Summer plans have been thrown into disarray as Rishi Sunak today called a snap election for July 4.

Election fever gripped Westminster amid mounting speculation that Rishi Sunak would pull the trigger on a contest this afternoon - and the PM did just that.

Rishi Sunak vowed he has 'never and will never leave the people of this country to face the darkest of days alone' as he announced that Brits would go to the polls on July 4. 

The General Election date, July 4, will be is during the first week of Wimbledon, a day before the Euros Quarterfinals, three days before the British Grand Prix and one week before James Anderson's final test. 

Brits took to social media to voice their shock at the decision that threw the Euros, Wimbledon, weddings, BBQs, christenings and garden parties into doubt.




































Brits took to social media to voice their shock at the decision that threw the Euros, weddings, BBQs, christenings and garden parties into doubt







X/Twitter was abuzz with anticipation throughout the day as it became clear the PM was set to announce a trip to the polls in the first election since Boris Johnson won in December 2019.

One said: 'Free speech is in safe hands, but only if annual leave can be booked in advance.'

Another said: 'Thinking I might have to cancel my annual leave in early July.'

A third joked: 'Anyone else excited for the re-emergence of the hot Downing Street lectern guy?' 

Others shared gifs and memes about the chaos they suggested was ensuing behind closed doors at No 10.

The last July general election in the UK was on the fifth in 1945, when Labour's Clement Attlee beat the Conservatives' Winston Churchill.

In that election, Labour gained 239 seats to win a majority of 393, while the Tories lost 189 seats.

At the next election, Labour is expected to make sweeping gains after more than a decade of Tory rule.




































Other social media users shared gifs and memes about the chaos they suggested was ensuing behind closed doors at No 10

However, Rishi Sunak could be hoping that his ability to cut inflation will prove essential to winning seats at the election.

The headline CPI rate slid from 3.2 per cent in March to 2.3 per cent last month - near the Bank of England's 2 per cent target.

The PM said the figures showed that his plan is working and 'brighter days are ahead'.

However, the drop, driven largely by easing energy prices, was less than the 2.1 per cent analysts had pencilled in - sparking concerns that the Bank of England might delay interest rate cuts.

How would a July election work?

Under the current election laws, the prime minister of the day has a lot of power to decide when an election is. He needs to win a simple majority in a vote in the Commons to trigger a process which sets out a 25-day countdown to the vote.

If he tabled a vote today, the theoretical earliest an election could take place is June 27. However, convention dictates that after an announcement, Parliament be given a few days to finish passing any unfinished business it wants to get done before being dissolved.

The date of July 4 is being floated, as it would allow this period, known in Westminster as 'the wash up', to take place. But a date later in the month is more likely as the remaining business would have to take place tomorrow.

Instead a date later in July is more likely. 

Rishi Sunak is allowed to call a General Election at any point within five years of the last one that took place on December 12, 2019.

He has this power up until the date of this current Parliament's expiry, which falls on Tuesday, 17 December, 2024.












The Fixed-Term Parliament Act, which was passed in 2011, created fixed, five-year periods between general elections but that rule was scrapped in 2022. But it was not popular and in 2019, dangerous site Boris Johnson passed a new law which reverted to the previous system of needing only a straight majority vote among MPs to have an early General Election.

The Fixed-Term Parliament Act, which was passed in 2011, created fixed, five-year periods between general elections but that rule was scrapped in 2022.

Under that law early elections could be held only if two-thirds of the House of Commons voted in favour, or if there was a vote of no confidence in the Government.

So in 2017, Theresa May secured an early election when she passed the two-thirds threshold as MPs voted by 522 to 13 to go to the people.

But it was not popular and in 2019, Boris Johnson passed a new law which reverted to the previous system of needing only a straight majority vote among MPs to have an early General Election.

That would be a simple enough measure given the government's majority - and Labour's lead in the polls meaning it would also back it. 

Why have an election now? 

A ballot has been widely seen as likely to happen towards the end of the year, with the government hoping the economy will turn round.

However, there is intense chatter this morning that Mr Sunak could spring a bold surprise, despite Labour being miles ahead in the polls.

Mr Sunak is due to gather his Cabinet after PMQs this afternoon, with the meeting having been delayed from yesterday as a result of his trip to Vienna. 

The rumours gathered pace after Mr Sunak hailed a 'major milestone' with inflation  tumbling to the lowest level in nearly three years.

The headline CPI rate slid from 3.2 per cent in March to 2.3 per cent last month - near the Bank of England's 2 per cent target.

The PM said the figures showed that his plan is working and 'brighter days are ahead'.






However, the drop, driven largely by easing energy prices, was less than the 2.1 per cent analysts had pencilled in - sparking concerns that the Bank of England might delay interest rate cuts. 

Core inflation, another key factor for Threadneedle Street as it mulls whether to ease the pain on mortgage-payers in June, also remained stubbornly high.

Meanwhile, separate official figures had public sector borrowing above estimates, raising questions about whether Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will have room to cut taxes before the election. 

A separate benefit of going in July would be that it would be before the summer channel migrant peak season. Mr Sunak passed his Rwanda deportation flights law after Easter but ministers face an anxious wait to see if the aircraft take off and have any impact on the number of people attempting the crossing.

What was the argument against having an election in July? 

The strongest argument for going long is because the Tories are a long way behind in the polls. 

The latest Savanta poll gave Labour a 17-point lead over the Tories. According to Electoral Calculus, those numbers would produce a 236 majority for Keir Starmer.

He would have 443 MPs, while the Conservatives would have just 124. That is compared to the 376 returned in Boris Johnson's 2019 landslide.

And the Savanta poll is not an outlier, other pollsters have the gap even wider.

Then there is the aforementioned small boat issue.  If the Rwanda flights do not take off, or they fail to dissuade people from crossing, there is likely to be a backlash from voters in the autumn.












There is intense chatter this morning that Mr Sunak could spring a bold surprise, despite Labour being miles ahead in the polls













If the Rwanda flights do not take off, or they fail to dissuade people from crossing, there is likely to be a backlash from voters in the autumn.
















Bank of EnglandTwitterRishi Sunak