Although Rishi Sunak insists he will go to the polls later this year, the deputy prime minister has opened the door to a possible general election in January 2025.
Oliver Dowden said 2024 would “almost certainly” be an election year but would not rule out a general election next year.
The latest possible election date is January 28, 2025, meaning Mr Sunak could delay the vote for a further eight months.
He has already been accused of being a “coward” and “hunkering down in Downing Street” after ruling out a general election on May 2, when voters head to the polls in local elections across the country.
Responding to Mr Dowden’s comments, Pat McFadden MP, Labour’s national campaign coordinator, said: “The public is paying the price for the chaos of this collapsed Tory government.
“The Prime Minister needs to set an election date as soon as possible and not fear voters.
“Labour has a plan for a better future for Britain through higher economic growth, high-quality public services and safer streets. The sooner voters have their say, the better.”
Mr Sunak has repeatedly said his “working assumption” is that a general election will be held sometime “in the second half of this year”. But the Prime Minister rejected calls for a “specified date” which would end continued speculation over the timing of the general election.
Last week, he was criticized for mocking a reporter who asked him when the election would be held.
The latest hint at a general election date comes as the Conservatives trail by 22 points in opinion polls. A series of polls suggest the party is being electorally forgotten, with even Sunak at risk of losing his seat.
A survival poll of 15,000 people last week suggested Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt and Home Secretary James Cleverley would all also lose their seats.
Research into individual seats also suggests the Conservatives will be wiped out in Scotland and Wales, while holding just 98 seats in England.
It also predicted a landslide victory for Labor, with Sir Keir Starmer’s party winning 468 seats, compared with 41 for the SNP, 22 for the Lib Dems and 22 for Gladys Cymru. 2 seats.
If correct, based on the 365 seats won at the 2019 general election, the party would deviate significantly from the Conservatives.
Asked about the dire polls, Dowden told Sky News: “When we get into the real campaign, which is almost certainly an election year, we move from a referendum on the government to a choice.
“I’m confident that when people are faced with that choice they will see that Labor’s threat, whether it’s building on the green belt in my constituency, has the carte blanche to do so, whether it’s in relation to their employment laws which will destroy jobs The market, or the sum of it, doesn’t match our plans and you’re going to see those numbers shrink.
“I have complete confidence in that.”
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