Months of speculation surrounding the date of the upcoming general election has ended and voters are set to decide if it’s time to end the Conservative Party’s 14-year rule sooner than anticipated.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to call an early election on July 4 has divided his party.
While he has argued the Tories can provide stability in uncertain times, the Labour Party has promised change after years of political and economic turmoil under the Conservatives.
Mr Sunak’s announcement on Wednesday caught many by surprise. He made the call in a rain-soaked broadcast outside 10 Downing Street. Most had expected the election later in the year, as the prime minister had previously indicated.
UK elections are held every five years, but the prime minister can choose the date. Mr Sunak had until December to call the election — and his announcement coincided with a drop in UK inflation to 2.3%, fulfilling a key pledge.
The Conservatives, in power since 2010, last won an election in December 2019. Since then, they’ve faced economic downturns, scandals, and multiple leadership changes. Mr Sunak became prime minister in October 2022 after Liz Truss’s brief, tumultuous tenure. Truss replaced Boris Johnson, who resigned following a mass revolt by ministers over his leadership.
With Labour leading in the polls, the biggest question is whether Mr Sunak can turn the tide for the Tory party. Is now the right time for a general election?
Can Rishi Sunak use the next six weeks to reverse the fate of the Tory party, as it trails Labour by 20 points? Or is it too little too late?
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