Autumn election ‘still favourite’ as talk grows of snap vote in summer
MOST Tories back an autumn election rather than a snap poll this summer, former party leader William Hague said today amid a flurry of speculation that Rishi Sunak might go to the country early.
As more and more Conservative MPs announce they are quitting at the election and a record number of migrants cross the Channel in small boats, Westminster was gripped by talk that the Prime Minister could call an election in June or July to limit the scale of a Tory defeat.
Lord Hague admitted that there was a strategic case for a summer general election. “I’m sure there is an argument for that,” he told Times Radio after interviewing Mr Sunak for a podcast. “But there is also an argument that he will want to show that the improvement that he was talking about — the economy turning the corner as he sees it and inflation coming down and people’s incomes starting to improve, he will want people to have some time to experience that. Most Conservatives would tell you there is a stronger argument for a later election.”
Mr Sunak, who has been hit by a series of setbacks including high inflation and the cost-of-living crisis and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, told the podcast: “Someone described it as the worst hospital pass for any incoming prime minister in many decades.
“We’ve been through a lot as a country over the past few years, which people are understandably frustrated about and makes the environment trickier. Of course it will take time but I do think we are now heading in the right direction.”
Tory hopes that the mild recession at the end of last year could be “revised away” by the latest official figures from the Office for National Statistics were dashed as they were largely unchanged.
Responding to them, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt stressed: “Last year was tough as interest rates had to rise to bring down inflation, but we can see our plan is working.
“Inflation has fallen decisively from over 11 per cent to 3.4 per cent, the economy grew in January and real wages have increased for eight months in a row.”
But shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Rishi Sunak has broken his promise to grow the economy and left Britain in recession with working people paying the price.”
Sir Keir Starmer today accused the Prime Minister of “bottling” calling a general election as he launched his party’s local polls campaign in the West Midlands. The Labour leader was joined by Angela Rayner at the launch.