“CThe time has come for the United Kingdom to choose its future”, said the head of Government, confirming rumors that a few hours earlier he had refused to clarify.
Asked during the weekly debate in parliament about the speculation circulating in the press and on social media, the conservative leader only reiterated that it would be in the second half of the year.
The hubbub continued because Foreign Minister David Cameron returned early from a trip to Albania to attend a council of ministers held this afternoon, instead of the usual Tuesday.
The secret ended up not lasting long.
Some British media brought the date forward in the early afternoon and journalists began to concentrate on Downing Street, the location of the prime minister’s residence and office.
Confirmation arrived at around 5:15 pm, when Sunak left to address the television cameras, despite the drizzle, and indicated that he had already spoken to King Charles III to ask for the dissolution of parliament, avoiding the traditional trip to Buckingham Palace.
“The King accepted the request and we will have legislative elections on July 4th”, he stated, increasingly wet from the rain.
It was no coincidence that he chose the day to make the announcement when it became known that the inflation rate had fallen to 2.3%, the lowest level in almost three years.
This week, the International Monetary Fund also made positive forecasts for the British economy, which grew 0.6% in the first quarter, putting an end to the recession.
“This is proof that the plan and priorities I have set out are working,” said Sunak, who promised to “fight for every vote”.
Outside the gates protecting Downing Street, protesters loudly played “Things Can Only Get Better” [“As coisas só podem melhorar”]an emblematic song from when Tony Blair came to power in 1997, and at a time when, 27 years later, the Labor Party, the main opposition party, is favorite to win the elections.
An average of polls from recent months carried out by the website Politico gives Labor 44% of voting intentions, well ahead of the Conservatives, with 23%.
“A moment that the country needs and has been waiting for” and an “opportunity for change”, was how the news was received by the leader of ‘Labour’, Keir Starmer.
British legislative elections must be held at least every five years, but the date is decided by the Prime Minister, who had until the end of January as a deadline.
The Conservatives lost a series of by-elections this year and two of their MPs recently defected to the Labor Party.
After the success in the local elections, in May Starmer positioned ‘Labour’ as the party of economic stability that will “end the chaos” of the Conservatives.
The Westminster House of Commons has 650 seats and to achieve an absolute majority the Labor Party will have to be able to elect at least 326 deputies.
In the last general election, in 2019, the Conservatives led by Boris Johnson won a historic majority of 365 seats, against 203 for Labor.
According to the calendar put forward by the Executive, the newly elected parliament will meet for the first time on July 9th for the swearing in of deputies and the election of the president of the House of Commons.
The official opening will take place a week later, on July 17th.
Read Also: Sunak confirms elections in July. “I am guided by what is right, not what is easy”
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2566335/rishi-sunak-surpreende-com-eleicoes-a-4-de-julho-e-arrisca-derrota
