UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls an early general election

Ending months of speculation, Sunak announced he was calling the election earlier than expected, a risky strategy with his party far behind Labour in the opinion polls.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the general election during a rainy press conference outside 10 Downing Street, London. Source: AAP / Stefan Rousseau/PA

The top line: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a general election for 4 July, saying the electorate will be able to choose their future in a vote his Conservatives are widely expected to lose to the opposing Labour Party after 14 years in power.

The bigger picture: Sunak heads into the election not only far behind the Labour Party in the polls (about 20 percentage points) but also somewhat isolated from some in his party, increasingly dependent on a small team of advisers to steer him through the campaign.

Rishi Sunak's Conservative party are behind Labour in opinion polls.

The key quote: "Over the next few weeks, I will fight for every vote, I will earn your trust and I will prove to you that only a Conservative government led by me will not put our hard-earned economic stability at risk," Sunak said, describing the choice as one between stability with him and the unknown with Labour leader Keir Starmer.

What else to know: Labour has accused the government of 14 years of economic mismanagement, leaving people worse off.

What happens next: If Labour wins the election, the UK, once known for its political stability, will have had six prime ministers in eight years for the first time since the 1830s.

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