David Floyd looks forward to the upcoming elections for Mayor of London, the London Assembly and the House of Commons

The UK houses of parliament, viewed from across the road at the top of The Mall — The palace of Westminster – home to the UK’s houses of parliament

As we enter 2024 it’s a big year for elections – at least, it probably is. Unless something as dramatic as the global pandemic that postponed the previous scheduled election in 2020 happens this year, there will definitely be an election for Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

That means Londoners will get to decide on whether to vote for four more years of Sadiq Khan at City Hall and Barnet residents will get to vote on whether to keep current assembly member, Anne Clarke.

However, there is also likely to be a general election. UK parliaments run for a maximum of five years, so the last possible date that an election can be called is 17th December 2024, in which case the general election would take place 25 working days late on 28th January 2025.

But it’s more likely that a general election will be called sooner than that – with either May (potentially on the same day as the London elections) or November being likely options.

The two main reasons why an election is likely to be held during 2024 rather than at the last possible date in 2025 are: (a) that prime minister Rishi Sunak decides that an earlier vote gives his party a better chance of getting a good result or (b) political divisions within the government become so bad that it is impossible for it to continue to govern.

Reason (a) is the main reason why most UK elections are held before the latest possible point but, in the current situation, reason (b) is a definite possibility.

More info here on: the London Mayoral Election, the Barnet and Camden London Assembly seat, changes to the electoral process and the constituency battles in Chipping Barnet, Finchley and Golders Green, Hendon and Hornsey and Friern Barnet.

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