The routes towards a general election taking place in the UK

Although an election could provide any new Tory leader with a mandate, polling suggests it would wipe out most of the Conservative parliamentary party. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Since the repeal of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act earlier this year, the constitutional complexities of needing a super-majority of MPs or a particularly worded confidence motion no longer apply if you want an election before a five-year term is up.

Constitutionally, the route towards an election is simple. The easiest would be Liz Truss formally seeking one from the King.