UK general election announced by Rishi Sunak for July
May 23, 2024Rishi Sunak has pledged to “fight for every vote” as he announced an early UK general election for Thursday, 4 July.
The Prime Minister made the announcement in a rain-soaked speech outside 10 Downing Street, aiming to secure a fifth term in office for the Conservatives. This unexpected move defied expectations of an autumn poll, which could have provided the Tories a better opportunity to narrow the gap with Labour.
Sir Keir Starmer declared it was “time for change” from “Tory chaos.” Labour, which has been leading in national opinion polls, stated that it is fully prepared with an organised campaign.
Parliament will be suspended on Friday and formally shut down on Thursday next week, preceding an official five-week election campaign, according to ‘BBC’. Consequently, there are only two days to pass any remaining legislation, leading to the abandonment of some government measures.
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An October or November election had previously been considered more likely. However, rumours circulated early Wednesday morning, following the confirmation that annual inflation had dropped to its lowest rate in nearly three years. As Prime Minister’s Questions proceeded in the Commons, it remained unclear whether an announcement would be made. It was only after 17:00 BST that the UK’s first July election since 1945 was confirmed.
The prime minister referenced the inflation figures during his Downing Street announcement, indicating that he intends to frame his campaign around economic recovery after a period of rising living costs. He noted that the fall in inflation along with the UK’s emergence from recession earlier this year were “proof that the plan and priorities” he had established were effective.
However, his statement didn’t go entirely as planned, as he contended with worsening rain and activists playing the New Labour anthem, ‘Things Can Only Get Better,’ over a loudspeaker.
There was confusion within parts of the Conservative Party regarding Mr. Sunak’s decision to call an early election. “I just don't understand it,” one Tory MP told the BBC. “The economy is improving. Why not give that more time to bed in?” A senior minister expressed frustration over Mr. Sunak delivering his speech in the pouring rain, suggesting he could have reminded the public of his furlough achievements from an indoor location.
In a TV statement shortly afterwards, Sir Keir emphasised that Tory “chaos” had harmed the economy and argued that a vote for Labour was a chance to bring political stability. He criticised the Conservatives’ handling of public services, the NHS, and their record on tackling crime, asserting that “giving the Tories five more years will only make things worse. Britain deserves better.”
SNP leader John Swinney, who recently became Scotland’s first minister, said the election was an opportunity to “remove the Tory government and put Scotland first.” Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey expressed a desire to “kick Rishi Sunak's appalling Conservative government out of office,” while Greens co-leader Carla Denyer stated her party aimed to elect at least four new MPs. Reform UK leader Richard Tice criticised both main parties, claiming the Tories had “broken Britain” and Labour could “bankrupt Britain,” presenting his party as the sensible alternative to “save Britain.”
Mr. Sunak’s announcement marks the beginning of a weeks-long general election campaign for the 650 seats in Parliament. This election will be conducted on new constituency boundaries reflecting population changes since 2010, and it will be the first election requiring voters to show ID.
The Royal Family has postponed engagements to avoid diverting attention from the election campaign, with Buckingham Palace conveying the King and Queen's “sincere apologies” to those affected.
In the last election in 2019, Boris Johnson secured an 80-seat majority after calling a snap poll to push his Brexit withdrawal deal through Parliament. This was followed by a turbulent period in British politics, marked by the Covid pandemic and Mr. Johnson’s resignation amid a cabinet revolt over multiple scandals. His successor, Liz Truss, served for just 49 days before resigning following market backlash to her tax and spending plans unveiled in a brief “mini Budget” in September 2022.
This is the first general election since 2015 that does not require a parliamentary vote to approve the date, due to the reversal of legislation fixing the time between polls two years ago.
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