Rishi Sunak calls general election for July 4

Rishi Sunak has announced the next general election will be held on July 4. The Prime Minister made the announcement after briefing the Cabinet on his plans in 10 Downing Street this afternoon. Mr Sunak’s decision to hold a snap contest this summer represents a major political gamble, with the Tories currently lagging behind the Labour Party in the opinion polls by around 20 points. Follow all the developments here: Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now: Get the latest headlines: and are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providi