January 2025 election has not been ruled out, Deputy Prime Minister hints
Oliver Dowden has hinted that a January 2025 election is possible, after the Prime Minister insisted he is preparing for a poll in the second half of this year.
The Deputy Prime Minister said 2024 “almost certainly is an election year” as he faced questioning on Sunday, suggesting the prospect of a later date has not been ruled out.
Rishi Sunak has said he intends to call an election in the second half of the year, with October or November seen by many as the favoured period.
The latest possible date he could delay the poll until is January 28, 2025.
Mr Dowden signalled the possibility of a date early next year as he faced questions from Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips about the Labour Party’s current polling lead over the Conservatives.
Choice
Mr Dowden told the programme: “As we get into an actual election campaign, and this almost certainly is an election year, we move from a kind of referendum on the Government to a choice.
“I’m confident as people face that choice and they look at the threat of Labour, whether it’s building over the greenbelt in my constituency, carte blanche to do that, whether it’s in relation to their employment laws which are going to destroy the jobs market or it’s in relation to their their sums that don’t add up versus our plan, you will see those numbers narrowing.”
The Government’s opponents urged the Prime Minister to name an election date.
Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator, said: “The public are paying the price for the chaos of this clapped out Conservative government.
“The Prime Minister needs to get on and name a date for election rather than running scared from the voters.
“Labour has a plan for a better future for Britain, through higher economic growth, high quality public services, and safer streets. The sooner the voters get their say the better.”
‘Misery’
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper claimed the public “deserve the chance to deliver their verdict at the ballot box without any further delay”.
She added: “Rishi Sunak needs to put the country out of its misery and name an election date now.
“People across the country are fed up with this endless speculation of when the election will be.”
Mr Dowden also told Sky News he did not know why a Conservative campaign poster featuring the King had been deleted from social media.
The poster, which was mocked by some on X, formerly Twitter, featured text claiming Britain is the “second most powerful country in the world”.
This was based on consultancy firm Brand Finance’s rankings of different nations’ soft power, with the UK coming second to the USA.
The poster also featured a montage of images including Charles, Oppenheimer film director Christopher Nolan, Mr Sunak, the England football team, and air force jet planes.
Asked about its disappearance from the Conservatives’ official X account, Mr Dowden said: “I have absolutely no idea why that happened, but I would commend the sentiment there, which is the strength.”
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When he says “look at the threat of Labour” he is completely glossing over the actual harm that his party is doing (not a threat, as its happening in real time now). It does not matter how many times he tries to smear Labour, we have 14 years of provenance of Tory harm to the UK. It has been constant, it has sold off vital industry, it has wrecked the NHS, it has pushed people into poverty whilst enabling the rich to get richer. And don’t forget that Dowden likes to go chat to the Heritage Foundation in the US,… Read more »
It would be a massive affront to democracy if the election was held in January. It would mean that the election after that wouldn’t take place until 2030, making that this the ONLY election to occur this decade.
Term limits should be four years, not five.
There’s still barrels to be scraped and the public purse to be milked.
Spoofing…
I find it hard to understand how anybody would be able to vote for the tories after what has happened over the last 14 years!
Some cold canvassing in prospect then and a campaign less than the usual month. I don’t think it’ll happen. The Tories are hoping for a miracle but by leaving it so late – they could actually do the opposite and make it even worse for themselves. They should just get it over with now, and put themselves out of their misery.
Voting has already been messed with, ID required, the next wheeze is probably student going to uni time when votes can be removed by gaming the timing. Who knows.
Though look out for projects on hold cos purdah around the corner.