What you need to know about the upcoming general election
Why is there going to be a general election?
After the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal was rejected by Members of Parliament (MPs), they voted for a general election on December 12th.
The aim of the general election is for one party to achieve a majority of MPs so that they can make decisions on national issues, including Brexit.
What does that mean?
On December 12th, every British citizen over the age of 18, along with some Irish and Commonwealth Citizens (see for more info) will be invited to vote for the candidate in their constituency who they want to represent them in Parliament. To be able to vote, you will need to be on the electoral register.
The party that wins the most constituencies will decide the next Prime Minister of the UK - unless a group of other parties who win more between them join together to form a coalition.
How it will affect me?
The successful party will be responsible for what happens next with Brexit. They will have control over issues which will affect you, such as how much things cost, how easy it is to travel, and what your employment and consumer rights are.
Brexit isn't the only issue at stake. The election will decide who funds the education of students, how our country moves towards a more sustainable future, our relationship with the European Union, and more. This makes it vital that you have your say on who you think is the right party for you. Don't leave it up to everyone else.
How to register
You can register to vote here. It takes less than 5 minutes and will make a huge difference to your future. Simply enter your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number, which you can find either on your payslip or by calling Student Finance England.
You can only vote once, but as a student, you can register at both your home and university addresses so that no matter where you are on election day, you can make your voice heard.
You have until 23:59 on Tuesday 26th November to register.
If you don’t think you will be able to vote in person on election day, you can easily apply for a postal or proxy ballot. You can sign up for these options when you register to vote.
For more information visit www.gov.uk/registertovote
