The British Prime Minister has taken a surprising step. Rishi Sunak He called an early general election on July 4, a decision many in Westminster believe will spell his defeat. The outcome of the election will determine whether 14 years of Conservative rule ends and paves the way for a government led by the centre-left Labour Party. Keir StarmerOr whether Sunak can pull off an unexpected victory and keep the Conservatives in power.
General elections determine the composition of the House of Commons, with each of the UK’s 650 constituencies electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent their local residents. Voters cast their ballots at polling stations between 7am and 10pm on election day, although some choose to vote by post in advance. The candidate who receives the most votes in each constituency becomes the MP for that area under the “single-member constituency” system. A record number of over 4,000 candidates are campaigning in the run-up to the July 4 election.
Sunak calls for early elections
Sunak had planned to call an election by December, with the vote held by the following month. He remained tight-lipped about his decision, sparking speculation in Westminster, despite suggestions the election could take place as soon as late as 2024. Faced with tough choices, including a bleak economic picture and a controversial plan for processing asylum seekers’ applications in Rwanda, Sunak ultimately decided to call an election after some rare positive economic news.
Who is expected to win?
The general expectation is that the Conservatives will lose the election, with Labour maintaining a large lead in opinion polls since late 2021. The Conservative brand has been tarnished by various scandals, including the Partygate affair that led to the downfall of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his successor Liz Truss’ tumultuous six-week tenure in office.
Despite the opposition’s large lead in the polls, Rishi Sunak’s campaign is taking solace in some underlying figures. Keir Starmer leads Sunak when respondents are asked “who do you think is better suited to be prime minister,” but the lead is much smaller than the overall difference in party voting intentions. Sunak has tried to maintain an “me versus him” narrative to exploit the situation.
But Mr Sunak has been unable to sway the polls in his favour since becoming leader, and the gap has remained unchanged since the start of the election campaign.
How does the UK choose its prime minister?
British people will cast their vote on July 4, with the winners announced in the early hours of Friday morning. In the UK, voters elect members of Parliament to represent their local constituencies, and the leader of the party that wins a majority of the 650 constituencies becomes prime minister and forms the government.
If no party wins a majority, they will have to rule as a minority government or form a coalition. As monarch, King Charles III has a formal role in forming a government, deciding to call elections, and approving the dissolution of parliament, but he cannot oppose the prime minister or overturn the results of elections.
Key issues in the UK
Labour is expected to frame the election as a referendum on 14 years of Conservative rule and highlight public fatigue over Brexit, the party’s struggling economy and scandals. Starmer is likely to focus on the cost of living and the state of the NHS.
In contrast, Sunak will likely highlight his immigration policy, particularly his “stop the boats” pledge and his Rwanda policy, while also trying to persuade voters that the economy is improving and a change of government would be risky. Early indications suggest Sunak will also make leadership a key issue, highlighting his experience as chancellor during the Covid-19 pandemic and criticising Starmer’s record.
The key figures and parties contesting in this crucial national poll are:
Keir Starmer
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, 61, a former human rights lawyer and chief prosecutor, is polled as likely to win the next election and become prime minister.
Since taking over as leader from left-winger Jeremy Corbyn in April 2020, Starmer has been praised for guiding the party to the political centre and rooting out anti-Semitism within it.
His supporters see him as a practical, credible leader, well equipped to lead Britain out of economic recession.
But his critics say he lacked charisma, was indecisive and failed to articulate a clear vision for the country during a careful election campaign.
Starmer was born in London to a toolmaker father and a nurse mother. His unusual first name was chosen by his socialist parents as a tribute to Labour Party founder Keir Hardie. An avid football fan and Arsenal supporter, Starmer was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to criminal justice but rarely uses the title “Sir” before his name.
Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak, 44, will be appointed leader of the Conservative Party and chancellor by his peers in October 2022 and is seeking a personal mandate from British voters. Sunak replaces Liz Truss, who was forced to resign after just 49 days in office after her tax-cutting economic policies spooked financial markets and lost the support of her party.
