UK's Rishi Sunak calls general election for July 4

A UK general election is set to be held on July 4, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday. 

Rumors had swirled all day about the election date, with Sunak's office earlier refusing "to rule anything in or out."

What the prime minister said

 "Earlier today I spoke with His Majesty the King to request the dissolution of parliament. The king has granted this request and we will have a general election on July 4," he said.

"Now, it's the moment for Britain to choose its future, to decide whether we want to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one with no plan and no certainty."

As Sunak spoke, he became increasingly drenched in rain as protesters in the background blasted out "Things Can Only Get Better," a former opposition Labour Party campaign song.

Speculation about the announcement had grown febrile after ministers canceled events and cut short or delayed foreign trips to attend a government meeting.

What the opposition said

The election comes with Sunak's Conservatives trailing the Labour Party by about 20 points in polling.

Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said the election meant an "opportunity for change."

"A vote for Labour is a vote for stability, economic and political; a politics that treads more lightly on all our lives; a vote to stop the chaos," Starmer told supporters. "It's time for change."

What has happened since the last election?

Sunak's Conservative Party has been in office since 2010 and he is the third Conservative prime minister since the last election in 2019 when it recorded an 80-seat majority.

Subsequently, the party's popularity has dwindled, partly during the turbulent term of Brexit champion Boris Johnson, who was dethroned after a string of ethics scandals.

Johnson's successor Liz Truss was replaced within weeks of taking office after her program of unfunded tax cuts wreaked economic havoc and sent mortgage costs soaring.

Since 2019, the nation has also suffered the COVID-19 pandemic and stubbornly high inflation exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine and supply chain issues.

Sunak took office in October 2022 after his only rival withdrew from the party leadership race. 

He steadied the economy but failed to boost the Conservatives' popularity with the public. The Conservatives suffered heavy losses in local elections earlier this month, with a strong swing to Labour in many parts of the country.

rc/wmr (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)