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How To Visit the U.K. Parliament in 2024: Tickets, Hours, and Tours

Eddie Saint-Jean Last Updated: April 30, 2024

The U.K. Parliament in London has a fascinating history dating back to 1215 when disgruntled barons made King John sign the Magna Carta making him subject to the rule of law. This paved the way for the beginnings of Parliament in 1265 under Simon De Montfort. Getting into the Houses of Parliament is not straightforward, so we’ve put together this guide to help you plan. Here’s how to visit the U.K. Parliament.

Pro Tip:  Planning what to do on your trip to London? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. Check out our  guide to London  for more planning resources, our  top London tours  for a memorable trip, and the  top things to do in London .

Visiting the U.K. Parliament: What We’ll Cover

The U.K. Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster, has a long history with many interesting traditions that are still maintained today. The popular Guy Fawkes Day originates from events that took place here in 1605 when the Catholic zealot Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

While it is possible to visit the Houses of Parliament, you cannot simply walk in and wander around due to strict security. In this guide, discover what you need to know to visit the U.K. Parliament. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Opening hours and tickets
• How much time to budget for your visit
• What to see at the U.K. Parliament
• Facts and history of the U.K. Parliament
• Places to eat nearby

U.K. Parliament Opening Hours and Tickets

Despite its high-profile politicians and tight security, visitors are allowed inside Parliament for specific purposes: guided tours, certainly, as well as Committee Room events, parliamentary debates, or Prime Minister’s Questions. But its high security means you cannot just wander around unguided or without a specific invite or ticket.

Opening Hours:

The U.K. Parliament or Palace of Westminster is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

You have a choice of guided tours and multimedia tours. Multimedia tours allow you up to 90 minutes inside Parliament buildings using their audio guides. The guided tours last 75 minutes. All tours mostly take place on weekdays and Saturdays.

There are 3 tours you can pick from:

Speaker’s House Tour

If you’re curious about the role of the Speaker of the House, the highest authority of the House of Commons, , this tour is for you. . You’ll have the opportunity to visit the State Apartments of Speaker’s House, where official business is conducted and the Speaker resides.

Ticket Prices: The Speaker’s House Tour costs £20 for Adults, while Young Adults (16 – 18 years old) pay £12. Concessions (Over-6os, students, and U.K. Armed Forces) are £12.

Self-Guided Audio Tour of the Palace of Westminster

Ideal for independent explorers, this tour offers a self-paced experience. With the multimedia device as your guide, you’ll navigate renowned areas like medieval Westminster Hall, the renowned House of Commons Chamber, majestic House of Lords Chamber, and other iconic spaces.

Ticket Prices: Adults £26 (£28 on the day), Young adults (16-24) £19 (£21 on the day), Children (5-15) free (£9* on the day), Concessions (UK Armed Forces) £19 (£21 on the day), and free tickets available for visitors with disabilities and their essential companions

Guided Tours of the Palace of Westminster

Explore the rich history and function of the UK Parliament with an expert guide. You’ll explore the House of Commons, House of Lords, and Westminster Hall and learn about the captivating history, art, and architecture, as well as gaining insights into the current workings of the Houses of Commons and Lords.

Ticket Prices: The guided tour costs £33 for adults (£35 on the day), £27 (£29 on the day) for young adults (16-24), £17 (£19 on the day) for children. Concessions (UK Armed Forces) £27 (£29 on the day), and visitors with a disability can book a free ticket for their essential companion.

Also, access is more likely during Easter, summer, and Christmas, when Parliament is not in session. Still, visits are allowed at selected times even when Parliament is in session. You can book time slots for either multimedia or guided tours as long as they are between 9 am and 4:15 pm.

Contact the ticket offices at Portcullis House, Victoria Embankment for further information on guided tours in French, Spanish, Italian, and German, all of which are available on selected dates. 

Visits Without Tours:

There are three options. Firstly, you can watch the Prime Minister’s Questions or Minister’s Questions without a guide. These take place in the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Secondly, you can see a parliamentary debate or a committee at work. Thirdly, there are parliamentary talks, events, petitions, and Private Members’ Bills where visitors are permitted.

Address: Palace of Westminster

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How Long To Spend at the U.K. Parliament

Short answer: 75 minutes for a guided tour; 90 minutes for the multimedia tour.

Your tour includes visits to the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and Westminster Hall. This talk covers the history of the building, the creation of Parliament, and the democratic and legislative processes within Parliament today. Since both tours are for set times, you’re unlikely to run over.

However, if you’re attending a separate ticketed parliamentary event, it all depends on the times for the event itself.

What To See in and Near the U.K. Parliament 

• Commons Chamber: Prime Minister’s Question Time, Parliamentary debates
• The Lords Chamber: Question Time, Debates, and Legislation Work
• The House of Lords Committee Rooms: Select Committee work
• The Parliamentary Archives 
• The Churchill Arch
• Statues in the Palace
• The Speaker’s Chair
• The Royal Gallery
• Central Lobby
• The Cloisters
• Parliament Square (includes statues of Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, and Winston Churchill)
• Auguste Rodin’s sculpture The Burghers of Calais (in Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament)

Facts and History of the U.K. Parliament

• The Houses of Parliament are also known as the Palace of Westminster. 
• Westminster Hall was built in 1097 by William II, son of William the Conqueror. It was the biggest and grandest hall in Europe at that time. It’s the oldest building in the Houses of Parliament.
• The first English Parliament was held in 1265, when French nobleman Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, led a group of rebellious barons seeking representational democracy and the curbing of Henry III’s absolute power. 
• The medieval parliament burned down in 1834. The fire destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster. 
• Oliver Cromwell was sworn in as Lord Protector in Westminster Hall. He was anti-royal but was sworn in wearing regal-looking robes. 
• In 1605, a zealot Catholic called Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. He was caught in the House of Lords basement with barrels of gunpowder.
• The Queen is banned from the House of Commons. This convention was introduced in 1642 after King Charles I entered the Commons with soldiers to try and arrest five MPs for treason.
• A parliamentary official with the title Black Rod has the Commons door ceremoniously slammed in his face before the Queen’s Speech. After this ritual, he bangs on the door three times with his rod. This traditional act occurs when he summons MPs from the Commons Chambers to hear the Queen’s Speech. The slamming of the door represents the independence of the Commons.

