What if there is a tie for a seat in the Parliament in the UK?

Question

What happens?

Answer 1

If there's a dead heat in an election, the first thing that's done is that they recount all the ballot papers - initially they just count bundles of (100?) ballot papers to check all the bundles got put on the right pile, then if necessary they'll count the individual papers since it's quite possible that two might have got stuck together or something. This may be repeated several times until the Returning Officer, the candidates, and their agents agree that it really is a dead heat (there will probably be slightly different totals each time the votes are counted). Then they'll look at all the "spoiled" votes to see if any votes which were declared spoiled should really be included with one candidates' count. And finally, the tied candidates will draw lots to see which one is the winner (yes, it can boil down to a coin toss!).

Answer 2

After all re-counts have taken place, it is down to a toss of a coin, drawing lots or picking a card from a pack. It has never happened in a post-1870 Parliamentary election (ie under the Reform Act), but it is not uncommon in local government elections.