London ( CNN ) British Prime Minister David Cameron formally asked Queen Elizabeth II to dissolve his country 's Parliament on Monday , opening the way for campaigning ahead of the May 7 general election . The procedural step means there are officially no members of Parliament until it reconvenes on May 18 for the swearing-in of members and the official state opening of Parliament on May 27 . Addressing media outside the official prime ministerial residence at 10 Downing St. , Cameron said that Britain had been `` on the brink '' when he came into office . `` Of course , we have n't fixed everything , but Britain is back on her feet again . '' Cameron said the nation faced `` a stark choice '' in 38 days . `` The next Prime Minister walking through that door will be me or ( Labour Party leader ) Ed Miliband , '' he said . `` You can choose an economy that grows , that creates jobs , that generates the money to ensure a properly funded and improving NHS ( National Health Service ) ... and a government that will cut taxes for 30 million hard-working people ... or you can choose the economic chaos of Ed Miliband 's Britain , '' Cameron said . `` After five years of effort and sacrifice , Britain is on the right track . This election is about moving forward -- and as Prime Minister here at No . 10 that 's what I will deliver . '' Miliband launched Labour 's Business Manifesto on Monday , saying that a second Conservative term would threaten Britain 's EU membership and pose `` a clear and present danger '' to British firms and prosperity . `` There are two futures on offer at this election , '' Miliband said . `` To carry on with a Conservative plan based on the idea that as long as the richest and most powerful succeed , everyone else will be OK. Or a Labour plan , a better plan , that says it is only when working people succeed that Britain succeeds . '' Miliband also referenced Cameron 's March 23 announcement that the Conservative leader had ruled out standing for a third term -- before the election that will decide whether he even gets a second term in the top job -- saying the Conservative candidates would be `` vying against each other for who can be the most extreme on Europe . '' Cameron and his Conservative Party won the last election in 2010 , but not by enough to go into government alone . Without a majority in Parliament , a government becomes dependent on MPs , or lawmakers , from other parties to get its program voted through the House of Commons , the chamber that passes laws and legislation . For five years , Cameron has been governing in coalition with the UK 's third party , the Liberal Democrats . Nick Clegg , Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister , has mostly backed Cameron in parliamentary debates against Labour 's Miliband . `` For the first time ever , the Liberal Democrats go into this campaign with a record of action in government to be extremely proud of , '' Clegg said Monday . `` We have kept the government in the center ground and shown that we are the only party that can build a stronger economy and a fairer society . '' The right-wing UK Independence Party , or UKIP , which has pledged to take the UK out of the European Union , has made massive gains in the past year -- mostly at the expense of Cameron 's Conservatives . Last year , in a backlash against the EU , UKIP caused a political earthquake and won elections to the European Parliament in Britain , and some commentators have likened its impact on UK politics to that of the tea party in the United States . It is unclear how UKIP will perform in the May 7 UK general election . Some of its supporters appeared to be casting protest votes last year and could return to the established Conservative and Labour parties when more is at stake . On Monday , UKIP leader Nigel Farage tweeted : `` UKIP is the party of real change for real people . If you # VoteUKIP on May 7th , you 'll get MPs willing to hold the government to account . '' Meanwhile , in Scotland , the September independence referendum ( which narrowly failed ) so reinvigorated the Scottish National Party that it could hit what is usually a key Labour stronghold , undermining Miliband 's bid for power . Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond quit after the referendum , and Nicola Sturgeon now heads the party . `` The general election on May 7 is a fantastic opportunity for Scotland to make Westminster sit up and take notice , '' Sturgeon said Monday . `` By holding the balance of power in a hung Parliament , SNP MPs can work with others to lock David Cameron out of Downing Street -- and ensure that Scotland 's priorities become priorities at Westminster , '' she said . Eligible Britons must be registered by April 20 to vote .
British Prime Minister David Cameron formally asks Queen to dissolve Parliament . Move paves way for official campaigning ahead of May 7 general elections .