The Parliament of the United Kingdom, by law, is dissolved after a five year term. However, a dissolution can occur after a four year term, if a sitting Prime Minister calls a general election in such a length of time. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ...

In accordance with constitutional convention, the Prime Minister must seek permission from the Sovereign in order to dissolve the House of Commons. Alternative meaning: Constitutional convention A Constitutional Convention is a gathering of persons for the purpose of drawing up a constitution, or planning to modify one. ... Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The Queen, is the Queen regnant and Head of State of the United Kingdom, as well as the Queen of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea...

Prior to 1918, it was the Cabinet who collectively sought permission from the monarch in order for Parliament to be dissolved. However, since 1918, the Prime Minister alone seeks the permission of the Sovereign. Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ...

The last dissolution of Parliament was in April 2005, in readiness for the 2005 UK general election on May 5. The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005, just over three weeks after the dissolution of Parliament on 11 April by Queen Elizabeth II, at the request of the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. ...