Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced the date for the 2024 General Election, ending months of speculation.
Britain will head to the polls on 4 July, to elect all 650 Members of Parliament.
Speaking on the steps of Downing Street, Rishi Sunak said: “Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future.”
The Prime Minister said that he had visited His Majesty King Charles III earlier today to request a dissolution of Parliament, and that this had been granted.
It will be the first UK election to take place in July since 1945.
Following a string of by-election victories and defections to the Labour party, the Conservatives now have 344 MPs, down 21 from the number elected at the last general election in December 2019. Labour have 205 MPs, three more than were elected in 2019.
Opinion polls suggest Labour are on course for a landslide victory and are on course to deny the Conservatives a record-breaking fifth consecutive term in office.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Poll cards will be issued and sent out in due course, which will have the information about where polling stations are and their opening hours.
Candidate selections for most seats in Sheffield from the major parties had already been completed prior to this announcement, although a few still need to be made. A final official list will be released around 4 weeks before polling day.
Labour currently hold four of the five parliamentary constituencies in Sheffield, with the Conservative Miriam Cates holding the fifth seat of Penistone and Stocksbridge.
The Liberal Democrats previously held the seat of Sheffield Hallam before 2017, and were represented there by former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
Credit for Featured Image: Prime Minister’s Office
