In a surprise move, Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak He called for an early general election on 4 July, a decision many in Westminster believe will result in his defeat. The result of this election will determine whether the Conservative Party’s 14-year rule will end, paving the way for a centre-left Labour government. keir starmerOr Sunak could win an unexpected victory and extend the Conservative dynasty.
The general election will decide the composition of the House of Commons, with each of the UK’s 650 constituencies electing a Member of Parliament (MP) to represent local residents. Voters will cast their ballots at polling stations between 07am and 10pm on election day, with some people opting for postal voting beforehand. The candidate with the most votes in each constituency will become that area’s MP under the “First Past the Post” system. A record number of candidates, more than 4,000, are campaigning for the July 4 election.
Sunak calls for early elections
Sunak had until December to call an election, with voting due to take place the following month. Despite indications that the election would be held in the second half of 2024, he remained quiet about his decision, leading to speculation in Westminster. Faced with challenging choices, including a dismal economy and a controversial plan to process refugee claims in Rwanda, Sunak ultimately decided to call an election after rare positive economic news.
Who is expected to emerge victorious?
The prevailing expectation is that the Conservative Party will lose the election, as Labour has maintained a substantial lead in opinion polls since late 2021. The Conservative brand has been tarnished by various scandals, including Partygate, which led to the downfall of Boris Johnson and the chaotic six-week tenure of his successor, Liz Truss.
Despite the opposition party’s significant lead in the poll, Rishi Sunak’s campaign team finds solace in some underlying statistics. Although Keir Starmer leads Sunak when respondents are asked who would be a better prime minister, the gap is small compared to the overall difference in party voting intentions. Sunak has attempted to maintain a “me versus him” narrative to take advantage of this.
However, Sunak has been unable to swing the polls in his favour since taking the leadership, and the margin has remained unchanged since the start of the campaign.
How does Britain choose its prime minister?
Britons will cast their votes on July 4 and the winner will be announced in the early hours of Friday morning. Voters in the UK elect MPs to represent their local constituencies and the leader of the party that wins a majority of the 650 constituencies becomes the Prime Minister and forms the government.
If no party wins an absolute majority, they may govern as a minority government or form a coalition. King Charles III has a formal role in the formation of a government, deciding whether to hold elections and approving the dissolution of parliament, but he will not disagree with the prime minister or overturn election results.
Key issues in the UK
Labour is expected to present the election as a referendum on the Conservative Party’s 14 years of rule, highlighting public fatigue with the party’s many prime ministers, Brexit, the struggling economy and various scandals. Starmer will likely focus on the cost of living and the state of the National Health Service (NHS).
In contrast, Sunak will emphasise migration, particularly his “stop the boats” pledge, and Rwanda policy, while attempting to convince voters that the economy has improved and that regime change would be risky. Early indications suggest Sunak will also make leadership a central issue, highlighting his experience as finance minister during the Covid-19 pandemic and criticising Starmer’s record.
Following are the major individuals and parties participating in this important national election:
keir starmer
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, 61, a former human rights lawyer and chief public prosecutor, is likely to become prime minister if he wins the upcoming election, opinion polls say.
Since taking over as leader from left-wing Jeremy Corbyn in April 2020, Starmer has been praised for moving his party towards the political centre and eliminating anti-Semitism within its ranks.
His supporters see him as a pragmatic and trustworthy leader, fully capable of leading Britain out of economic recession.
However, his critics argue that he lacks charisma and has been indecisive, failing to lay out a clear vision for the country during a cautious election campaign.
Born in London to a toolmaker father and a nurse mother, Starmer’s unusual first name was chosen by his socialist parents as a tribute to Labour Party founding father Keir Hardie. An avid football fan and Arsenal supporter, Starmer was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to criminal justice, although he rarely uses the title “Sir” before his name.
Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak, 44, is aiming to secure a personal mandate from British voters after he is appointed by his fellow MPs as Conservative leader and prime minister in October 2022. He takes over from Liz Truss, who was forced to step down after just 49 days in office after her tax-cutting economic policies worried financial markets and caused her to lose the support of her party.
