Rishi Sunak took a big gamble when he announced an election on July 4. His Conservatives will now be involved in a six-week campaign, with their party trailing Labour more than 20 points.
Sunak, standing in the rain-lashed Downing Street and declaring, “Now is Britain’s moment to choose its own future,” set his sights on a fifth unlikely Tory victory.
The UK Prime Minister said that he spoke to King Charles Wednesday, and that the monarch agreed to dissolve Parliament on May 30, according to him. The campaign has already begun.
Sunak’s move was a result of Sunak and Jeremy Hunt agreeing that it would be futile to wait until autumn for better economic news.
Sunak informed the cabinet on Wednesday of his decision and announced the elections as an adjacent loudspeaker played the Labour anthem The Things Can Only Improve.
He said that only a Conservative Government led by him would not risk the hard-earned stability of Britain’s economy.
The scale of his challenge is immense. The FT Poll Tracker places the Conservatives at 23 percent, which is the same as the nadir reached by Liz Truss during her brief premiership of 2022. Ladbrokes offers 25-1 odds on a Tory victory.
Sunak hopes recent economic good news, including a drop in inflation and the return of growth, will provide a solid foundation to close the wide poll gap.
He said that Britain couldn’t “trust” Sir Keir to make tough decisions.
Starmer, who spoke to the nation in front of a wood panelled backdrop decorated with Union Jacks and flags, embraced the “change” throughout his address.
He said: “Together We can Stop the Chaos. Turn the Page, Start to Rebuild Britain, and Change Our Country.” He acknowledged that voters are cynical of politicians but added: “The future is in your own hands.”
Officials from the Tory Party said that the decision to hold an election in July was based on Sunak and Hunt’s conclusion that they wouldn’t be able to offer tax cuts at a later date.
Sunak’s team also doubts now that the Bank of England would cut interest rates early to have any meaningful effect on voters’ financial situation. The markets expect inflation to increase.
The plan to call a poll was kept secret from most ministers: Foreign secretary Lord David Cameron, who had just returned from Albania, attended Wednesday’s cabinet.
The majority of Tory MPs expressed a desire to move on to the next election, and get out of Westminster where the party is plagued with infighting and a fatalistic attitude.
One former Tory Minister said that the mood in Parliament was “murderous” and added: “I’m very, very angry.” This is madness. Bonkers. “Not a single co-worker is saying that they are pumped up or ready.”
Sunak must defy the political gravity to ensure that his Conservatives win a fifth consecutive general elections and extend a period of power that began in 2010 with Cameron’s coalition.
Sunak was to launch his campaign in East London on Wednesday night. The Parliament won’t be officially dissolved till May 30, but will be closed on Friday.
Labour’s last victory in a British general elections was in 2005, under the leadership of Sir Tony Blair. In 2019, it suffered its worst defeat since World War II under hard-left leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Starmer, an ex-lawyer who is a centrist, has worked to restore the party’s credibility in the areas of economy, defence and other related issues.
Labour is hoping to win seats from the Conservatives in England and Wales and a SNP that’s struggling with a crisis. The Liberal Democrats, who are centrists, will take on the Tories’ southern heartlands. Meanwhile, the right-wing Reform Party, founded by Nigel Farage and set up in the south, could also steal votes from them.
Farage called Sunak’s announcement on Wednesday “the most absurd general election launch ever”.
The new Parliament will convene on 9th July, with the State Opening taking place on 17th July.
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