Places To Eat Nearby

There’s a café in the Palace of Westminster. But you’re just as likely to find healthy, filling snacks and meals—and perhaps rub shoulders with politicians—in the nearby cafés and restaurants. For more options, check out the full list of best restaurants nearby .

Jubilee Café : £££ | Coffee Shop —This café in Westminster Hall has a selection of snacks, paninis, and sandwiches, plus pastries, sweets, and cakes. The quaint English Jubilee cream tea is a visitor favourite, but there’s also barista coffee and other beverages.

Riverside Café : ££ | River Views —This is a short but soul-lifting walk through parklands known as Victory Tower Gardens, and then over Lambeth Bridge. The café has the best views of Parliament and the Thames river compared to other eateries in the area. It serves a full English Breakfast, of course, as well as pizza, burgers, baguettes, salads, and hot and cold beverages.

The Cinnamon Club : £££+ | Former Victorian Library —There’s an elegant and exclusive atmosphere to this classy Indian restaurant. The curry, seafood, and soup dishes have a gourmet touch. Traditional English game such as venison is served in an artisanal Indian culinary style. There are a few menu surprises, too, like snake!

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16-24s go free on available tours up until 11th December - choose your tour and book your free ticket now!

UK Parliament: English Guided Tour

Uk parliament, london. saturday 22 june 2024.

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Posted on 14th June 2023 Categories Things to do

By: Author Julianna Barnaby

Want to Visit the Houses of Parliament on a Tour? Here’s How…

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Planning to visit the Houses of Parliament and not sure where to start? Check out this step by step guide to the types of tours, ticket prices and what to expect before you go. 

The Houses of Parliament are more than just an iconic London landmark. They function as the heart of British power. 

Set in the Palace of Westminster, a Victorian Neo-Gothic affair on the banks of the Thames, the 1000+ rooms of the palace count among them two of the most important locations in UK politics – the House of Commons and House of Lords. 

Little wonder then that visiting the Houses of Parliament is one of the first things that people think of when visiting London. 

Who wouldn’t want to take a peek at the innards of authority, the place where decisions that shape the lives of British citizens are made on a daily basis? We certainly did for sure. 

Having taken a Houses of Parliament tour previously, we can honestly say that it is one of the most fascinating things we’ve done in London full stop. This coming from a team that spends a lot of time researching and writing about London, and who’s as reticent to give out high praise as Scrooge was to give out money before his Christmas Carol transformation. 

In other words – you should totally go. 

The difficult thing is knowing where to start. That’s why we’ve written this guide to walk you through the options for visiting with and without a tour, the different kinds of Houses of Parliament tours available, where to get tickets and what to expect when you do. 

Do I Have to Book a Tour to Visit the Houses of Parliament? 

Usually, no. But it’s best to book in advance or you risk being turned away. 

There are several ways that you can usually visit the Houses of Parliament without booking a tour – the main ones are: 

• Watch a debate or a committee

Watch Prime Minister’s Questions 

• Watch Minister’s Question Times in the House of Commons or House of Lords 
• Book onto one of Parliament’s special events or talks.

You do not have to book tickets for the first three, although it is advisable to book tickets for Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) as it is very popular and you are not guaranteed entry without a ticket. 

We will go into more detail on each of these in the section “Visiting the Houses of Parliament Without a Tour” below if you want to know more info but we thought it was worth dealing with the tours first as this is what we’ve been asked most questions about.

Choosing Which Houses of Parliament Tour to Book 

There are several different types of Houses of Parliament tour that you could go on – we’ve given you a breakdown of each of them as well as options for how to get your hands on tickets and (where relevant) lead times for each.

Houses of Parliament Guided Tour

This is a 90-minute guided tour of the Houses of Parliament for which you have to pay. 

The tours are usually held on weekdays when Parliament is not in session and most Saturdays throughout the year. They go at a slow pace, allowing you to soak in the architecture and history of the buildings. 

These tours also held in French, Spanish, German and Italian on selected dates.

Cost: £32 for adults, £16 for kids, £26 for concessions, Disabled visitors are charged as per the above but an essential companion is free. 

How to Get Tickets: For the latest information on when these tours will return, click here .

Rather take things at your own pace instead of going on a group tour but still want to explore the Palace of Westminster? You should consider an audio tour. 

The 90-minute audio tour provides a wealth of information about the buildings and the politics that happen within Parliament’s walls – in audio and video formats. 

It’s also available in a much wider range of languages than the guided tours and there are different versions for children and adults. 

Cost: £25 for adults, £9 for kids, £18.00 for concessions, under 5s free. Disabled visitors are charged as per the above but an essential companion is free. 

How to Get Tickets: Get your tickets for Parliament before they sell out here .

Private Guided Tours 

Want to explore in a private group? Book a private guided tour. 

On the face of it, the £500 fee looks pretty steep but when you consider that it covers up to 10 people for a completely tailored tour, it doesn’t actually look so bad after all.

You’ll have to enquire about this privately as you can’t book online, but the tours generally begin first thing in the morning (Monday to Wednesday) and last around 75 minutes. 

Cost: Starts from £500 per group of up to 10 people 

How to Book: For bookings of 10 people or more, contact [email protected]

How to Take a Tour of the Houses of Parliament for Free

Did you know that UK residents can visit the Houses of Parliament for Free?

Scrap that, if you’re a UK resident, you can take a Democratic Access Tour of the Houses of Parliament for Free. 

We’ve taken one of these tours and it was riveting – 75 minutes of sights and information that had every single person fixed on every word our tour guide Sean had to say. 

