• Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, has announced a general election for July 4, 2024, despite the option for a later date. [telegraph.co.uk, independent.co.uk, welt.de, lemonde.fr]
  • Key voter issues include the cost of living crisis, healthcare challenges, housing, education, the environment, and immigration, with parties offering different approaches. [theguardian.com]
  • Sunak has called a snap election, surprising the nation, as the Conservatives trail Labour by around 20 percentage points in opinion polls. Sunak is expected to lead a media blitz and campaign on his achievements, while Starmer pitches Labour as a party for change. [news.sky.com, theguardian.com, straitstimes.com, co.ke, thesun.co.uk, scmp.com]
  • Sunak announced the election as inflation returned close to target, emphasizing his plan for the economy and stability, while criticizing Labour for lacking a plan. The economy and immigration are expected to be central campaign topics. [straitstimes.com, co.ke, thesun.co.uk]
  • Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney criticizes the UK government for scheduling the general election during the Scottish summer break, calling it disrespectful and demonstrating a lack of consideration for Scots. [bbc.com]
  • Labour is leading in the polls, and the Conservative party’s decline in popularity is attributed to various factors, including handling of the pandemic and economic issues. [welt.de]
  • Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, called for change and urged Britons to vote Labour in response to the PM’s announcement. [independent.co.uk]
  • Former PM, Boris Johnson claims the Conservatives are more likely to have a secure plan for the future than Labour, but the Guardian’s poll of polls shows Labour significantly ahead of the Conservatives by over 20 points. [theguardian.com]
  • Campaigning will coincide with major summer events, with close to 50 million Britons eligible to vote, and the results typically declared overnight, with exit polls released by broadcasters when polls close. [scmp.com, thesun.co.uk]
  • The current Labour poll lead is narrower than in 1997, with both main parties seeing a dip in support since the 2019 elections, and more parties like Reform UK and the Green Party gaining support. [theguardian.com]
  • Sunak’s decision to delay the election could mirror John Major’s strategy in 1997, hoping for Labour to lose ground under campaign pressure, although a turnaround in public opinion is unlikely. [theguardian.com]
  • The Liberal Democrats may gain strength in the election, benefitting from a swing of support from Conservative seats, potential tactical voting, and strength in contested constituencies. [theguardian.com]

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