Sunak, who is of Indian descent, has the distinction of being Britain’s first Asian and Hindu prime minister. The former financier is praised for bringing stability to the government after the turbulent governments of Truss and Boris Johnson and for his success in taming inflation.
But he has failed to deliver on some promises, including reducing medical waiting lists, curbing illegal immigration and deporting migrants to Rwanda.
Mr Sunak’s campaign has been plagued by lackluster and missteps, from announcing the election date in the rain to criticism over his absence from a major anniversary commemoration of the Normandy landings. Opinion polls show he has the lowest approval rating of any prime minister in Britain’s history.
Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage, a 60-year-old former member of the European Parliament, is a polarizing figure in British politics. Known for his love of beer and cigarettes, the 60-year-old played a key role in persuading a majority of Britons to vote for leaving the EU in 2016, earning him the nickname “Mr Brexit” from former US President Donald Trump.
Despite his influence on the Brexit referendum, Farage has run for parliament seven times but has never been elected. He now leads the far-right Reform UK party, which could affect the Conservative party’s re-election chances by losing key seats.
Recently, Farage and his party were embroiled in a racism scandal after several Reform activists were caught on camera making racist and homophobic comments. As a result, Reform disqualified three candidates over the weekend for making the offensive comments. Farage also faced criticism for suggesting that Western countries had “provoked” Russia to invade Ukraine.
Swinney, Davie, Denier
Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats John SwinneyWith the Scottish National Party (SNP) expected to win a landslide victory in the election, Davie could play a key role in determining the outcome. Davie, 58, is aiming to stop the Conservatives from winning a handful of seats in the south of England and overtake the SNP to become the third largest party in Parliament. He has balanced campaigning on serious issues with lighter-hearted attention-grabbing stunts.
Swinney, 60, is not a member of the UK Parliament but became leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in May following the resignation of Humza Yousaf and serves as first minister in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The SNP now faces a challenge from a resurgent Labour party that could put independence hopes at risk for a generation.
Meanwhile, the co-leader of the Green Party Carla DenierThe 38-year-old is aiming to help her party increase its number of seats in Parliament from one to four, and is targeting victory in the newly created Bristol Central constituency.
General elections determine the composition of the House of Commons, with each of the UK’s 650 constituencies electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent their local residents. Voters cast their ballots at polling stations between 7am and 10pm on election day, although some choose to vote by post in advance. The candidate who receives the most votes in each constituency becomes the MP for that area under the “single-member constituency” system. A record number of over 4,000 candidates are campaigning in the run-up to the July 4 election.
Sunak calls for early elections
Sunak had planned to call an election by December, with the vote held by the following month. He remained tight-lipped about his decision, sparking speculation in Westminster, despite suggestions the election could take place as soon as late as 2024. Faced with tough choices, including a bleak economic picture and a controversial plan for processing asylum seekers’ applications in Rwanda, Sunak ultimately decided to call an election after some rare positive economic news.
Who is expected to win?
The general expectation is that the Conservatives will lose the election, with Labour maintaining a large lead in opinion polls since late 2021. The Conservative brand has been tarnished by various scandals, including the Partygate affair that led to the downfall of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his successor Liz Truss’ tumultuous six-week tenure in office.
Despite the opposition’s large lead in the polls, Rishi Sunak’s campaign is taking solace in some underlying figures. Keir Starmer leads Sunak when respondents are asked “who do you think is better suited to be prime minister,” but the lead is much smaller than the overall difference in party voting intentions. Sunak has tried to maintain an “me versus him” narrative to exploit the situation.
But Mr Sunak has been unable to sway the polls in his favour since becoming leader, and the gap has remained unchanged since the start of the election campaign.
How does the UK choose its prime minister?
British people will cast their vote on July 4, with the winners announced in the early hours of Friday morning. In the UK, voters elect members of Parliament to represent their local constituencies, and the leader of the party that wins a majority of the 650 constituencies becomes prime minister and forms the government.
