When is the next general election? Date confirmed for 2024 polling day

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed the date of the next general election. The announcement came after speculation began to mount on Wednesday morning that the Prime Minister was going to send the UK to the polls again - just months after May's local elections.

The rumors began to emerge after official figures showed inflation slowed to 2.3% in April, the lowest level since July 2021.

At Prime Minister’s Questions earlier in the day Mr Sunak refused to rule out a summer vote as he repeated his mantra that it will happen in the second half of the year – which could be as early as July. READ MORE: Every UK household told to store tinned food and bottled water for 'emergency' When challenged over whether he was intending to fire the starting gun on an election campaign, told the Commons: “There is, Mr Speaker – spoiler alert – there is going to be a generalelection in the second half of this year. “At that moment, the British people will in fact see the truth about the honourable gentleman opposite me (Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer), because that will be the choice at the next election, Mr Speaker – a party that is not able to say to the country what they would do, a party that would put at risk our hard-earned economic stability, or the Conservatives that are delivering a secure future for our United Kingdom.” However, later in the day the Prime Minister confirmed that he was dissolving Parliament and that a general election would take place on Thursday, July 4.

To hold a general election the prime minister must request permission from King Charles. Once the King has given his permission a date can be set for the dissolution of parliament.