UK Elections 2024: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday (May 22) that general elections will be held in the country on July 4. With his announcement, the ongoing speculations regarding the election dates came to an end. Amid rain in London, Sunak, the country’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister, confirmed that the vote would be held in six weeks.
The Prime Minister will formally inform King Charles about the date of the election and the Parliament will be dissolved soon after that. Sunak presented his record of tenure before the British voters. He said, ‘I will do everything in my power to provide you strong security. This is my promise to you… Now the time has come for Britain to choose its future.’
‘Risky strategy and choice’
British PM Sunak announced outside 10 Downing Street residence that he was calling an election earlier than some had expected, a risky strategy as his party is far behind in opinion polls. Sunak is not only far behind Labour in the polls, but is also isolated from some in his party.
Why did Rishi Sunak suddenly decide to hold elections?
Rishi Sunak is the fifth Prime Minister of Britain in the last eight years. He was sworn in in October 2022 after the resignation of Liz Truss. According to a Reuters report, Rishi Sunak has taken the decision to go for a sudden election keeping in mind the recent economic reforms such as falling inflation and the fastest economic growth in nearly three years. However, it is being seen as a gamble.
At the same time, news agency Reuters quoted a spokesperson for Labor leader Keir Starmer as saying, “Whenever the Prime Minister calls an election, we are fully prepared to go. We have a fully organized and operational campaign and we feel the country is calling for a general election.”
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