Rishi Sunak 'eyes October election' to avoid clash with US presidential race

07 February 2024 , 08:42

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Rishi Sunak is mulling when to call the next election (Image: Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak could send voters to the polls in October to avoid clashing with the US election, reports suggest.

Concerns have been raised about overlapping with the US presidential race in November, and the potential global chaos triggered by a Donald Trump victory. A potential date of November 14 has been tipped for Brits to head to the polls, shortly after the American election on November 5.

A new Prime Minister would also be expected to attend the G20 summit in Brazil on November 18. A Tory source told The Sun: “All the mood music is pointing to October now. There’s a feeling November could be mad enough.”

A Downing Street source told the Mirror it was "laughable speculation" and the only certainty was the next election must be held by the end of January 2025. The PM must order a vote by then under the law.

It comes after Rishi Sunak said he was considering calling an election in the "second half of this year" in a bid to squash speculation of a poll in May. Speculation has been running rife, with Labour claiming plans for a spring election are the "worst kept secret in Parliament".

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Speaking last month, Mr Sunak said: "So my working assumption is we'll have a general election in the second half of this year and in the meantime I've got lots that I want to get on with." He declined to rule out a May election categorically.

But Labour is preparing for the Prime Minister to go earlier. "We're on a path for May," a senior source said. "We can run a 10 month election campaign if we have to." Shadow Cabinet Ministers have been ordered to submit ideas for Labour's manifesto by the end of the week, allowing the party time to stress test their policy.

The PM is battling to turn around the Conservatives' flagging poll ratings, with focus shifting to Jeremy Hunt's make-or-break Budget next month. Mr Sunak was forced to admit this week that he was failing on his pledge to cut NHS waiting lists and his vow to boost growth in the economy was hanging in the balance. Another key pledge to stop small boat arrivals is mired in difficulties after the Supreme Court said the Government's plan to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful.

A major poll in the Mirror last month revealed two thirds of Brits want an election by the summer. It found 31% of people want the vote to take place "as soon as possible" while 19% said the spring and 16% opted for the summer.

Lizzy Buchan