Sunak sees election 'in second half of 2024'

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he expects a general election to take place in the second half of next year after weeks of speculation that he would call an early poll in May.

"My working assumption is we’ll have a general election in the second half of this year and in the meantime I’ve got lots that I want to get on with," he told broadcasters on a visit to a youth centre Nottinghamshire.

Sunak's ruling Conservative Party trail the main opposition Labour Party by just under 20% in the polls and would face electoral wipeout if a vote was held now. His own popularity rating is dire, with a minus 61% approval rating as people face the highest tax burden since World War 2, lowest living standards since records began, wages failing to keep pace with inflation and a cost-of-living crisis.

"I want to keep going, managing the economy well and cutting people’s taxes. But I also want to keep tackling illegal migration," he said on Thursday. "So, I’ve got lots to get on with and I’m determined to keep delivering for the British people."

Sunak must call an election by late January 2025. All major political parties are effectively already on the campaign trail ahead of local elections due in May.

The Tories face a threat from the hard-right anti-immigration Reform Party - formerly the Brexit Party - which also draws members from the far right and could split the Conservative vote.

Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said his party was "ready for an election".

"I think the country is ready for elections. People are crying out for change. And I say to the prime minister, what is he hiding? This has serious implications for the country because he’s basically saying he’s going to be squatting for months and months in Downing Street, dithering and delaying.”

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com