Election Now: How do petitions work and when are they binding?

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The Independent petition calling for a general election to resolve political unrest in Westminster has already garnered over 300,000 signatures from members of the public exasperated by the current state of chaos in the Tory government.

The ousting of Prime Minister Liz Truss on Thursday and the emerging possibility that deposed and discredited Boris Johnson will join the race to succeed him has only given the project new impetus and momentum.

Opposition leaders Sir Keir Starmer, Sir Ed Davey and Nicola Sturgeon have also insisted that a general election is now mandatory to restore order to British politics, but the Tories have so far insisted they remain fit to govern and will rally around a new leader, who will be chosen from here at the end of next week.

Do you want general elections are you?

Sign The Independent's petition here

Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace are tipped to join the fray, but if their party fails to find at least one unity candidate who can garner the support of 100 MPs by Friday October 28, the clamor for a nationwide vote will no doubt become deafening.

Many in the Kingdom United remain firmly opposed to the imposition of a third Prime Minister on the electorate in a matter of months and are unwilling to wait until December 17, 2024 to have a say in the direction of the country in this time of serious economic crisis.

So how do these petitions work and when, if at all, do they work? become binding?

A platform like Change.org, which hosts The Independent's Election Now campaign, offers campaigners, whether organizations or individuals, a free space on which to promote...