London: The dates for the general elections in Britain have been announced. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised everyone on Wednesday. He said that there will be early general elections in July. British PM Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday that general elections will be held in the country on July 4. With his announcement, the speculation about the election dates came to an end. Now Prime Minister Sunak will formally inform King Charles about the date of the election. After that the British Parliament will be dissolved soon. Sunak’s decision is surprising because the general elections were to be held at the end of the year.
According to the BBC, while addressing reporters outside his residence at 10 Downing Street amid rain, PM Sunak said that he had earlier asked King Charles to dissolve Parliament on May 30. It was allowed. Now it is decided that elections will be held on July 4. Noting that the last five years have seen the country grapple with the most challenging times since World War II, Sunak chaired a cabinet meeting before making his announcement. He said that the country has fought those challenges and this has made him proud to be British.
He stressed that the UK economy is still growing. Inflation has returned to normal. Interest rates have come down and the government’s plan is working. However, he admitted that he believes things are not easy for many people. Amid the revived Labour Party trying to return to power after 14 years in the wake of the Conservatives’ disappointing performance in the recent council elections, Indian-origin Sunak told the people that now the question is who do you trust.
He said, ‘This is the time to decide the future of Britain and decide whether you want to build the future you have built or risk going back to the same level.’ Sunak also admitted that he cannot and will not claim that he got everything right while in power, but he is proud of what he has achieved and what can be done in the future. He described his achievements as giving record funding to the NHS, improving the level of education of children, placing energy security above environmental dogma and increasing defense spending.
Reacting to the announcement, Labour Party chief Sir Keir Starmer said this is a moment the country needs and has been waiting for. He described the election campaign as an opportunity to secure a better future and said it is time to transform communities and the country. Starmer said the Labour Party has changed over the years and seeks a chance to do the same for the country, promising to bring Britain back to serving working people.
He promised it would reverse things such as sewage being drained into rivers, people waiting in A&E for treatment and reverse the trend of rising mortgage and food prices. Starmer said: “A vote for Labour is a vote for stability, and a vote for politics that treads lightly and prevents chaos.” “It’s time for change,” he said. The Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, said the general election would be “a chance to drive Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government out of power and deliver the change the public is demanding”.
Tags: Britain News, Rishi Sunak
FIRST PUBLISHED : May 23, 2024, 08:20 IST