General election called for 6 May
6 April 2010 (updated on 22 April 2010)
Britain goes to the polls on 6 May after the Prime Minister went to Buckingham Palace and asked the Queen to dissolve Parliament on 12 April
The date, which coincides with local elections, gives voters the chance to have their say on who represents them in the next Parliament, with the number of seats in the House of Commons rising from 646 to 650 due to new boundary lines.
With campaigning under way, MPs and Members of the Lords are attempting to get outstanding Bills through Parliament before it winds up at the end of the week ahead of formal dissolution on Monday when Parliament ends.
In the "wash-up", MPs and Members of the Lords will be working hard in the next few days to ensure Bills complete their passage through Parliament and are granted Royal Assent.
The polls on 6 May will be open from 7am until 10pm. Counting will start as soon as the polls close and results will start coming in throughout the night.
Leader of the Commons, Harriet Harman QC, confirmed in a Business Statement that the House of Commons will meet again on 18 May for the election of the Speaker.