The locations you cover during the tour depend on what’s happening on the day  – we were lucky enough to visit both houses (we literally squeaked into the House of Lords just in time). 

The tour is informative and educational, walking you through the daily business of MPs while they’re in the houses, the procedures that govern them and showcases the highlights of the Palace of Westminster along the way. 

We cannot recommend this enough – if you’re a UK resident and capable of getting to London, do it. 

The decisions that are made here influence every aspect of your life – not in an obscure and difficult to define fashion, but directly and with significant impact. Taking the time to understand how it works is never going to be a bad idea. 

How to Get Tickets: 

You have to be a UK resident to book one of the Houses of Parliament free tours. You’ll need to book through your local MP or a Member of the House of Lords to book up to six months in advance. 

There are often last-minute Houses of Parliament tickets available (within the next seven days) – you can email Parliament to book a space on one of them, or pop into the Ticket Office in front of Portcullis House. 

More information can be found here

Behind the Scenes Houses of Parliament Guided Tour 

This tour isn’t run by Parliament itself and is significantly more expensive than the standard guided tours we included above. 

So why are we listing it? Because it’s a much more in-depth and intimate tour that allows you to really immerse yourself in the world of Parliament past and present. 

In the course of two hours, you explore sections of the Palace of Westminster – including several places that aren’t covered by the other tours. 

This is really a tour for those who want to get down to the nitty gritty of the history and architecture of the Houses of Parliament and want to do it as part of a smaller group. 

Cost: £65 Adults, £59 Children (4-12), Infants three and under are free. 

How to get Tickets: Book online on Get Your Guide

Take a Virtual Tour

Can’t make your way to Parliament right now? Don’t stress. You can take a virtual tour of the buildings online. You’ll walk your virtual self through the corridors of power. It’s not the same as being there in person, but at least you don’t have to get off the sofa. 

Cost: Absolutely free. Hurrah.

How to get Tickets: Book online here.

Visiting the Houses of Parliament Without a Tour

Now you’ve got a good grasp of the kinds of tours that you can take of the Houses of Parliament, We’re going to walk you through the ways that you can usually visit Parliament without a tour. 

It’s probably worth noting that you’re not allowed to just walk around the Palace of Westminster unguided (unless you’re doing an audio tour), so if you want to look around the buildings and learn about their history, a guided or audio tour are the only ways to do it. 

Watch a Debate or Committee 

MPs in the House of Commons and Peers in the House of Lords debate issues and proposed legislation on a daily basis – all of which anyone is able to view from the public galleries of the respective houses. 

In addition to this, both houses also hold committee meetings examine issues in detail on subjects large and small – all of which are open to the public. 

Though the waiting times vary dependent on the popularity / contentiousness of the subject, you are normally able to just turn up and hop into the queue for both debates and committee meetings.

The visitor attendants can give you a good idea of how long you can expect to wait when you arrive. 

How to Get Tickets: Not ticketed, just turn up and queue . 

Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) happens every Wednesday at 12pm when Parliament is in session.

Even before the explosive events of the past few years, PMQs has always been the most popular event at Parliament, which is why it’s a ticketed event. 

How to Get Tickets: Contact your local MP to request a ticket. If you’re not a UK resident or you haven’t booked a ticket in advance you can turn up on the day and try your luck but the pool of seats available is small. Not currently running but keep your eyes peeled on the website.

Watch Minister’s Question Time

This happens in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords – generally at the beginning of the day Monday to Thursday and you can go and watch it from the public galleries of the respective houses. 

Cost: Free 

How to Get Tickets: You can contact your local MP to request a ticket or turn up on the day. Minister’s Question Time can be popular, but it’s generally OK to turn up on the day. Not currently running but check the website for updates.

Book a Special Event or Talk

There’s so much going on at Parliament – they really take their role of educating the public about aspects of life in Parliament, the history of the buildings and issues we face as a country.

The only problem is… only a select number of people know about them, buried as they are in an obscure section of Parliament’s website. 

Now,  you know that we’re full-on geeky (we’ve learnt to embrace it), but the subject range is fascinating. These are the kinds of talks that if you put them on TED Talks millions of people would be watching them, but when it’s Parliament… they’re hardly the talk of the town.

Don’t get us wrong – they still sell out but when’s the last time you saw them on a list of interesting things to do in London this week. It’s a shame – we want to thoroughly encourage you to go and check out the calendar and book onto any that interest you. 

At the moment, these talks are all virtual. Current ones on the calendar include The Elizabeth Tower’s Conservation and How UK Parliament Works – a great place to start if you’re looking to learn more about Parliament.

Cost: Varies – most are free

How to Get Tickets: Check the Calendar of Upcoming Events and book tickets (mostly free) online.

Houses of Parliament and the Palace of Westminster: Frequently Asked Questions

They actually refer to the same place. The Palace of Westminster, where the Houses of Parliament are based today, actually used to be a royal palace: Henry VIII was the last monarch to use it as such.  These days, it’s no longer a royal palace and serves as a meeting place for the House of Commons and House of Lords, together: the Houses of Parliament.

Yes, you can go into the Houses of Parliament – either on a tour, to go and see a debate or committee, to watch Prime Minister’s Questions or Minister’s Questions, to attend a talk or event or to go and petition your MP.  You can’t, however, just walk around and see the inside of the Palace of Westminster unguided. 

Yes, you can visit the Houses of Parliament for free by going to watch a debate, Prime Minister’s Questions or Ministers Questions in the appropriate house. You can also book a spot on one of the free Democratic Access Tours run by Parliament on a frequent basis. 

It depends on which tour you book. The free tours of the Houses of Parliament are around 75 minutes while the paid guided tours last for 90 minutes. They also recommend allowing at least 90 minutes for the self-guided audio tour. 

No, there is no formal dress code for visiting Parliament… but it is illegal to enter Parliament wearing a suit of armour, just in case you were thinking of doing that. 

You can take photos in Westminster Hall and St Stephen’s Hall in the Houses of Parliament if you’re visiting but no, you can’t take photos in the rest of the Palace of Westminster.

