PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak announced a General Election today (22 May) outside No. 10 Downing Street. This unexpected decision follows days of speculation that the prime minister might call for an election earlier than anticipated.
The PM instructed Foreign Secretary David Cameron to return from Albania for a Cabinet meeting, and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps postponed an international visit to attend. This announcement coincides with news that inflation has dropped to 2.3%, slightly above the economists’ forecast of 2.1%. No. 10 fuelled election speculation by declining to rule out the possibility.
Mr Sunak has consistently stated that an election would occur in the “second half of the year” but had not specified a date until now. The General Election is scheduled for 4 July.
Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party currently leads the polls by approximately 20 points, following his efforts to revitalise the party after its historic defeat in 2019.
Bookmakers are heavily favouring Keir Starmer as the next Prime Minister. Ladbrokes’ current odds are:
- Labour Majority – 1/10
- No Overall Majority – 7/1
- Conservative Majority – 25/1
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes commented: “Things look like they’re going very much Labour’s way, as far as the latest odds are concerned… and while we don’t yet know exactly when the next General Election will be, we’d be staggered if the outcome isn’t a Labour Majority.”
