The prime minister’ Rishi Sunak he surprised everyone and everyone with the request July 4th elections. The sudden announcement from Downing Street, which had been speculated about all morning, aroused amazement among its own ranks, given the The Conservative Party’s 17-point deficit before the Labor Party (25% to 43% according to the latest Savana poll for The daily mail).
Sunak called to emergency toilet announce his plans to his ministers. The Foreign Minister, David Cameron, even suspended his trip to Albania to arrive in time.
The Prime Minister intends dissolve parliament next weekwith just enough time a month of election campaign. In Westminster’s weekly morning question time, he confirmed his intention to hold elections «in the second half of the year», without specifying a precise date.
Sunak has decided to take advantage of the latest favorable data on inflationdropped to 2.3%, however launch the electoral challenge to his rival Keir Starmerwho had long been calling for the immediate calling of elections.
«Economic stability is the key to any kind of success»Sunak highlighted in his appearance, in a direct reference to inflationweeks after the exit from the recession and GDP growth of 0.6% in the first quarter of 2024. «Our plan is working», insisted the ‘premier’, putting forward what will be his line of attack in the elections.
“Many people have forgotten the scale of the events we experienced,” added the conservative leader, apologizing to his predecessors. “First the pandemic and then the war in Ukraine, which had a big impact on energy and rising prices.”
Sunak yes called for a «vote of confidence» for all the progress made since he took over the reins of the country, after Liz Truss’ disastrous emergency budget. “It’s time to decide whether we want to continue building the future or go back to square one.”
«Uncertain times are coming»
“The war in Ukraine is a threat to global security”, added the Conservative leader. «Uncertain times are coming This government has a clear plan«, he said to foment fear of Putin, as he did a week ago in the speech with which he unofficially began the campaign.
«THE immigration is used as a weapon from hostile countries that threaten the integrity of our borders», added the ‘premier’, who underlined the progress made with the approval of the law on illegal immigration.
However, the early calling of the elections leaves nothing to be desired the plan to deport immigrants to Rwanda is in the air asylum waiting. Sunak himself had brought forward his intention to charter the first flight to Kingali in July. Keir Starmer has expressed his intention to cancel the plan if he becomes prime minister.
“We are fully prepared for the election,” a Labor Party spokesman said Caretaker. «The electoral campaign is fully operational and the country is loudly asking us to go to the polls.»
The British Polling Council’s projection gives the Labor Party a lead of 22 points (44.6%) over the Conservative Party (22.9%). According to Savanta’s voting intention, the Labor Party could obtain a very large majority of 432 to 124 MPs over the Conservative Party, comparable and even greater than that obtained in his time by Tony Blair.
Unrest in the conservative ranks
The decision to bring forward the elections raised a detail unrest in the hard wing of the Conservative Partyamid threats of a possible motion of censure against its leader.
The majority of Conservative MPs were supporters of delay the call until autumn to give the Conservative Party more time to recover at the polls, after the debacle of the recent local elections in which they lost half of their advisors.
The prime minister’s popularity hit rock bottom in April, with 70% of Britons describing his work as «unsatisfactory», rivaling John Major’s worst numbers in 1994. Sunak himself has even expressed his intention to wait until the end of October to complete the film. at least his two years in Downing Street and the growth in the polls.
With the call at the beginning of the summer, there has been speculation for weeks that he could be an asset for Sunak evoke the rebellion of the hard wing of the party AND the threat of a motion of censure. The most critical conservatives, however, have lowered the hatchet and most analysts are betting on elections in October or November.
The elections on July 4, Independence Day in the United States, at least eliminate possible interference between the two electoral processes, with the US presidential elections scheduled for November 5.
Four hours after his announcement in Downing Street, Sunak invited Tory campaigners to an election rally at London’s ExCel exhibition centre.
“Labour wants us to believe they have won the election before it has even started,” Sunak said at his first campaign rally. “But the English will show them that they cannot take anything for granted.”
“Our plan is working,” the conservative leader proclaimed to dozens of followers. «This stability that we have achieved was the result of a choice. Who do you trust? «Labour’s only certainty is that they will raise taxes.»
