
The calendar
Upcoming elections
What is scheduled, what is only a deadline, and what is merely expected — the difference matters, so it is stated on every entry.
Local elections
Fixed date6 May 2027
All local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, a tranche of English councils, and several directly elected English mayoralties. The Northern Ireland Assembly election is expected on the same day.
265
days
Northern Ireland Assembly election
Expected6 May 2027
Expected to be held alongside the 2027 local elections.
265
days
United Kingdom general election
Latest possible date15 August 2029
The latest possible date under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022. A Prime Minister may call one at any point before this.
1,097
days
Already decided
Contests that shaped this Parliament
By-elections and scheduled contests since 2024 — the only real-world tests of the polling picture.
- 13 August 2026
Farage holds Clacton on 63.3%
Clacton by-election
Nigel Farage resigned his seat on 8 July amid scrutiny of his personal finances and undeclared gifts, then re-contested it. Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Restore Britain all stood aside, leaving the novelty candidate Count Binface as runner-up on 26.9%. Turnout fell 13.6 points to 44.4%; majority 12,784.
- 18 June 2026
Burnham returns to the Commons
Makerfield by-election
Held so Andy Burnham could re-enter Parliament and stand for the Labour leadership, party rules requiring any candidate to be an MP. Restore Britain took 6.8% and third place, ahead of the Conservatives.
SourceWikipedia — 2026 Makerfield by-election (18 June 2026)
- 26 February 2026
Greens win their first ever Westminster by-election
Gorton and Denton by-election
Hannah Spencer took the seat on 41% with a majority above 4,000 — the party had never previously exceeded 10% in a by-election. Reform UK second, Labour third. Green membership passed 200,000 within days.
SourceWikipedia — 2026 in United Kingdom politics and government (26 February 2026)
- 7 May 2026
Three sets of elections on one day
Local, Scottish Parliament and Senedd elections
UK local elections were held alongside the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd elections — the first nationwide test of the post-2024 party landscape.
SourceWikipedia — 2026 United Kingdom local elections (7 May 2026)