Why are you laughing, PM?
Sunak’s nerves as he’s asked for vote date
RISHI Sunak was reduced to nervous laughter as he was asked why he has not got the guts to call a general election.
The Prime Minister faced a backlash yesterday as he refused to tell local radio listeners when the country will be going to the polls.
Mr Sunak was grilled by BBC Radio Tees host Amy Oakden, who said the “overwhelming question” from her listeners was: “When there will be a general election?” The PM chuckled: “Well, I’ve answered that question many times in the last few weeks...”
Ms Oakden persisted: “So can you give us a date?” Mr Sunak replied: “No No, no, unfortunately not.”
As Mr Sunak giggled awkwardly, she asked: “Why is that funny? Sorry, why are you laughing about that?”
He said: “Because there’s a way that we announce general elections, and it would be done in a formal and official way.” But he did not give a date.
Ms Oakden went on: “We’ve had people say, ‘please ask why he hasn’t got the guts to call an election right now. We want an election. When will it happen?’”
But Mr Sunak insisted that was not what voters wanted to know. He said: “People talk to me about things that are impacting them. Like energy bills, like inflation, like childcare and what we’re doing to help.”
He defended the Tories childcare plans amid warnings parents are unable to get their free hours because of shortages of places.
Mr Sunak was also asked when he will be calling an election minutes later by BBC Radio Newcastle, and three more times by ITV News. He told the broadcaster: “My working assumption is that we’ll have a general election in the second half of the year.” More than 212,500 people have signed the Mirror’s General Election Now petition on the 38 Degrees website. Add your name at http://bit.ly/GeneralElectionNow.
Our listeners’ main question is, when will the general election be?
Ha ha ha ha
Well, I’ve answered that question many times...No...ha ha...
Why is that funny? Why are you laughing about that?
PM titters on BBC Radio Tees yesterday
WHEN the general election will be held is no laughing matter for families struggling with the cost of living crisis, patients stuck on record NHS waiting lists or victims of crime denied justice.
Rishi Sunak treating the question as a joke shows the arrogance of a Prime Minister totally out of touch with the British people, putting himself before millions of others.
Naming the date would ease uncertainty while holding that contest soon would spare him and his party the anger of a country yearning for a fresh start.
Sunak won’t be laughing after voters are allowed into polling booths to have their say in a general election.