BORIS Johnson could call a snap General Election this year amid fears that the cost of living crisis will worsen and impact his chances of winning at a later date, reports say.
Multiple Tory MPs have claimed they expect a Westminster vote to be called in summer or autumn this year, Business Insider reported.
The Prime Minister, who has been fighting for his job for months as scandal after scandal catches up to him, may face renewed pressure from backbenchers if his Conservatives return a poor result in Thursday’s local elections.
The cost of living crisis has been front and centre for many at the local elections, and Johnson had reportedly been warned by his strategists that the British economy "won't get any better" before the current term runs out in 2024.
Previous reports said the Conservatives had been eyeing an election in 2023, but their concern is the issues facing the country – including spiralling inflation – may only be worse by that point.
After the UK Government repealed the Fixed Term Parliaments Act earlier this year, Johnson is free to call a General Election whenever he wishes.
One MP told Business Insider that Johnson had no regard for anything other than his own skin.
"The party doesn't matter. It's just a vehicle for him. The party can rot as far as he's concerned. If the worst case scenario is he's not going to be PM anyway, he's got nothing to lose," the MP said.
The MP, reportedly a former minister, added: "But Labour are nowhere … if it comes to a straight choice, voters will go for Boris. We might lose Scotland and another few seats like [solicitor general Alex Chalk's] Cheltenham, [deputy prime minister Dominic] Raab will go, all of Scotland and London. But then he's got another five years."
Another senior Conservative agreed. "It is more about saving him than the party," they said.
A Downing Street spokesperson denied there were plans to call a snap election.
