2024 is an unprecedented year in terms of elections, with almost half of humanity going to the polls, as is the case in the UK. Conservati...
2024 is an unprecedented year in terms of elections, with almost half of humanity going to the polls, as is the case in the UK.
Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is down in the opinion polls, having struggled to make progress on his main pledges.
The primary failure revolves around stopping migrants arriving in small boats, as well as growing the economy and cutting hospital waiting lists.
While Sunak achieved his target of halving inflation by the end of 2023, economists say that has little to do with government policy.
On Thursday (4), Sunak initiated the process for Britain’s next election, saying that his ‘working assumption’ was that the vote would occur ‘in the second half of the year’.
Reuters reported:
“With his governing Conservatives heavily trailing Labour in the polls, Sunak moved swiftly to end calls for an early election by saying he had work to do, including cutting taxes – a major demand from some in his party.
‘My working assumption is we will have a general election in the second half of this year, because in the meantime I have lots I want to get on with’, Sunak told reporters during a visit to central England. ‘I want to keep going, managing the economy well and cutting people’s taxes… I’ve got lots to get on with’.”
It was unlikely that the PM would call an early election since his Conservatives are so far behind in the polls.
Labour opposition hoped to force him into doing it by saying ‘he was running scared of voters’.
Labour’s national campaign coordinator, Pat McFadden:
“‘He needs to stop hiding, stop being so weak, stop squatting in Number 10 without a mandate and simply come clean with the public: when will the British people get their say on 14 years of Tory (Conservative) failure?’, he asked in a statement.
‘Even now Rishi Sunak is still leaving himself as much wiggle room as possible. But the reality is clear: the only thing worse than five more months of this Tory government would be five more years’.”
Sunak was asked by a supporter how he could better get his message across to voters.
“‘I’m going to be out and about myself talking about it’, Sunak said. ‘And you will see that from me every single week between now and the next election, out and about talking to people up and down the country about what we are doing to make their lives better’.”
Political correspondent Kiran Stacey wrote in The Guardian:
“With the Conservatives 18 points behind in the polls, having an election later in the year gives the prime minister more time to turn the economy around by increasing growth and further reducing inflation. He can also use the extra time trying to kickstart his scheme to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, which Labour officials worry would put them on the back foot over one of the most prominent issues of the campaign to come.”
Labour MPs have accused Sunak of ‘squatting’ in Number 10.
“An autumn election will mean Sunak has to go through what is likely to be a bruising set of local elections in May, which could weaken his position within the Conservative party. This will also mean more people will roll off their fixed-term mortgages and begin to feel the pain of higher interest rates for the first time.
But strategists in both parties also say that waiting for longer to call an election makes it harder to predict what the campaign will be fought on. ‘It is very difficult to predict what is going to be the main issue facing voters in six months’ time’, said one. ‘Joe Biden won the US election on one issue – Covid – which was unknown just a year earlier’.”
If Sunak does decide to call a spring election, he will have the element of surprise.
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