Sunak, of Indian origin, has the distinction of being Britain’s first British Asian and Hindu Prime Minister. The former finance minister has been praised for bringing stability to the government after the turmoil of the Truss and Boris Johnson administration and successfully reducing inflation.
However, he has been unable to fulfil a number of commitments, such as reducing healthcare waiting lists, curbing irregular immigration and sending migrants back to Rwanda.
Sunak’s campaign has been lackluster and filled with missteps, starting with announcing the election date while soaked in rain and including criticism for his absence from the main D-Day anniversary celebrations. His approval ratings are the lowest of any prime minister in history, according to opinion polls.
Nigel Farraz
Nigel Farage, a 60-year-old former member of the European Parliament, is a polarising figure in British politics. Known for his love of beer and cigarettes, he played a key role in persuading most Britons to vote in favour of leaving the European Union in 2016, earning him the nickname “Mr Brexit” from former US President Donald Trump.
Despite his influence on the Brexit referendum, Farage has been unsuccessful in his attempts to become a Member of Parliament, having contested elections seven times before. He currently leads the far-right Reform UK party, which could potentially hurt the Conservative Party’s chances of winning re-election by taking away crucial seats.
Most recently, Farage and his party have been embroiled in a racism scandal after several Reform activists were caught on camera making racist and homophobic comments. As a result, Reform rejected three candidates over the weekend due to their offensive comments. Farage also faced criticism for suggesting that the West “provoked” Russia to invade Ukraine.
Swinney, Davey and Denyer
While neither Ed DeweyNeither do the Liberal Democrats. John SwinneyWith the Scottish National Party (SNP) expected to win the election outright, they could play a key role in determining the outcome. Davie, 58, aims to prevent a Conservative victory by winning many seats in southern England and overtaking the SNP to become the third-largest party in parliament. He has balanced a campaign on serious issues with light-hearted stunts to attract attention.
Swinney, 60, is not a member of the U.K. Parliament but serves as first minister in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, having taken over the leadership of the SNP in May following the resignation of Humza Yousaf. The SNP is currently facing challenges from a resurgent Labour Party in Scotland, which could threaten its hopes of independence for a generation.
Meanwhile, Green Party co-leader Carla DenierThe 38-year-old is aiming to win the newly created seat of Bristol Central, as her party seeks to increase its representation in parliament from one to four MPs.
The general election will decide the composition of the House of Commons, with each of the UK’s 650 constituencies electing a Member of Parliament (MP) to represent local residents. Voters will cast their ballots at polling stations between 07am and 10pm on election day, with some people opting for postal voting beforehand. The candidate with the most votes in each constituency will become that area’s MP under the “First Past the Post” system. A record number of candidates, more than 4,000, are campaigning for the July 4 election.
Sunak calls for early elections
Sunak had until December to call an election, with voting due to take place the following month. Despite indications that the election would be held in the second half of 2024, he remained quiet about his decision, leading to speculation in Westminster. Faced with challenging choices, including a dismal economy and a controversial plan to process refugee claims in Rwanda, Sunak ultimately decided to call an election after rare positive economic news.
Who is expected to emerge victorious?
The prevailing expectation is that the Conservative Party will lose the election, as Labour has maintained a substantial lead in opinion polls since late 2021. The Conservative brand has been tarnished by various scandals, including Partygate, which led to the downfall of Boris Johnson and the chaotic six-week tenure of his successor, Liz Truss.
Despite the opposition party’s significant lead in the poll, Rishi Sunak’s campaign team finds solace in some underlying statistics. Although Keir Starmer leads Sunak when respondents are asked who would be a better prime minister, the gap is small compared to the overall difference in party voting intentions. Sunak has attempted to maintain a “me versus him” narrative to take advantage of this.
However, Sunak has been unable to swing the polls in his favour since taking the leadership, and the margin has remained unchanged since the start of the campaign.
How does Britain choose its prime minister?
Britons will cast their votes on July 4 and the winner will be announced in the early hours of Friday morning. Voters in the UK elect MPs to represent their local constituencies and the leader of the party that wins a majority of the 650 constituencies becomes the Prime Minister and forms the government.
If no party wins an absolute majority, they may govern as a minority government or form a coalition. King Charles III has a formal role in the formation of a government, deciding whether to hold elections and approving the dissolution of parliament, but he will not disagree with the prime minister or overturn election results.
