British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday called a snap general election for July 4, a decision expected to be a challenging battle for his governing Conservative Party, which has been in power for 14 years. This announcement ends months of speculation about when Sunak would schedule the election.
Standing outside his Downing Street office, Sunak declared, "Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future, highlighting his government's achievements, including the furlough scheme that supported businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. "We will have a general election on July 4".
Sunak faces the election trailing significantly behind the Labour Party in the polls. His position within his party has also become tenuous, relying on a small group of advisers to navigate what is anticipated to be a tough campaign. Since taking office less than two years ago, Sunak has struggled to solidify his political identity.
Labour Party's Starmer Calls For Change
Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, seized on the election announcement, framing it as an opportunity to end what he described as the "chaos" of Sunak's Conservative government. Addressing supporters, Starmer stated, "No matter what else is said and done, that opportunity for change is what this election is about".
"A vote for Labour is a vote for stability – economic and political, a politics that treads more lightly on all our lives; a vote to stop the chaos. It’s time for change," he was quoted as saying by Al-Jazeera.
Election Campaign Begin
Both parties have started their campaigns, with economic policies and defence strategies being central themes. Despite Sunak's efforts to tout achievements such as reduced inflation and increased defence spending =, his party has not managed to close the gap with Labour.
The announcement's timing, just before the summer, has raised eyebrows. Reporting from London, Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull described the decision as "hugely surprising," noting that many expected Sunak to wait until autumn to give his party more time to recover in the polls.
"Why would you go to the polls … when your party is riven with internal divisions, and rumoured dissatisfaction with his own leadership? Possibly because you think things are not going to get any better," he said.
Sunak is the third Conservative Prime Minister since the last general election in 2019. While he has managed to stabilise the economy, the Conservatives' popularity with the public has not seen a corresponding boost.
According to reports, recent figures showed UK inflation dropping to 2.3 per cent, its lowest in nearly three years, primarily due to declines in domestic bills. However, Labour has maintained a substantial lead of 20 points in the opinion polls since late 2021, predating Sunak's tenure, which began in October of that year, Al-Jazeera reported.