The Conservative Party has made urgent inquiries for office space in central London locations as that party seeks to free up space at the party’s headquarters.

The extra office space, which will be used to host administrative staff, is the latest in a series of measures the party has taken to prepare for an unexpected election.

Although the terms of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act mean that there is no election due until 2022, the uncertainty over Brexit could yet lead to an early contest. In the snap election of 2017, the Conservative Party was the least well prepared for an early contest of the major parties, who all made significant preparations.

Brandon Lewis, the Conservative Party’s chair, has made it his priority to avoid being caught on the hop and has also increased the “resting” staff count – the number of people working for the party between elections – to better equip the party for future contests.