If no party wins a majority, they will have to rule as a minority government or form a coalition. As monarch, King Charles III has a formal role in forming a government, deciding to call elections, and approving the dissolution of parliament, but he cannot oppose the prime minister or overturn the results of elections.
Key issues in the UK
Labour is expected to frame the election as a referendum on 14 years of Conservative rule and highlight public fatigue over Brexit, the party’s struggling economy and scandals. Starmer is likely to focus on the cost of living and the state of the NHS.
In contrast, Sunak will likely highlight his immigration policy, particularly his “stop the boats” pledge and his Rwanda policy, while also trying to persuade voters that the economy is improving and a change of government would be risky. Early indications suggest Sunak will also make leadership a key issue, highlighting his experience as chancellor during the Covid-19 pandemic and criticising Starmer’s record.
The key figures and parties contesting in this crucial national poll are:
Keir Starmer
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, 61, a former human rights lawyer and chief prosecutor, is polled as likely to win the next election and become prime minister.
Since taking over as leader from left-winger Jeremy Corbyn in April 2020, Starmer has been praised for guiding the party to the political centre and rooting out anti-Semitism within it.
His supporters see him as a practical, credible leader, well equipped to lead Britain out of economic recession.
But his critics say he lacked charisma, was indecisive and failed to articulate a clear vision for the country during a careful election campaign.
Starmer was born in London to a toolmaker father and a nurse mother. His unusual first name was chosen by his socialist parents as a tribute to Labour Party founder Keir Hardie. An avid football fan and Arsenal supporter, Starmer was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to criminal justice but rarely uses the title “Sir” before his name.
Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak, 44, will be appointed leader of the Conservative Party and chancellor by his peers in October 2022 and is seeking a personal mandate from British voters. Sunak replaces Liz Truss, who was forced to resign after just 49 days in office after her tax-cutting economic policies spooked financial markets and lost the support of her party.
Sunak, who is of Indian descent, has the distinction of being Britain’s first Asian and Hindu prime minister. The former financier is praised for bringing stability to the government after the turbulent governments of Truss and Boris Johnson and for his success in taming inflation.
But he has failed to deliver on some promises, including reducing medical waiting lists, curbing illegal immigration and deporting migrants to Rwanda.
Mr Sunak’s campaign has been plagued by lackluster and missteps, from announcing the election date in the rain to criticism over his absence from a major anniversary commemoration of the Normandy landings. Opinion polls show he has the lowest approval rating of any prime minister in Britain’s history.
Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage, a 60-year-old former member of the European Parliament, is a polarizing figure in British politics. Known for his love of beer and cigarettes, the 60-year-old played a key role in persuading a majority of Britons to vote for leaving the EU in 2016, earning him the nickname “Mr Brexit” from former US President Donald Trump.
Despite his influence on the Brexit referendum, Farage has run for parliament seven times but has never been elected. He now leads the far-right Reform UK party, which could affect the Conservative party’s re-election chances by losing key seats.
Recently, Farage and his party were embroiled in a racism scandal after several Reform activists were caught on camera making racist and homophobic comments. As a result, Reform disqualified three candidates over the weekend for making the offensive comments. Farage also faced criticism for suggesting that Western countries had “provoked” Russia to invade Ukraine.
Swinney, Davie, Denier
Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats John SwinneyWith the Scottish National Party (SNP) expected to win a landslide victory in the election, Davie could play a key role in determining the outcome. Davie, 58, is aiming to stop the Conservatives from winning a handful of seats in the south of England and overtake the SNP to become the third largest party in Parliament. He has balanced campaigning on serious issues with lighter-hearted attention-grabbing stunts.
Swinney, 60, is not a member of the UK Parliament but became leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in May following the resignation of Humza Yousaf and serves as first minister in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The SNP now faces a challenge from a resurgent Labour party that could put independence hopes at risk for a generation.
Meanwhile, the co-leader of the Green Party Carla DenierThe 38-year-old is aiming to help her party increase its number of seats in Parliament from one to four, and is targeting victory in the newly created Bristol Central constituency.