Yes, the buildings are old but they’ve been updated to make them accessible to everyone. From ramps to information in sign language and tours specially tailored to people that need a little more help than others, it’s all there for you.  What’s more, for the tours and such, essential companions can go free. 

You can find more information about parliament’s accessibility here

Yes, you can! Parliament’s Jubilee Cafe is open from 9:00am to 5:45pm Monday to Wednesday and 10:00am to 5:45pm Thursday to Saturday. They do a selection of refreshments, sandwiches and such in case you’re peckish.  Alternatively check out our guide to Westminster for some good food nearby.

Unlikely, but possible. Obviously whoever the Tories have chosen as our leader for the month that you happen to visit will be present at PMQs – if you can get a ticket to that – but most of the time they will be working from No. 10, around the corner – or off in a foreign country doing important diplomatic work. 

Map of the Houses of Parliament, London 

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State Opening of Parliament to take place on 17 July 2024

Parliament has been dissolved. The new Parliament has been called to meet on Tuesday 9 July 2024.

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MPs who stood down at the 2024 general election

How many MPs stood down at the general election, and why?

How many MPs stood down at the election?

In total, 132 MPs chose not to stand again at the general election on 4 July.

A number of prominent MPs stood down, including 22 current and former secretaries of state. Former prime minister Theresa May, former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab and current levelling-up secretary Michael Gove all stood down, as did former Labour ministers Harriet Harman and Dame Margaret Hodge. They were joined by the former Westminster leader of the SNP, Ian Blackford, two current deputy speakers, Dame Rosie Winterton and Dame Eleanor Laing, and the chairs of 10 select committees.

Which parties did they belong to?

Most of the MPs who stood down are Conservatives – 75 of the total 132 MPs. In addition, four of the nine independent MPs who retired were first elected as Conservatives. This is unsurprising, as there were more Conservative MPs than MPs for any other party in the 2019–24 parliament.

Other parties also saw significant turnover. The nine SNP MPs who stood down equate to more than a fifth (21%) of the parliamentary party in the last parliament, only marginally behind the Conservatives’ 22%. The Green Party’s sole MP, Caroline Lucas, also announced she would not stand in the election, as did Hywel Williams, one of only three Plaid Cymru MPs.

How many MPs usually stand down at general elections?

The 2010 election saw almost 150 MPs stand down, mainly from the Labour Party, which had been in power since 1997. Some of these MPs had announced that they would stand down in response to the expenses scandal of that same year.

Similarly, 117 MPs stood down at the 1997 election, mainly from the Conservative Party – with the large Labour poll lead at the time a significant influence on these decisions.

If the election is unexpected, MPs have less time to consider whether to stand down – something that will have contributed to higher numbers of MPs standing down in 2010 and 2015 than at the snap elections of 2017 and 2019.

How long had the MPs who stood down been in the Commons?

Conservative MPs who stood down were most likely to be from the 2010 intake, as the party gained a lot of MPs at that election: almost 25% of Conservative MPs in the 2019–24 parliament were drawn from that cohort. Most SNP MPs who stood down were from the 2015 intake for similar reasons, with more than two-thirds of the party’s MPs elected in that year.

However, 17 MPs from the 2017 and 2019 intakes stood down too, despite a relatively short period in parliament. This included MPs who won seats in traditional Labour strongholds, like Dehenna Davison, the MP for Bishop Auckland, and Nicola Richards, the MP for West Bromwich East.

Why did MPs stand down from parliament?

Some MPs retired from politics after having had long careers in the Commons. Barry Sheerman, the oldest sitting Labour MP, retired after 45 years in parliament. Similarly, Harriet Harman, the longest serving female MP at the time of dissolution, left the Commons after four decades in office.

Many of those who stood down, however, are comparatively young. SNP MP Mhairi Black, once parliament’s youngest MP and still in her 20s, is not standing for election again. Other relatively young MPs stood down despite having become ministers, like Dehenna Davison, or select committee chairs, like Robin Walker, during the course of this parliament.

Many MPs cited personal reasons for standing down, like mental health struggles or a desire to spend more time with their families. Others have been critical of parliament itself. Black, for instance, described Westminster culture as “outdated, sexist and toxic”. 21 Cochrane A, ‘Mhairi Black to step down as SNP MP at next election’, BBC News, 4 July 2023, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66101123  Stuart Anderson said threats against his family had influenced his decision not to seek re-election in Wolverhampton South West 22 Collins R and Glinka E, ‘Two Conservative Black Country MPs to step down at election’, BBC News, 28 March 2023, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-65097041 ,  although he was subsequently chosen as a candidate for South Shropshire instead. 23 Dawkins A, ‘MP Stuart Anderson selected as candidate in different area’, BBC News, 25 July 2023, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-66300464

Some MPs’ decisions may also have been prompted by the changes to constituency boundaries which will take place at the election, which have meant they may have faced a difficult reselection battle or needed to find a new constituency altogether. For instance, Jonathan Djanogly , MP for Huntingdon, announced he was standing down after he was unsuccessful in securing automatic re-adoption as a candidate in a new seat. 24 Atkinson W, ‘Djanogly de-selected in Huntingdon. Once again, boundary changes proved the crucial factor’, Conservative Home, 4 April 2023, https://conservativehome.com/2023/04/04/djangoly-de-selected-in-huntingdon-once-again-boundary-changes-proved-the-crucial-factor/  Likewise, Labour MP Mick Whitley stood down after losing a selection contest to shadow minister Alison McGovern.

Others may have been blocked from standing again by their party executives. The independent MP Geraint Davies announced he was unable to run as a Labour candidate as a hearing had not yet been held into anonymous allegations against him. Likewise, Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle was blocked from standing following an unspecified allegation about his behaviour.

Finally, some MPs might simply have been sceptical of their chances of winning re-election. Many of the announcements from Conservative MPs came in the past year, during which time Labour has enjoyed a sustained poll lead. Departing SNP MPs may have been similarly influenced by the party’s decline in the polls throughout 2023.

