The next General Election has been called for July.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the announcement outside 10 Downing Street today just after 5.10pm.
He spoke about introducing the furlough scheme and the Covid pandemic. He said it was easy to forget what the country had been through – the pandemic, the Ukraine War.
He said economic stability was the bedrock and because of a collective responsibility, Britain had hit two major milestones.
There was speculation that the Government would call a General Election in the autumn, but today saw economic good news – inflation is back under control and the economy is improving.
He said the question now was who does Britain trust to go forward.
Protestors in the background played Things Can Only Get Better by D:REAM – the Labour Party’s theme when Tony Blair swept to victory.
The election will be held on July 4.
Parliament will be dissolved next week.
Candidates announced so far in Cumbria
Barrow and Furness
- Simon Fell – The Conservative Party
- Michelle Scrogham – The Labour Party
- Adrian Waite – Liberal Democrats
- Barry Morgan – Reform UK
- Lorraine Wrennall – The Green Party
- Lisa Morgan – Party of Women
Carlisle
- John Stevenson – The Conservative Party
- Julie Minns – The Labour Party
- Brian Wernham – Liberal Democrats
- Stephen Ward – Reform UK
- Gavin Hawkton – The Green Party
- Rachel Hayton – SDP
- Thomas Lynestrider – Independent
- Sean Reed – Independent
Penrith & Solway
- Mark Jenkinson – Conservative Party
- Markus Campbell-Savours – Labour Party
- Julia Aglionby – Liberal Democrats
- Matthew Moody – Reform UK
- Susan Denham-Smith – The Green Party
- Shaun Long – SDP
- Roy Ivinson
- Chris Johnston – Independent
Westmorland and Lonsdale
- Matty Jackman – Conservative Party
- Pippa Smith – The Labour Party
- Tim Farron – Liberal Democrats
- James Townley – Reform UK
- Phil Clayton – Green Party
- Izzy Solabarrieta – Heritage Party
- John Studholme – Independent
- Wendy Long – SDP
Whitehaven and Workington
- Andrew Johnson – Conservative Party
- Josh MacAlister – Labour Party
- Chris Wills – Liberal Democrats
- David Surtees – Reform UK
- Jill Perry – The Green Party
