A hung Parliament occurs when no single political party has a majority of seats in the House of Commons.
Does the largest party automatically form the government?
Not simply because it is the largest. The central constitutional question is who can command the confidence of the House of Commons. The party with the most seats will often be best placed to do so, but the parliamentary arithmetic and agreements between parties matter.
What happens immediately after the election?
If the result is unclear, the incumbent Prime Minister remains in office initially while it becomes clear who can command confidence. The monarch is not expected to become involved in party negotiations.
Possible outcomes
- Minority government: one party governs without holding a majority of Commons seats.
- Coalition: two or more parties formally agree to govern together.
- Confidence and supply: another party agrees to support the government on confidence votes and key financial business without joining a formal coalition.
What does “confidence” mean?
A government must be able to retain the confidence of the House to remain in office. Confidence is closely connected to its ability to survive key Commons votes and obtain parliamentary authority for supply — public spending.
Recent examples
The 2010 general election produced a hung Parliament and was followed by a Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition. The 2017 election also produced a hung Parliament; the Conservatives formed a minority administration supported by a confidence-and-supply agreement with the DUP.
Is another election automatic?
No. A hung Parliament does not itself trigger another general election. The immediate task is to establish whether an administration can command Commons confidence.
Sources and further reading
UK Parliament: Hung Parliament ↗ · House of Commons Library: Commanding confidence ↗