Do MPs ever reverse their decision to stand down?

Occasionally MPs may reverse their decision. Suspended Conservative MP Julian Knight announced he would be standing down in April 2023 but reversed this decision on 31 May 2024, choosing to run as an independent candidate in Solihull West and Shirley. Andy Carter also reversed his decision to stand down from his seat of Warrington South after failing to be selected for a safer constituency. 29 Tomorrow’s MPs, tweet, 31 May 2024, https://twitter.com/tomorrowsmps/status/1796657590635581817

MPs may also seek selection in another seat despite having announced that they are standing down. Five Conservative MPs were selected for new seats despite having previously announced that they were standing down: Stuart Anderson, Stuart Andrew, Chris Clarkson, Kieran Mullan and Douglas Ross.

A handful of other MPs also sought selection in new seats in the weeks before the deadline for nominations. Jamie Wallis, 30 Tomorrow’s MPs, tweet, 17 May 2024, https://twitter.com/tomorrowsmps/status/1791603715754918051 ; Tomorrow's MPs, tweet, 23 May 2024, https://twitter.com/tomorrowsmps/status/1793715365316571295  Nicola Richards 31 Tomorrow’s MPs, tweet, 30 May 2024, https://twitter.com/tomorrowsmps/status/1796294714511294822  and Lisa Cameron 32 Tomorrow’s MPs, tweet, 31 May 2024, https://twitter.com/tomorrowsmps/status/1796611564700659826  (all Conservative MPs) all unsuccessfully attempted to gain selection in new seats in late May.

Do MPs get paid once they stand down?

All MPs continue to receive their salary up to and including polling day. The additional salary for chairs of select committees stop at the date parliament is dissolved. 

After an election, all those who cease to be an MP will receive a winding-up payment, equivalent to four months salary. Those who stand down are not eligible for an additional loss of office payments that MPs who lose their seat or stand unsuccessfully in a different seat receive.

How do MPs close down their offices?

Separate to the winding-up payment described above, departing MPs are entitled to claim for winding-up costs, to ensure that they can properly close down their offices. The winding up period covers the four months from the day after polling day. During this time MPs can continue to claim from their budgets for costs including staff salaries, travel costs, office lease costs, and data disposal costs. The pro-rated budgets are announced the day after polling day. MPs then need to provide an explanation of why the costs were incurred during the winding up period in order to claim.

The rules previously only applied to MPs who were not re-elected but after the repeal of the Fixed Term Parliament Act all MPs leaving parliament, from the 2024 election, are entitled to claim for winding up costs.

MPs will also need to issue redundancy notices to their staff. This is because MPs’ staff are employed by the individual MP, not by parliament, so when an MP stands down their staff are made redundant.

Which seats did MPs stand down from?

Related content, general election july 2024: what happens next.

The prime minister has called an election for Thursday 4 July 2024.

It is time for a general election

Will voters be persuaded by Rishi Sunak's plea to stick with his plan or Keir Starmer's call for change?

Ministers Reflect: on Parliament

Ministers reflect: top tips for new ministers.

Theresa May’s first reshuffle is now complete and, as we’ve been charting over on the live-blog, there are plenty of new faces joining the Government

Japan's UK state visit to go ahead despite election

The state visit to the UK by the emperor and empress of Japan will go ahead later this month, says Buckingham Palace.

There had been speculation it would be postponed because of the general election on 4 July.

The visit, from 25 to 27 June, will include traditional highlights such as a state banquet hosted by the King and a carriage parade along the Mall.

It will be the first state visit in modern times to take place during an election campaign.

State visits take place on the advice of the government, with the King hosting events as head of state.

Such diplomatic showcases usually involve senior politicians, prompting questions about whether it would be delayed to avoid overlapping with political campaigning, but Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's visit is going ahead.

Buckingham Palace indicated the visit would be "adapted" because of the general election, but no specific changes have been revealed.

The state banquet is a centrepiece of such visits, with speeches and, in recent times, greetings from the King in the language of the visiting dignitaries.

The prime minister, foreign secretary and leader of the opposition usually attend - although the visit is now in the middle of the election campaign.

The state banquet is on 25 June and the BBC's head-to-head debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer is on 26 June in Nottingham.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the attendance of ministers at state visit events was not yet confirmed.

The last time there was a potential clash between an election and a state visit, in 2017, the visit by the Spanish king was rearranged.

This will be the first Japanese state visit to the UK since 1998, with a visit planned for 2020 cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.

Such state visits are a "soft power" mix of pageantry and international politics.

The Japanese royal couple, representing an important trade and defence partner, can expect the red-carpet treatment.

There will be a ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade, with a guard of honour, and then a carriage procession along the Mall to Buckingham Palace.

During their time in the UK, the Japanese emperor royals will visit the Francis Crick Institute, a Young Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition about Japan and the world's largest collection of wild plant seeds at Kew Gardens.

There will be a visit to St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, to lay a wreath at the burial place of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Both Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako were students at University of Oxford and they will make visits to the colleges where they studied.

While the Japanese state visit goes ahead, the general election has prompted other changes to the King’s diary, in case engagements were a “distraction” from the election.

That included postponing a trip to a project in Crewe which supported families in poverty, including providing food and shoes.

There have been questions about the timing of the King’s meeting with the incoming prime minister after the election.

The King would traditionally spend a week in Scotland, known as “Royal Week” or “Holyrood Week”, at the end of June and the beginning of July.

If this clashes with the result of the 4 July election, it could mean the King having to travel back to Buckingham Palace or else the newly elected prime minister going to Scotland.

When the new government is formed, the King will have a prominent part in the State Opening of Parliament on 17 July.

It will be his biggest constitutional role since his cancer diagnosis.