Key issues in the UK
Labour is expected to present the election as a referendum on the Conservative Party’s 14 years of rule, highlighting public fatigue with the party’s many prime ministers, Brexit, the struggling economy and various scandals. Starmer will likely focus on the cost of living and the state of the National Health Service (NHS).
In contrast, Sunak will emphasise migration, particularly his “stop the boats” pledge, and Rwanda policy, while attempting to convince voters that the economy has improved and that regime change would be risky. Early indications suggest Sunak will also make leadership a central issue, highlighting his experience as finance minister during the Covid-19 pandemic and criticising Starmer’s record.
Following are the major individuals and parties participating in this important national election:
keir starmer
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, 61, a former human rights lawyer and chief public prosecutor, is likely to become prime minister if he wins the upcoming election, opinion polls say.
Since taking over as leader from left-wing Jeremy Corbyn in April 2020, Starmer has been praised for moving his party towards the political centre and eliminating anti-Semitism within its ranks.
His supporters see him as a pragmatic and trustworthy leader, fully capable of leading Britain out of economic recession.
However, his critics argue that he lacks charisma and has been indecisive, failing to lay out a clear vision for the country during a cautious election campaign.
Born in London to a toolmaker father and a nurse mother, Starmer’s unusual first name was chosen by his socialist parents as a tribute to Labour Party founding father Keir Hardie. An avid football fan and Arsenal supporter, Starmer was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to criminal justice, although he rarely uses the title “Sir” before his name.
Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak, 44, is aiming to secure a personal mandate from British voters after he is appointed by his fellow MPs as Conservative leader and prime minister in October 2022. He takes over from Liz Truss, who was forced to step down after just 49 days in office after her tax-cutting economic policies worried financial markets and caused her to lose the support of her party.
Sunak, of Indian origin, has the distinction of being Britain’s first British Asian and Hindu Prime Minister. The former finance minister has been praised for bringing stability to the government after the turmoil of the Truss and Boris Johnson administration and successfully reducing inflation.
However, he has been unable to fulfil a number of commitments, such as reducing healthcare waiting lists, curbing irregular immigration and sending migrants back to Rwanda.
Sunak’s campaign has been lackluster and filled with missteps, starting with announcing the election date while soaked in rain and including criticism for his absence from the main D-Day anniversary celebrations. His approval ratings are the lowest of any prime minister in history, according to opinion polls.
Nigel Farraz
Nigel Farage, a 60-year-old former member of the European Parliament, is a polarising figure in British politics. Known for his love of beer and cigarettes, he played a key role in persuading most Britons to vote in favour of leaving the European Union in 2016, earning him the nickname “Mr Brexit” from former US President Donald Trump.
Despite his influence on the Brexit referendum, Farage has been unsuccessful in his attempts to become a Member of Parliament, having contested elections seven times before. He currently leads the far-right Reform UK party, which could potentially hurt the Conservative Party’s chances of winning re-election by taking away crucial seats.
Most recently, Farage and his party have been embroiled in a racism scandal after several Reform activists were caught on camera making racist and homophobic comments. As a result, Reform rejected three candidates over the weekend due to their offensive comments. Farage also faced criticism for suggesting that the West “provoked” Russia to invade Ukraine.
Swinney, Davey and Denyer
While neither Ed DeweyNeither do the Liberal Democrats. John SwinneyWith the Scottish National Party (SNP) expected to win the election outright, they could play a key role in determining the outcome. Davie, 58, aims to prevent a Conservative victory by winning many seats in southern England and overtaking the SNP to become the third-largest party in parliament. He has balanced a campaign on serious issues with light-hearted stunts to attract attention.
Swinney, 60, is not a member of the U.K. Parliament but serves as first minister in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, having taken over the leadership of the SNP in May following the resignation of Humza Yousaf. The SNP is currently facing challenges from a resurgent Labour Party in Scotland, which could threaten its hopes of independence for a generation.
Meanwhile, Green Party co-leader Carla DenierThe 38-year-old is aiming to win the newly created seat of Bristol Central, as her party seeks to increase its representation in parliament from one to four MPs.
