SUNAK ELECTION JULY 4th
What is Happening?
The Sky reports were right - Sunak just called a snap election for July 4th 2024.
The predictions have been plaguing Sunak's premiership: will there be an election in spring? Summer? Autumn? Winter? Legally, Sunak was obligated to call one by January 2025 due to UK governments lasting 5 years. The latest reports focused on Sunak calling an election in November/December, after the abysmal local elections cost the Conservatives over 400 councillors.
But this morning, key sources were reporting to the press that Sunak intended to call an election for July, months earlier than planned. This comes after recent comments made by Sunak on a TV show hinted at a much later election date. The news is all correct: with Sunak informing the public that he had visited the King to request Parliament's dissolution, which will happen on May 30th.
Starmer as the Leader of the Opposition addressed the nation in his own speech, pledging a party of change to counter the 14 years of Conservative rule.
Author Analysis
The next six weeks are crucial. It's time for battle for the leading political parties. This is a shock - I would have put money on an autumn/winter election because Sunak needed time to recover from the disaster of the local elections. But instead of currying favour, he's decided to go full steam ahead into election mode. And this has now triggered the rest of the UK political parties to do the same. Sunak's speech was marred by downpour and protestors in the background, whereas Starmer's was very ministerial and indoors.
This kind of analysis is what the next six weeks will entail, and inevitably impact British democracy. Northern Ireland's political parties Sinn Fein and the DUP have already released statements, as well as Scotland's SNP. July 4th is a summer date and more accessible - an old election strategy is to set elections in autumn/winter as worse weather means fewer people will bother to vote. But this date has caused commotion for Scotland as Scottish pupils are undertaking summer holidays, raising the issue of how Scottish families will make arrangements.
It is this lack of consideration that is adding to the commotion around the July 4th election. Either way, the date is set. Britain will go to the polls and the next six weeks will be full of political propaganda aimed at convincing the voter to believe tales of a promising future. We don't know what is next - but parties will be on the charm offensive to get those votes and secure the British people's mandate.
Little I will be posting all the relevant political updates - this is the first national election for the author to vote in as well as report on!
*Image obtained from BBC News, all rights reserved 
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