“This is the time for Britain to decide its destiny,” declared Rishi Sunak, who announced the call for a general election on July 4.
The prime minister claimed he had met with the King to propose the dissolution of parliament during a statement made in the pouring rain outside Downing Street.
“The King has granted this request and we will have a general election on the 4th of July” , added Mr. Sunak.
The unexpected action is a major political risk considering that Labour leads the polls by almost 20 points.
It follows the release of official data indicating that April’s inflation rate dropped to 2.3%.
Mr. Sunak stated that this is “proof that the plan and priorities I set out are working” however “this hard earned economic stability was only ever meant to be the beginning” .
“Now the question is how and who do you trust to build on that foundation and make sure you, your family, and our nation have a secure future,” he continued.
“Britain must now make a decision about its future, determining whether to build on its achievements or risk reverting to our previous state of affairs. without assurance and without a plan.”
For months, Mr. Sunak has stated that an election will take place in the “second half of the year,” but he has failed to provide a specific date.
It was assumed that he would hold off until fall in order to give himself more time to fulfill his promises.
Nonetheless, conjecture that Mr. Sunak may reveal the date ahead of schedule intensified in Westminster on Wednesday, when Cabinet ministers were called to an atypical gathering, with Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps taking brief travels overseas to participate.
