When is the next general election? Rishi Sunak confirms date

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has ended speculation and named the date for a general election.

Mr Sunak has been facing calls to call an election and speculation has been mounting today that an announcement was imminent.

Cabinet ministers were called to an urgent meeting at 4pm today. Foreign secretary David Cameron cut a trip to Albania short to attend while defence chief Grant Shapps delayed a trip abroad so that he too could be present.

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Speaking outside Number 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak confirmed that the election will be held on July 4.

This means that political parties will now have around six weeks to hit the campaign trail in the hope of securing enough votes to be able to form the next government.

Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party are currently way out in front in the polls. Sir Keir will be aiming to win a majority and form the first Labour government since 2010.

To do that he will need to recover from the crushing defeat his party faced at the election in 2019.

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