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Rishi Sunak has called a general election for 4 July, saying “now is the moment for Britain to choose its future”.
In a statement outside Downing Street delivered in the pouring rain, the prime minister said he had met with the King to request the dissolution of parliament.
“The King has granted this request and we will have a general election on the 4th of July”, Mr Sunak said.
The surprise move is a huge electoral gamble given Labour are ahead by about 20 points in the polls.
It comes after official figures showed inflation had come down to 2.3% in April.
Mr Sunak said this is “proof that the plan and priorities I set out are working”.
However, he said “this hard-earned economic stability was only ever meant to be the beginning”.
In a rallying cry to the nation he said: “The question now is how and who do you trust to turn that foundation into a secure future for you, your family and our country?
“Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future and to decide whether we want to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one. With no plan and no certainty.”
Mr Sunak had to contend with the rain and New Labour anthem Things Can Only Get Better being played from beyond the gates to Downing Street as he delivered his speech.
Putting the economy and global security threats at the centre of his pitch to voters, the prime minister started by harking back to his days as chancellor during the pandemic, saying he served the country while “the future hung in the balance”.
He said that economic stability is “the bedrock of any future success” and accused Labour of having no plan.
He finished his statement with an attack on his rival for Number 10, Sir Keir Starmer, saying he has “shown time and time again that he will take the easy way out and do anything to get power”.
Mr Sunak added: “If he was happy to abandon all the promises he made to become Labour leader once he got the job, how can you know that he won’t do exactly the same thing if he were to become prime minister?
“If you don’t have the conviction to stick to anything you say, if you don’t have the courage to tell people what you want to do, and if you don’t have a plan, how can you possibly be trusted to lead our country, especially at this most uncertain of times?”
Later, at a campaign rally flanked by his cabinet colleagues, Mr Sunak pitched himself as the underdog in the contest but accused Labour of taking voters for granted.
He said: “Labour want you to think that this elections is over before it has even begun. But we are going to fight every day for our values and our vision and the British people are going to show Labour that they don’t take too kindly to being taken for granted.”
Labour is not the only threat Rishi Sunak is facing.
The Lib Dems are hoping to make gains in traditional Conservative heartlands by campaigning on issues like NHS waiting lists and the sewage scandal, while Reform UK are seeking to win over voters on the right concerned about immigration.
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