Reviewing politics
and culture since 1913

  1. Politics
9 June 2017

General Election 2017: How many seats do the Conservatives need for a majority?

The Tories are predicted to fall short of an overall majority. What do they need?

By New Statesman

There are 650 seats in the House of Commons – as this election was fought before planned changes which would have reduced the number of seats to 600.

So the normal assumption is that a party needs 326 seats for an overall majority. However, in practice, Sinn Fein MPs – four in 2015, but that number is predicted to rise – do not take their seats, and the Speaker does not count.

Read more Election results: the Conservatives fall short of a majority, leading to a hung parliament

If the Conservatives fall short of 326, they could either try to form a coalition, arrange a looser “supply and confidence” arrangement – in which another party will support them for Budgets but not necessarily other legislation – or try to govern as a minority. In the case of the latter situation, the key test is whether a government can pass a Budget. If they cannot, it’s effectively a vote of no confidence.

Under the Fixed Term Parliament Act, if no party can form a government, then after two weeks, another election is called. We would go straight to another short campaign.

Content from our partners
The benefits of UK consulting go far beyond the economic
Energy storage must not be overlooked on the road to net zero 
Mental health: The productivity puzzle

Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month