Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced the date for the next General Election as July 4.
The announcement was made outside Number 10 Downing Street today (May 22).
Mr Sunak confirmed he has asked the King for the dissolution of Parliament.
Mr Sunak has been PM since 25 October 2022, replacing Liz Truss after her very short time at the helm of the country. Mr Sunak was previously appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer but resigned as chancellor on 5 July 2022, citing economic policy differences with then PM Boris Johnson.
In the 2019 General Election Conservative Craig Mackinlay took the South Thanet seat with more than 56% of the vote.
He polled 27,084 votes, some 10,587 ahead of nearest competitor Rebecca Gordon Nesbitt who gained 16,497 votes.
Veteran Conservative Sir Roger Gale, who has held the North Thanet seat since 1983, was elected with 30,066 votes – equalling 62% of the poll. Labour’s Dr Coral Jones took 12,877 – 27%.
However, polls for the coming election are currently predicting Labour wins for the new East Thanet and Herne Bay and Sandwich Constituency.
Candidates for both Thanet seats have already been announced by Labour and Thanet Green Party, as well as both Conservative incumbents announcing they will also run.
Mr Mackinlay made his announcement earlier today during his return to Parliament after eight months following a battle with sepsis and the subsequent amputation of his arms up to the elbows and legs up to the knees.
The dad-of-one received a standing ovation from colleagues as he attended Parliament for PMQs. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “in awe of (Mr Mackinlay’s) incredible resilience” while Labour leader Keir Starmer paid tribute to his “courage and determination” and “deep sense of service.”
More to follow
