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Explained in plain English

When was the last hung parliament?

The UK last had a hung parliament in 2010. No single party won enough seats to form a majority government on its own. This meant the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had to form a coalition, with David Cameron as Prime Minister. This situation can arise when polls, like the YouGov one today, show close results between parties.

Stories that explain this

Labour drops three points in YouGov poll, Conservatives gain

Questions this opens up

How is a hung parliament formed? What happens after a hung parliament? Which other countries have coalitions?

Related explainers

Why do conferences affect polls? What is first past the post? What if no party wins outright? Can Reform UK actually win? When did an American last win? When did Arsenal last win the league? When did Brazil last win? England's last World Cup win

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