General Election 2015: What is a minority government?

Video: Whitehall Editor Oliver Wright explains what might happen after May 7

(LEON NEAL | AFP | Getty Images)

It seems a given that, unless there is some seismic shift in the next week or that the polls are completely wrong a la 1992, the result of the 2015 general election will be another hung Parliament.

The latest Independent on Sunday poll of pollsters predicts the Conservatives are heading for 278 seats; Labour 273; Scottish National Party 46; Liberal Democrat 26; Ukip 4; Plaid Cymru 3; Green 1; Respect 1.

Thus, much of the election campaign has been dominated with talk of future coalitions and back-door agreements. Yet, for many, even though voters have become used to the concept and reality of a coalition, what is a minority government?

The UK witnessed a minority government in 1974, when Harold Wilson formed on after the February 1974 election. He then called another election in October and managed to obtain a majority. However, after the collapse of the Lib-Lab pact in 1977, James Callaghan ruled with a minority government until 1979.