London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a snap general election for July 4, choosing the date for a vote that his governing Conservative Party is widely expected to lose to the opposition Labour Party after 14 years in power. 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 of the election date, and Parliament will be dissolved soon thereafter.
Sunak (44) presented the record of his tenure to British voters, emphasizing his commitment to providing strong security. He stated, “This is my promise to you… now is the time for Britain to choose its future.” The decision to hold the election now fires the starting gun on a six-week campaign that is almost universally expected to conclude in the demise of Sunak’s Conservative government. While Sunak faces challenges, including the state of Britain’s over-stretched healthcare service and the sleaze scandals that have impacted the Tories’ reputation, he hopes for a spectacular electoral upset to extend the period of Tory rule that began in 2010.
