Rishi Sunak Calls UK National Election for July 4

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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday that a national election will be held on July 4. This decision allows Britons to choose their future in a vote where Sunak’s Conservative Party is widely expected to lose to the opposition Labour Party, after 14 years in power.

Sunak, 44, ended months of speculation about the election date by making his announcement outside his Downing Street office in the pouring rain. This early election call is seen as a risky move, given that his party trails significantly behind Labour in opinion polls.

Addressing the nation amid the sound of Labour’s 1997 election victory anthem being played by protesters outside Downing Street’s gates, Sunak highlighted his achievements both as prime minister and former finance minister. “Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future and decide whether it wants to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one and no certainty,” he said.

He pledged to fight for every vote, emphasizing the importance of maintaining economic stability under a Conservative government. Sunak criticized Labour leader Keir Starmer, accusing him of always taking the “easy way out” and lacking a concrete plan, which he suggested would lead to uncertainty.

Starmer, who has steered Labour towards the political centre after a period of leftward policies, responded with a concise statement centered on one word: “change.”