<P> A party with an overall parliamentary majority (more seats than all the other parties combined) following an election forms the government . If no party has an outright majority, parties can seek to form coalitions . At the 2010 election, even though the Conservatives won the greatest number of seats, it would have been possible for the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition with Labour (and maybe also other, smaller parties) instead of with the Conservatives . Situations such as these can give smaller parties considerable power: the eventual outcome of the 2010 election was effectively decided by the Liberal Democrats, while in 2017 the support of the Democratic Unionist Party allowed the Conservative Party to govern with a minority . </P> <P> The largest party not in government forms Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition . </P> <P> A general election must take place before each parliamentary term begins . Since the maximum term of a parliament is five years, the interval between successive general elections can exceed that period by no more than the combined length of the election campaign and the time for the new parliament to assemble (a total of typically around four weeks). The five years runs from the first meeting of Parliament following the election . </P> <P> After the 2010 general election, the coalition government enacted the Fixed - term Parliaments Act 2011 which set fixed term parliaments of five years . Thus the next general election was held on 7 May 2015, with subsequent elections scheduled to be held every five years thereafter on the first Thursday in May . However the Act also contains provisions for Parliament to be dissolved and an early election held if no government can be formed within 14 days after a vote of no confidence in the government . Similarly, the Act allows for an election to be triggered by a vote of two - thirds of MPs in the House of Commons calling for one . </P>

How long can a uk government remain in office before they have to hold a general election