Sunak shocks Westminster by calling summer election

Rain pours down on the PM as he announces a 4 July poll

- DAVID MADDOX

Rishi Sunak has ended months of speculation and finally announced the date of the next general election: 4 July. Standing on the steps of No 10 in the pouring rain, the prime minister revealed he had been to see the King to dissolve parliament.

But the long-awaited moment descended into farce as Mr Sunak struggled to be heard as protesters outside Downing Street blasted out Tony Blair’s 1997 victory anthem, “Things Can Only Get Better”. In contrast, Sir Keir Starmer presented a calm front as he stood indoors to promise stability and an end to Tory chaos.

Pollster Sir John Curtice predicted the contest was Labour’s to lose, and said the prime minister was “either very brave or extremely foolhardy” to call the election sooner than expected.

Mr Sunak’s announcement caught Westminster by surprise, with foreign secretary David Cameron called back from an overseas trip to Albania and defence secretary Grant Shapps also forced to cancel plans. Cabinet ministers were summoned at 4pm and the prime minister stepped outside an hour later, using the morning’s inflation figures as a springboard to promise a flourishing economy.