UK General Election 2024 date set for July 4 as Rishi Sunak finally calls vote

Voters will go to the polls on July 4 as Rishi Sunak finally named the date for the general election.

The Prime Minister has been under pressure for months to call a vote, which must be held by January 2025 at the latest by law. But he stalled on naming the date in a bid to turn around his party's flagging approval ratings.

In a statement outside Downing Street, a rain-soaked Mr Sunak said it was "time for Britain to choose its future" at a general election on July 4. He said King Charles had granted his request to dissolve Parliament earlier today.

But his speech was overshadowed by protesters playing the New Labour anthem, "Things Can Only Get Better" by D:Ream, at full blast. With rain pouring down on him, the PM told voters: "I cannot and will not say that we have got everything right. No government should. But I am proud of what we have achieved together, the bold actions we have taken and I'm confident about what we can do in the future."

A soaking Rishi Sunak delivered his speech outside Downing Street in the rain

In a sign that the Tories plan to make security and the economy key battlegrounds, Mr Sunak said: "This election will take place at time when the world is more dangerous than it has been since the end of the Cold War." The "uncertain times" call for a "clear plan", he said.

The PM pointed to today's inflation figures, which show price rises slowed to 2.3% in April, down from 3.2% in March. Slashing inflation was one of Mr Sunak's five pledges - and is believed to be a key factor in why he decided to go for a summer election.

Mr Sunak went on: "Over the next few weeks, I will fight for every vote. I will earn your trust and I will prove to you that only a Conservative government led by me will not put our hard-earned economic stability at risk, can restore pride and confidence in our country, and with a clear plan and bold action will deliver a secure future for you, your family and our United Kingdom."

Keir Starmer tweeted a single word, "Change," alongside a video laying out Labour's promises to repair the damage caused by 14 years of Tory rule. A Labour source said: “You’ll see on the lectern when Keir speaks one word. Change. That’s our election message."

Speaking in London, he said: "A vote for Labour is a vote for stability." He said the future of the country was in voters' hands, adding: "Together we can stop the chaos, we can turn the page, we can start to rebuild Britain and change our country."

Keir Starmer said Labour would start to rebuild Britain

Parliament will be prorogued on Friday, before formal dissolution on Thursday, May 30, Downing Street confirmed. The general election campaign will then begin in earnest - running for five weeks. The new Parliament will be sworn in on July 9, a few days after the election.

Speculation reached fever pitch in Westminster today as Foreign Secretary David Cameron was forced to cut short a trip to Albania and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps postponed a visit to the Baltic states to attend a Cabinet meeting this afternoon. Downing Street insiders went quiet as rumours swirled that Mr Sunak was finally going to send Britain to the polls.

Mr Sunak's press secretary did nothing to stamp out speculation, telling reporters she was "not going to rule anything in or out" when pressed on whether the PM could call an election for July.

His election gamble comes just weeks after the Tories lost almost 500 council seats across England in its worst result at the local elections in 40 years. Labour has also secured a series of stunning victories at by-elections in recent months with record swings. In Blackpool South just last month, the party secured the biggest swing from the Tories since the Second World War.

Labour has maintained a double-digit poll lead for more than a year, in a sign that the public has grown weary of Tory chaos after 14 years in power. Dozens of Conservative MPs have already announced their decision not to stand at the general election amid fears of a 1997-style wipeout at the ballot box.

Polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice has predicted that Labour had a "99% chance" of forming the next Government. "It's clearly a very small chance that the Tories are going to be in government after the autumn," he said.

The last two general elections were held early rather than after the usual five-year term. Theresa May went to the polls in June 2017 to increase her majority but was forced to strike a deal with the DUP to prop up her Government after her gamble backfired.

Boris Johnson also called an early general election in December 2019 to break the Brexit deadlock, where he won an 80-seat majority.