• King to resume public duties after cancer diagnosis
• Bonsai and bowing: Japan's royal family join Instagram
• Naruhito leads Japan into a new era

Election latest: Rishi Sunak heckled by GP at the end of 'torrid day'; Nigel Farage accused of 'bigotry' during debate

The latest updates from the general election campaign, as Rishi Sunak is heckled by a GP and Nigel Farage gets stuck in during a televised debate.

Saturday 8 June 2024 01:40, UK

• General Election 2024

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Election news

• New poll reveals what public think about PM leaving D-Day events early
• 'The country is not stupid': Sunak laughs as GP heckles him
• Farage accused of 'bigotry' in TV debate
• Sunak apologises for D-Day decision and admits it was a 'mistake'
• PM says 'it's important we don't politicise this'
• Starmer says PM will 'have to answer for his own actions'
• Unite did not endorse Labour's election manifesto
• Electoral Dysfunction: What could be in the party manifestos?
• Live reporting by Brad Young

Expert analysis

• Rob Powell: It beggars belief someone didn't sound the alarm about PM leaving D-Day events early
• Tamara Cohen: Labour can't believe their luck

Election essentials

• Battle For No 10: PM and Starmer taking part in Sky News special
• Have your say: Be in the audience for our election leaders event
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• Read more: Who is standing down? | Key seats to watch | How to register to vote | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency is changing | Your essential guide to election lingo | Sky's election night plans

Snap findings from a More in Common poll of more than 1,000 viewers of last night's BBC debate suggest Nigel Farage came out on top.

According to the poll results , the audience is most likely to think Reform UK's leader won, with 25% picking him.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner comes in second with 19%.

Just 7% thought Tory Penny Mordaunt won, but 32% believe she'd be a better prime minister than Rishi Sunak - with 12% picking him.

Full Results

• Nigel Farage - 25%
• Angela Rayner - 19%
• None of the above - 14%
• Carla Denyer - 11%
• Stephen Flynn - 10%
• Penny Mordaunt - 7%
• Daisy Cooper - 5%
• Rhun ap Iowerth - 2%
• Don’t know - 8%

Almost half (47%) of 2019 Tory voters watching the debate thought that Mr Farage won the debate, while Ms Rayner leads among 2019 Labour and Lib Dem voters who tuned in.

The poll also shows viewers are most likely to think the SNP's Stephen Flynn (net +31), the Green Party's Carla Denyer (net +31) and the Lib Dem's Daisy Cooper (+30) did well in the debate.

Reform's original candidate for Clacton will stand as an independent against Nigel Farage in the upcoming general election.

Anthony Mack quit Reform after he was replaced by Mr Farage earlier this week to vie for the seat in Essex.

But that hasn't stopped him from trying to win there.

Mr Mack is expected to hold a press conference later today.

Olympic athletes, top musicians and an ex-soap actor are among those standing to become members of parliament at the general election.

The deadline for candidates to submit their nominations passed earlier today.

Notable names on the list include:

• Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, Labour, Mid Sussex
• Double Olympic gold medal rower James Cracknell, Conservative, Colchester
• Rock star Tom Gray from the band Gomez, Labour, Brighton Pavilion
• Former Coronation Street actor Marc Anwar, independent, Bury North
• Gogglebox's Josh Tapper, Labour, Hertfordshire
• Olympian Marc Jenkins, Conservative, Gower

Count Binface has announced he will stand against Rishi Sunak in his Richmond and Northallerton constituency.

Speaking on his podcast, Trash Talk, Binface said it would be like "Fury vs Usyk times a billion" in the July 4 election.

"That's right, I am here right now in Richmond and Northallerton and I can announce that I will be taking on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in electoral combat on July 4.

"You shirked D-Day Rishi, you can't miss the B-Day.

"That's right. Binface vs Sunak is going to be Fury vs Usyk times a billion. Bring it on."

Binface recently came 11th in the London Mayoral Elections, where he earned 24,260 votes.

It was reported last weekend that allies of Penny Mordaunt claimed Downing Street was keeping her "in a box" during the election campaign because Rishi Sunak's team see her as a threat.

Well, after her barnstorming performance in a TV debate against politicians from six opposition parties, the Leader of the Commons is well and truly out of her box now. And she mustn't be put back in it.

Her opening words in this 90-minute showdown were explosive. The prime minister, she declared, had been "completely wrong" to leave the D-day ceremonies in Normandy early. No pulling of punches there.

She said the PM was wrong, not once, not twice, but three times. No wonder Number 10 see her as a threat. If this was an audition for a leadership bid after the election, her friends will claim she passed with flying colours.

But once she'd dug her black stilettos out of the PM's back with her opening remarks, after that she was relentlessly on message in hammering Labour on its policies on tax, immigration and crime.

She was at her most combative on the Tories' controversial allegation – first made by Rishi Sunak in his TV debate with Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday – that Labour is planning a £2,000 tax grab if it wins the election.

This attack triggered the most heated clash of the whole debate, when Mordaunt traded blows with Labour's Angela Rayner on tax. It was a shouting match that went on long after presenter Mishal Husain attempted – but failed - to stop them.

It was all the more heated because the pair were standing next to each other at the end of the row of seven leading politicians, including Nigel Farage, the Lib Dems' Daisy Cooper and the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

For the rest of the debate, Rayner was slightly subdued, rather like Sir Keir had been against the PM on Tuesday. Rayner didn't even attack Sunak about D-day at the start. Nor did Daisy Cooper. Like Sir Keir, his deputy needs to raise her game.

Besides Mordaunt, on D-day Farage claimed Sunak had been unpatriotic and Flynn accused the PM of putting his own political career before public service and Normandy war veterans. Strong stuff.

Mordaunt also tore into Rayner over her previous voting record against renewing Trident. And the brightness of Rayner's red dress wasn't matched by a bright performance in the debate, although she improved as the debate went on. Mordaunt, incidentally, wore Thatcher blue. Remind you of anyone?

Throughout the debate, Farage was typically impish. His quips included claiming Starmer was "very dull" and "Blair without the flair". The PM, he joked, was "slippery Sunak". Yes, he's used those jibes before, but the audience enjoyed them.

