2010 United Kingdom general election

The next general election to select Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom (UK) is expected in May 2010. The governing Labour Party under Prime Minister Gordon Brown will defend its win in the 2005 general election against the Opposition party, the Conservatives, led by David Cameron, the Leader of the Opposition. The three main national parties - Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats - will contest 650 seats using the first past the post voting system alongside smaller parties, including those fielding candidates only in particular regions, such as the Scottish National Party in Scotland. Northern Ireland, being part of the UK, also elects MPs, but these parties do not contest seats in Great Britain and are unchallenged by or stand under electoral pacts with parties in the rest of the UK.