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Why did Rishi Sunak call for general elections now and what will happen next?

Politiko 2024-05-22 19:27:36

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called the UK general election for July 4 - a Thursday as is traditional.

However, the timing is not ideal for voters in some parts of the country, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, where the school holidays will have already started and many people may be away.

Why now?
The Prime Minister has been saying for several weeks that there is evidence that the economy is improving. In his speech outside Number 10, Sunak said the government had "achieved two key milestones" of reducing inflation and growing the economy faster than other G7 countries.

However, the opposition is likely to argue that he is calling it now because the economy is in the doldrums and things are unlikely to look better for the Tories in the autumn - with small boat crossings expected to continue despite any deportation flights taking off in Rwanda, and very limited room for tax cuts.

What happens next?
Rishi Sunak was given permission by the king to dissolve the parliament. The ability to call elections returned after the period from 2011 to 2022, when MPs could vote to call snap elections outside a fixed five-year parliamentary term.

What happens to the parliament?
It usually takes several days after the election is called and parliament is dissolved, or annulled, before dissolution. Sunak said that the parliament will end on May 30. Every last piece of legislation will need to be passed in the coming days, with bills that don't make it to the floor because they can't be carried.

What happens to the deputies ?
After parliament is dissolved, MPs will return to their constituencies to start campaigning: they will no longer be MPs, but MP candidates. However, government ministers still retain their posts and responsibilities. However, government activity is limited during the campaign so that public money is not spent for political purposes.

How long will the campaign last?
The next six weeks or so will see Sunak, Keir Starmer, the Labor leader, Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, Richard Tice, the reform leader, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, the leaders of the Green party, and others who will to tour the country in case he is the next prime minister of Great Britain. They are likely to hold political rallies, ride buses and give dozens of speeches across the country.

Will there be televised debates?
Sunak and Starmer are expected to go head-to-head, but they will likely want to squeeze out the smaller parties and make it a two-way race between them. In previous years, the Conservatives and Labor have sent MPs in their place when other parties are involved. Translated by The Guardian