US & GLOBAL: UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak call for an election that is scheduled for July 4, 2024. Its been said that the election of December 2022 was quite necessary however residents of Great Britan have questioned why Sunak , a successful national official, had decided to call for the upcoming election.
By Anne M. Erbynstein
In the UK, the timing of general elections is not arbitrary but is governed by certain rules and conventions. According to the Parliamentary Elections Rules in Schedule 1 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, a general election to the UK Parliament must be held at some point within five years of the first meeting of the current Parliament.
The formal timetable for a general election starts with the dissolution of Parliament and ends with polling day1. The timetable is 25 working days. The Prime Minister has the power to request the monarch to dissolve Parliament and call for a general election.
The power was revived by the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 20222. If the Prime Minister does not request an earlier dissolution, Parliament will automatically be dissolved at the beginning of the fifth anniversary of the day on which it first met.
As for why Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a general election on July 4, 2024, despite having until January 2025 to hold one1, it’s often a strategic decision made by the ruling party. The Prime Minister may believe that the timing is advantageous for his party, or he may want to seek a fresh mandate from the public for his policies.
However, the specific reasons can vary and are often influenced by the current political climate and public opinion3. It’s worth noting that the Conservative Party, led by Sunak, has been facing poor polling against the opposition Labour Party 45. It is this that some say, might have influenced his decision to call for an early election.
Comments