five years after the snap election that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson triggered in December 2019.

Who can call a snap election?

The power to call a snap election lies with the current Prime Minister, so, currently Liz Truss. Snap elections usually result in increased majorities for the party that’s currently in power, as the Prime Minister tends to call them at times when they are advantageous for themselves.

However, snap elections can also backfire on the Prime Minister, as they can also result in a decreased majority or, in some cases, the opposition winning or gaining power. The snap election held by then Prime Minister Thersea May in 2017 backfired for the Tories when she lost her majority, with voting leading to a hung parliament.

To call for the dissolution of Parliament, the Prime Minister would have to essentially request King Charles III to dissolve Parliament. Previously, under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, snap elections could be called when the Government loses a confidence motion, or when a two-third majority of MPs voted in favour.

Will one be called?

Truss has faced mounting demands to call a snap election, including from Tory MP Nadine Dorries. She challenged Truss online by suggesting that the new Prime Minister’s policies were not what was voted for when the Conservatives won in the 2019 election.

Taking to Twitter on 3 October, Dorries tweeted: “Widespread dismay at the fact that 3 years of work has effectively been put on hold. No one asked for this. [Channel 4] sale, online safety, BBC licence fee review - all signed off by cabinet ready to go, all stopped. If Liz wants a whole new mandate, she must take to the country.”

During her second PMQs as leader on Wednesday (12 October), however, Truss appeared to dismiss any potential of a snap election - despite opinion polls suggesting that the country wants otherwise.

Labour MP Matt Western said: “Two recent polls [show] 60% of this country wants an immediate general election. The Prime Minister claims she’s in listening mode - will she give way to the public?”

To which Truss replied: “Mr Speaker, I think the last thing we need is a general election.”