Prime Minister Andy Burnham holds sole discretion under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 to request dissolution and set the date for the next general election, which must occur no later than mid-August 2029. Recent developments include Burnham’s explicit September 2026 statements ruling out any snap vote and committing to the full term amid speculation from advisers, alongside Labour’s hold in the October 2026 Holborn and St Pancras by-election against a surging Green Party. Current polling shows a fragmented field with Labour ahead of Reform UK, Conservatives, and others, while by-election results and local tests continue to shape assessments of government stability and opposition momentum ahead of the fixed deadline.