Explainer: potential worsening financial conditions likely prompted Rishi Sunak to call a general election

The Uk is set to go to the polls on the Fourth of July.

Transcript

00:00Over the next few weeks I will fight for every vote. I will earn your trust and I

00:07will prove to you that only a conservative government led by me will

00:12not put our hard-earned economic stability at risk.

00:15Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a snap general election for July, a move

00:20reflecting recent YouGov polling that showed 41% of respondents preferred a

00:27summer election. This decision comes as inflation has dropped to 2.3%,

00:33disappointing financial markets which had hoped for a closer approach to the

00:38Bank of England's 2% target. Significant economic challenges persist. The IMF has

00:44cautioned that the UK's financial state limits potential for further tax cuts.

00:49Sunak's decision is seen as an acknowledgement that conditions may

00:53worsen. Meanwhile internal Conservative Party tensions rise as some MPs express

01:00dissatisfaction, even hinting at a no-confidence vote.