Standing outside Downing Street, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that he had sought the King’s approval to dissolve the parliament, a request that was granted.
He declared, “The time has come for Britain to decide its future.”
Reflecting on his tenure as Chancellor during the pandemic, Mr. Sunak expressed his commitment to the nation, stating, “I stood by the country when its future was uncertain. I will never abandon this nation in its darkest hours.” He further added, expressing his patriotism, “I have never felt prouder to be British.”
This unexpected announcement comes at a time when the Tories are lagging behind Labour by 20 points in the polls, and are at risk of being replaced by the Opposition after a 14-year reign. Mr. Sunak appears to be banking on the improving economic climate to bolster his chances of victory.
Earlier in the day, the Tory leader announced that inflation had returned to normal levels, marking a significant milestone for the country. This followed the release of official figures showing a slowdown in inflation to 2.3% in April.
Mr. Sunak had been hinting at an election in the latter half of the year for several months but had refrained from confirming a date. It was widely assumed that he would wait until autumn to allow more time to fulfill his promises.
However, speculation about an earlier election date began to circulate in Westminster on Wednesday. This was fueled by an unusually timed meeting of Cabinet ministers, with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron returning early from trips abroad to attend.
According to parliamentary rules, there must be a gap of 25 working days between the dissolution of parliament, at the Prime Minister’s request, and the election. General elections must be held every five years, with the latest possible date for the next election being January 28, 2025.
However, in 2019, the Conservatives reinstated the Prime Minister’s ability to call an election at any time within the five-year period.
The previous general election took place in 2019, resulting in a landslide victory for the Conservatives under Boris Johnson over Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party. Since then, the Conservatives have seen two further Prime Ministers, Liz Truss and Mr. Sunak, and their 80-seat majority has dwindled.