Stephen Flynn had his good moments, most notably when he condemned Brexit, an attack on the Conservatives and Labour that the audience enjoyed.

But this debate was about Penny Mordaunt. It was her show, despite the large cast list. If she has been kept in a box by Number 10 up to now, the PM's allies will have been delighted on her attacks on Angela Rayner and Labour's policies.

But they won't have appreciated her blunt – and completely unprompted criticism – of the prime minister over the big story of the day, his D-day snub.

It was a story about a blunder of the PM's own making. It wasn't a gaffe, or an accident. It was sheer bad planning, terrible political judgment, embarrassing and highly damaging to Sunak and the Tory election campaign.

That, apparently was, Penny Mordaunt's view. And she said so. Number 10 won't be happy. A threat? You bet.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has been the victim of a hoax video call and messages from someone claiming to be the former president of Ukraine.

The government said it was making the incident public to stave off any attempts to manipulate footage of Lord Cameron.

The Foreign Office said a "number of text messages were exchanged followed by a brief video call between the foreign secretary and someone purporting to be Petro Poroshenko, former president of Ukraine".

Mr Poroshenko served as Ukrainian president between 2014 and 2019, and has remained a prominent figure in the country since leaving office.

"Whilst the video call clearly appeared to be with Mr Poroshenko, following the conversation the foreign secretary became suspicious," the Foreign Office said, adding contact details for other people were requested by the caller.

"Whilst regretting his mistake, the foreign secretary thinks it important to call out this behaviour and increase efforts to counter the use of misinformation."

Politicians have received repeated warnings in recent months about the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation, especially as artificial intelligence technology improves.

The prime minister is not the only one whose feet are being held to the fire over D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations.

Northern Ireland's first minister has been criticised for not attending, with only the deputy going instead.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said it had been an opportunity for Michelle O'Neill to act as a first minister for all.

"With men from across the island being remembered, I am disappointed that the deputy first minister was alone in Normandy and the other half of the joint office was absent.

"When we consider how so many from this island have only been able to openly remember their grandparents' war efforts in recent years, this was a missed opportunity for leadership and reconciliation."

He continued: "The first minister should recognise it was a mistake."

Mr Robinson also accused Rishi Sunak of undermining "the authenticity of the speech" he made at the British Normandy Memorial by departing early.

A spokesperson for the Executive Office said: "The Executive Office [TEO] receives many invitations and endeavours to attend as many events as possible.

"TEO is represented by the first minister, deputy first minister and junior ministers.

"This week, TEO was represented at events including the D-Day commemorations; business awards and the Your Time to Shine female leaders celebration event."

Crime is the last theme of the BBC's debate, with one audience member raising the issue of knife crime.

The Green Party's Carla Denyer says not all crime can be tackled by being "tough", explaining a generation of young people have grown up with services like youth centres closing.

Nigel Farage says "stop and search" must be done "in a very tough way".

"We are seeing a societal decline of law and order in this country," he says.

The Liberal Democrats' Daisy Cooper says the model of policing must be changed, with more community policing engaging with families and faith groups.

She says stop and search can be useful, but "suspicion-less" deployment of it has been used to target people.

Penny Mordaunt, the Conservatives Commons leader, says knife crime in London is "top of the list", but the host points out the West Midlands has a higher rate.

"We need more police and we need police who are embedded in communities," she says.

Labour's Angela Rayner says education and reversing cuts to neighbourhood policing is needed.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, of Plaid Cymru, says decision-making should be made closer to communities, calling for more devolution.

Stephen Flynn, of the Scottish National Party, says tackling poverty as a driver of crime is required, and those in poverty have been failed by the government.

The final 30 second concluding statements are under way. Angela Rayner goes first. "If you want change, vote Labour," she says, though it's as though she's memorising a script rather than talking with passion.

Carla Denyer, of the Greens, says Labour are offering more of the same and Labour has changed into the Tories. She got better as the debate went on. Iorwerth is lively and will have done his party some good here.

Penny Mordaunt is polished. "For a more secure future, vote Conservative," she says. She's been class here and shows why for the Tories, she's an underused asset. Daisy Cooper mentions sewage in rivers for the first time this evening. Why so late?

The last word goes to Nigel Farage, who says that unlike the others he doesn't need an autocue. He's right about that. He's been impish throughout, clearly enjoying himself. We'll see a lot more of him in this campaign. That's why he became party leader, of course!

We're staying with the BBC's seven-way political debate between senior figures in the UK's political parties.

"What matters to you more: Economic growth or successful climate policy?" asks an audience member.

Mr Farage says climate policies like net zero are unrealistic and unaffordable. 

"Nigel is going to keep your fact-checkers busy for a little while. Farage has been misleading you... so much of what he said there is simply untrue," says the Greens' Carla Denyer.

She criticises Labour for dropping a £28bn green investment  pledge earlier this year.

Labour's Angela Rayner says there will be investment including insulating homes and creating green jobs, but oil and gas will be part of the future.

The SNP's Stephen Flynn says Westminster is betraying future generations and his party maintains its commitment to net zero.

"We are facing an ecological emergency", and economic growth can come with tackling it, says the Liberal Democrats, calling for a national insulation scheme.

"Nothing is more important than protecting the environment that you will be living in in future," says Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The Conservatives' Penny Mordaunt says moving to green policies too quickly will "destroy supply chains".

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Nigel Farage expected to declare he is running for parliament

Nigel farage is expected to confirm that he is set to run in clacton, a tory held seat in essex, in an emergency statement at 4pm, article bookmarked.

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Nigel Farage is making an “emergency” announcement about the general election, with speculation mounting that the former UKIP leader will launch his latest bid to become an MP.

One source has told The Independent that the honorary president of Reform UK will declare he is going to stand for parliament in Clacton, in Essex. However, neither Farage or Reform would confirm or deny this.

