Confirmed: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces a General Election for July 4
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed there will a General Election this summer - set for July 4, making it an untypically short campaign of just 43 days in total.
At stake is the end of 14 years of Conservative-led government or the start of a new one with opinion polls placing Labour about 20 points ahead in the polls making it very likely that Keir Starmer becomes the next prime minister.
The move by Mr Sunak was likely prompted after UK inflation fell to 2.3 per cent in April and No. 10 claimed that the battered economy was improving.
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Mr Sunak based his case on the economic record of his government saying: “We have reached two major milestones in delivering that stability showing that when we work together, anything is possible.”
The first, he said is: “Our economy is now growing faster than anyone predicted, outpacing Germany, France and the United States.”
And the second: “This morning, it was confirmed that inflation is back to normal. This means that the pressure on prices will ease and mortgage rates will come down. This is proof that the planned priorities I set out are working.”
The Prime Minister continued: “I recognise that it has not always been easy. Some of you will only just be starting to feel the benefits and for some they might still be hard when you look at your bank balance.
“This hard-earned economic stability was only ever meant to be the beginning. The question now is how and who do you trust to turn that foundation into a secure future for you and your family and our country?
“Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future. To decide whether we want to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one with no plan and no certainty.
“Earlier today, I spoke with His Majesty the King to request the dissolution of parliament. The king has granted this request and we will have a general election on July 4.
“These uncertain times call for a clear plan and bold action to charter a course to a secure future. You must choose in this election, who has that plan? Who is prepared to take the bold action necessary to secure a better future for our country and our children.
“Now, I cannot and will not say that we have got everything right but I am proud of what we have achieved together. The bold actions we have taken and I'm confident about what we can do in the future.
“We've tackled inflation, controlled debt, cut workers taxes, and increased the state pension by £900. We've produced taxes on investment and seized the opportunities of Brexit to make this the best country in the world to grow a business.
