Rishi Sunak is reportedly making plans for a general election next autumn. The Telegraph reports that sources close to the Government say the Prime Minister believes a national poll late in 2024 would give the Conservatives the best chance of pulling off a shock victory.
Parliament has to be dissolved no later than December 17 next year and the autumn months are said to have been pencilled in by Downing Street for the vote. It would give the prime minister extra time to arrest the Tories' slide, which has seen them slip 18 points behind Labour in the latest opinion polls, although the deficit stood at around the 30-mark just before Mr Sunak was sworn in as the new leader last October.
The Telegraph claims the idea of a vote next spring have been ruled out by Mr Sunak, who feels he needs longer at the helm to get his policies implemented and get the general public back on board. October and November next year are instead reported to have been earmarked for going to the polls.
Mr Sunak's main priorities are the economy and the new small-boats law, with the cost-of-living crisis and immigration two of the main areas of concern for the electorate. There are signs the plan is working, with inflation forecast to drop to 2.9 per cent by the end of 2023, while a Brexit deal has been voted through the Commons and a small-boats legislation has been published.
The news could come as a blow to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer who will feel that his party are the government-in-waiting after topping opinion polls for so long, but whose popularity may begin to wane if the Tories suddenly hit their stride again.
The policy of hanging on until the last knockings for a general election was also a path trodden by Gordon Brown, but unsuccessfully as he lost the 2010 election, with 13 years of Labour rule coming to an and as then-Tory leader David Cameron struck up a coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats after failing to win a majority.
No firm decision will be taken on an election date until much nearer the time. The latest a general election can be held is January 2025.
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