General Election announcement: Rishi Sunak calls 4 July election
Rishi Sunak has fired the starting gun for a 4 July general election – but his opening speech was marred after journalists were forcibly ejected from his event by security.
The political correspondent Darren McCaffrey said they had not been allowed in because broadcast arrangements had been “pooled” – so other broadcasters there were obliged to share footage with others.
It came after the prime minister addressed the nation in the pouring rain, as he battled against the deafening sound of Things Can Only Get Better playing in the background – the 90s hit which famously became a New Labour anthem during Tony Blair’s successful campaign.
In a drenched suit, he said the King had granted his request to dissolve Parliament, and he promised to “fight for every vote” over the next few weeks.
Sir Keir Starmer declared “it’s time for change” and told Britons to vote Labour in response to the PM’s announcement.
He said: “By the force of our democracy, power returns to you. A chance to change for the better your future.”
Key dates in countdown to election
– May 24 2024: Parliament prorogued which means the end of the Parliamentary session, bringing most business to an end.
– May 30: Parliament dissolved. By law, this has to take place no later than 25 working days before polling day, which, in this instance, is May 30.
The days between now and end of the the Parliament will be used to complete any urgent business in the Commons and the Lords, though it also means certain pieces of legislation currently going through parliament – such as the Tobacco & Vapes Bill and the Football Governance Bill – will probably be lost or else scaled back.
– June 7: Deadline for candidates to be nominated. It is highly likely that candidates for some of the 650 constituencies across the UK have yet to be picked. Political parties will be rushing to find people to fill these gaps.
– June 18: Deadline to register to vote. This can be done online at gov.uk/register-to-vote.
– June 19: Deadline to apply for a postal vote.
– June 26: Deadline to apply for a proxy vote – in other words, for someone to vote on your behalf – and to apply for a Voter ID certificate, if you do not already have a valid form of photo identification.
This will be the first UK general election where all voters will have to show a valid form of photo ID before casting a ballot.
– July 4: Election day. Polls will open from 7am to 10pm.
– July 9: The new Parliament will be summoned to meet
– July 17: State opening of Parliament.
Previous July general election led to Labour landslide
The last general election held in July resulted in a Labour landslide in which Clement Attlee swept to power to oust Winston Churchill after the end of Second World War hostilities in Europe.
The 1945 election – which took place on 5 July – came within two months of VE Day and initiated a political transformation that led to the creation of the NHS and the building of social housing.
Parliament was dissolved only three weeks before Britons went to the polls, in contrast to the six weeks to go until 4 July this year.
The Labour Party gained a 145-seat majority and the Liberal Party leader, Archibald Sinclair, lost his seat.
The Conservatives lost 189 seats.