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What is the government’s working majority in parliament?

Boris Johnson is set to finally fulfil his ambition of becoming prime minister on Wednesday — but he will inherit a working parliamentary majority of just two seats.

At present, the Conservatives hold 310 seats (excluding deputy speaker Eleanor Laing, who by convention does not vote). The Democratic Unionist Party, with whom the Tories maintain a confidence and supply agreement, hold ten seats, making a total of 320. Under the terms of the pact agreed in 2017, the DUP backs the government in motions of confidence and spending (supply) or budget votes.

On the opposition benches, Labour hold 245 seats (excluding two deputy speakers), the Liberal Democrats hold 12, the SNP holds 35, the Independent Group for Change holds five, Plaid Cymru holds four, the Green Party holds one and there are 15 independent MPs. The opposition total of 317 excludes seven Sinn Fein MPs who, in accordance with the partys long-standing abstentionist stance, do not take their seats.

The government's working majority fell from four to just two after Tory MP Charlie Elphicke had the whip suspended having been charged with sexual assault. If, as expected, the Conservatives lose the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election on 1 August to the Liberal Democrats, the governments working majority will fall from two to one.

Johnsons majority will be the smallest of any prime minister since John Major who led a minority government — with no majority — from December 1996 until Labours general election victory in May 1997. As prime minister, JohRead More – Source

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