Millions Across Great Britain to Vote May 7, Scottish and Welsh Parliaments See Electoral Changes

Millions of people are eligible to vote in elections across Great Britain on 7 May. These include contests for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, alongside council and mayoral elections in parts of England. Candidates have been announced, with the registration deadline set for 23:59 on 20 April.

Scottish Parliament Elections

All 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament are up for election. The current largest party is the Scottish National Party (SNP), led by John Swinney. In the 2021 election, the SNP secured all but one seat needed for a majority. Seventy-three Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) are elected through a first-past-the-post system in individual constituencies. The remaining 56 MSPs represent eight regions, with seven members elected from each region via a form of proportional representation. Boundary alterations mean some constituencies have been renamed and reshaped for this election cycle.

Welsh Parliament Electoral Overhaul

The Welsh Parliament is undergoing a substantial expansion, increasing from 60 to 96 seats, coupled with the introduction of a new electoral system. Constituency and regional boundaries are being redrawn, replaced by 16 new constituencies. Each of these new constituencies will elect six members through a proportional representation system. Following the 2021 election, Labour held half of the seats in the Welsh Parliament.

English Council and Mayoral Contests

More than 5,000 councillors are seeking election across 136 councils on 7 May, encompassing district, metropolitan, unitary, and county councils. All London boroughs will hold elections, with further contests in the West Midlands, the North West, and other scattered areas across England. Six county council elections are scheduled, three in East Anglia and three in the South East. Labour is defending over 2,500 seats, the Conservatives more than 1,300, and the Liberal Democrats just under 700. Most of these seats were last contested in 2022, a period when Reform UK had a minimal presence. Additionally, six council mayoral positions are up for election, with five in London and one in Watford.