The Prime Minister has not ruled out a July election in his latest interview, but what are the chances of that happening? Here’s the full story.
Prime Minister’s Position on Election Timing
With continued pressure from MPs to announce a general election, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak looked to have softened his stance on the matter.
Sunak Waits Until Autumn
Previously, Sunak has been adamant that an election would not be called until Autumn, the last minute in political terms given the election year is upon us.
Cagey Reaction
The Prime Minister has now fueled a debate on whether a July election could be on the cards after his cagey words to a reporter.
Prime Minister Refuses to Comment
When asked about the election, the Prime Minister let go of his previously firm response to the question, claiming he would not comment again on the matter.
“I’m Not Going to Say”
Instead of denying a July election, Sunak insisted, “I’m not going to say anything more than I’ve already said, I’ve been very clear about that.”
Flat Out Refusal
When asked further whether he could announce the July election, the Prime Minister said, “I’m not going to do that.”
Sunak Continues to Fight Back
Sunak went on to argue that he would give the same response he’s given all year, “You’re going to try and draw whatever conclusion you want from what I say,” he said,
Sunak Urges Reporter to Listen
“I’m going to always try and say the same thing. You should just listen to what I said, same thing I’ve said all year,” Sunak insisted.
Sunak’s Previous Response
When asked the question previously, Sunak laughed it off, completely denying any chance of an election before the autumn, but this interview with Sky News was different.
Sunak Pressured to Announce Election
Sunak was asked last month, “Lots of people got in touch with a whole range of questions, but the overwhelming one was when will there be a general election?”
“Why’s That Funny?”
In the recent BBC interview, Sunak was asked the question live on the radio. He laughed as he responded, prompting the reporter to ask, “Why’s that funny?”
“Why Are You Laughing About That?”
The reporter continued, “Why not? Why is that funny? Why are you laughing about that?” to which the Prime Minister argued there were specific ways an election should be announced.
“Laughing in the Face of People Crying”
A Liberal Democrat spokesperson accused Sunak of “Laughing in the face of people crying out for change” before slamming the Prime Minister’s response.
Reflecting the Government
The Liberal Democrat, Helen Morgan, suggested that Sunak’s response was a “perfect example of how careless, callous and chaotic this Conservative Party is.”
Former Cabinet Minister’s Warning
A former Cabinet Minister argued that calling an election would cause devastating effects on the Tory Party, urging Sunak against it.
Potential “Suicide” for Tories
Former Cabinet Minister, Sir David Davis, recently spoke out, arguing that calling the election now would be “suicidal in political terms.”
London Mayoral Elections
The latest interview came just one week before the London mayoral elections on May 2nd, and many believe the outcome could shape Sunak’s decision to call the election sooner.
Tory MP Catching Up
Labour candidate and current Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is the favourite to win the voters’ majority, although Tory candidate Susan Hall is slowly catching up in second.
Khan’s Third Term
If Khan is to win a third term in London’s most prestigious seat, many believe Sunak would feel pressured to announce an election for July.
Odds of a July Election
With Sunak’s responses getting less direct, some are speculating a July election in on the cards.
The post Could a July Election Be Imminent? Sunak’s Response Keeps Voters Guessing first appeared on Swift Feed.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Sean Aidan Calderbank.