The seat is seen as a soft target with the pro-Remain former actor Giles Watling defending the seat for the Tories.

Click here for our live coverage of the general election campaign.

The honorary president of Reform UK has so far shied away from seeking a seat in the general election, but rumours have been swirling that he will run in Clacton .

It is understood that Mr Farage has been looking at the Essex seat for a number of months because it was previously held by Ukip’s Douglas Carswell and had a high vote in favour of Brexit.

Mr Farage had announced last week that he had been taken by surprise by the early election called by Rishi Sunak and did not have time to stand as a candidate.

Instead he said he would campaign for Refom around the country.

However, there were concerns in Reform UK that his failure to be a candidate meant their vote would not hold up in the election.

Tory peer and pollster Lord Rob Hayward told The Independent : “No single decision as Nigel Farage not standing has been more damaging for a single party in this election campaign. It has had a real impact on Reform.”

Already, an MRP super poll over the weekend had suggested the Conservatives could be reduced to 66 seats but with Farage potentially boosting the Reform vote the possibility of a wipeout will be seen as more realistic.

However, Mr Farage is taking a risk because he has never won a parliamentary seats after seven attempts. He has though won European Parliament national elections as the leader of Ukip and the Brexit Paty (now Reform UK).

Over the weekend Mr Farage said he wants to stage a takeover of the Conservative Party affter the election, highlighting the possibility Mr Sunak faces a Canada ‘93 style wipeout.

Speaking to the Sunday Times , he said: “Why do you think I called it Reform? Because of what happened in Canada - the 1992-93 precedent in Canada, where Reform comes from the outside, because the Canadian Conservatives had become social democrats, like our mob here.

“It took them time, it took them two elections, they became the biggest party on the centre-Right. They then absorbed what was left of the Conservative Party into them and rebranded.”

Asked if he was suggesting a merger between Reform and the Conservatives, he said: “More like a takeover, dear boy.”

But, despite being expected to announce his candidacy at 4.00pm, Mr Farage also said on Sunday he would not be standing in the general election. “I’ve said no,” he added.

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Brexit champion Nigel Farage to run in U.K. election after all, the latest blow to PM Sunak

Pro-Brexit, anti-immigration campaigner Nigel Farage stepped back into front-line British politics on Monday, announcing he will take the helm of the right-wing party Reform U.K. and run for Parliament in the  July 4 election .

Farage said he’ll run in the seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea in his eighth attempt to win a seat in the House of Commons. His seven previous tries all failed.

The announcement, a headache for  Prime Minister Rishi Sunak , came just days after Farage said he would not be a candidate because it was more important to support his ally Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election in November.

While Farage stands some chance of defeating Clacton’s Conservative incumbent and getting elected on July 4, he acknowledged that his larger goal is to lead the “real” opposition to a Labour Party government if the governing Conservative Party loses, as many expect.

Farage said he wanted to lead a “political revolt ... a turning of our backs on the political status quo.”

He’s aiming to repeat the populist political pressure that pushed for, and then won, a 2016 referendum on taking the U.K. out of the European Union.

“I can’t turn my back on those millions of people who followed me, believed in me,” Farage said. “I’ve changed my mind because I can’t let down millions of people.”

In a bullish announcement speech, Farage, who served as a member of the European Parliament for more than 20 years until Brexit, stuck to his familiar script of decrying career politicians, out-of-touch elites and mass immigration.

The 60-year-old politician also said he would take over as leader of Reform, successor to the Brexit Party. That role has been held since Reform was founded by Richard Tice, with Farage serving as honorary president and charismatic figurehead.

The center-right Conservatives, who have been in office for 14 years, are battling a widespread sense that voters want change.

On July 4 voters across the U.K. will elect lawmakers to fill all 650 seats in the House of Commons. The leader of the party that can command a Commons majority — either alone or in coalition — will become prime minister.

The favorite is Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, who pledged Monday to keep the U.K.’s nuclear weapons as he seeks to dispel criticisms that his center-left party is soft on defense..

His campaign is centered on his claim to have transformed the party since he replaced Jeremy Corbyn, a longtime opponent of nuclear weapons and critic of NATO, as Labour leader in 2020.

“My commitment to the nuclear deterrent is absolute,” Starmer said Monday during a campaign appearance at a military museum in Bury, northwest England.

“Nobody who aspires to be prime minister would set out the circumstances in which it would be used. That would be irresponsible, but it is there as part of a vital part of our defense, so of course we would have to be prepared to use it,” he said.

Britain has been a nuclear power since the 1950s, and both Labour and Conservative governments have consistently supported atomic weapons. Since the 1990s, Britain’s nuclear deterrent has consisted of four Royal Navy submarines armed with Trident missiles.

Starmer said his entire top team shared his commitment to the nuclear arsenal, even though several members, including deputy leader Angela Rayner and foreign affairs spokesman David Lammy, voted against renewing Trident in 2016.

Starmer said a Labour government would build the four new nuclear submarines that the Conservatives have already committed to.

He also pledged that a Labour government would increase defense spending to 2.5% of Gross Domestic Product, though he has not set a deadline. Sunak says his Conservatives will meet the target by 2030.

Britain’s first-past-the-post electoral system — in which the candidate with the highest number of votes in each area wins — makes it unlikely that Reform could win many seats. But the party could contribute to Conservatives’ defeat in some areas.

Farage has said he is modelling his strategy on Canada’s Reform Party, which helped push that country’s Conservatives to the verge of wipeout in a 1993 election before reshaping Canadian conservative politics.

The U.K. Conservatives, trailing in the polls, have focused their campaign on shoring up its vote by targeting older voters and social conservatives — the groups most likely to defect to Reform.

Conservative campaign promises include a boost to the state pension and a plan to make all 18-year-olds undertake a year of civilian or military national service.

The Conservative Party said in a statement that “Farage knows that Reform won’t win any seats, but he doesn’t seem to care that a vote for Reform only helps Labour. He’s doing exactly what Keir Starmer wants him to do.”

The Associated Press