The British prime minister has called a snap general election for July the 4th, despite his conservative party facing a potential wipeout. Rishi Sunak is hoping to defy dismal polling to secure another term. While Labour is eyeing a return to power after more than a decade in opposition.
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00:00 Pulling the trigger several months earlier than expected, Rishi Sunak set the date for
00:06 Britons to have their say.
00:09 We will have a general election on the 4th of July.
00:12 This election will take place at a time when the world is more dangerous than it has been
00:16 since the end of the Cold War.
00:18 Drenched and drowned out by protesters blaring the song "Things can only get better", the
00:23 Prime Minister's shock announcement came just hours after the release of new encouraging
00:29 economic data.
00:30 I hope that my work since I became Prime Minister shows that we have a plan and are prepared
00:36 to take bold action necessary for our country to flourish.
00:40 The UK's Conservative Party has been in power for 14 years.
00:44 Friends, friends, thank you.
00:46 But it's lagging far behind Labor in the opinion polls and the opposition says it's time for
00:52 change.
00:53 Together we can stop the chaos, we can turn the page, we can start to rebuild Britain
01:00 and change our country.
01:02 The election will be fought over issues of security, migration and the cost of living.
01:08 Nothing seems to be changing.
01:09 If anything it just seems to be getting worse all the time.
01:12 It took years to get in this mess.
01:14 It'll take years to get out.
01:16 At the last election, Boris Johnson led the Conservative Party to a resounding victory.
01:21 Critics then outrage over the government's handling of COVID, three Prime Ministers and
01:25 a health system in crisis has Rishi Sunak facing an uphill battle to stay in Downing
01:30 Street.
01:31 Many political analysts say calling an election now is a risky strategy.
01:36 The Conservatives are polling typically 20% behind Labor in the opinion polls.
01:41 That's a huge gap.
01:43 It might narrow during an election campaign but it does very much look like a kind of
01:47 desperate gamble by Rishi Sunak.
01:50 Buckingham Palace has postponed engagements to avoid distractions as the country prepares
01:55 to decide its future.
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