The Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011, intended to make the election timing more predictable (every 5 years) to reduce all the weird politics and posturing for years in the run up to unknown election times, was ignored (by parliamentary supremacy) since being enacted, so nobody took it seriously in the end, and it was repealed in 2022.
Prior to that Act, and since it was repealed, I don't think there's any clear mandate saying when an election must be held. Only convention, that the Prime Minister calls it when they feel the time is right, and it tends to be around the 4-5 years mark.
It's a bit of a surprise the PM has called it for this summer at short notice, after saying he wouldn't for so long.
Pollsters and commentators anticipate a sweeping change of government from a large Tory majority (right wing, Brexit-will-solve-our-propblems, blame-the-immigrants flavour, "party of business" yet tanked the economy and terrible for business these last few years, cruel to disabled and/or poor people) that most of the country seems to be fed up with by now, to a predicted large Labour majority (left wing, that few really trust because they avoid committing to a clear policy direction, perhaps for election strategy reasons). Even for people who don't like Labour, widespread tactical anti-Tory voting is likely.
It's been in the interests of the PM and Tory party to delay the election as long as they can, hoping for something good for them to happen, like a major improvement in the economy, or some world event, or some political embarrassment to Labour, to improve their chances and maximise the number of seats they will get when the election takes place.
So commentators have been expecting the election to be near the end of this year or early next year, in the strategic party-political interests of the current government pary, while saying that it would be better for the country if it were sooner.
It's a surprise that the PM has decided to get on with it after all. Some MPs in his party are surprised. The opposition Labour party is delighted.
I think this will change the mood of the country quickly - before the election. Crudely, although there is a wide spread of opinions and allegiances, for a lot of people change represents hope because they blame the current government and party for so many difficulties. There are many distressed and unhappy people, still recovering from effects of Covid-19, hard Brexit, and in economic precarity due to rising costs, shrinking wages and, for a chunk of the population, disappearing savings and unusually high levels of small business bankruptcy, all of which has occurred under the current party (though not the same PM, and the last two PMs were not elected by the people).
Prior to that Act, and since it was repealed, I don't think there's any clear mandate saying when an election must be held. Only convention, that the Prime Minister calls it when they feel the time is right, and it tends to be around the 4-5 years mark.
It's a bit of a surprise the PM has called it for this summer at short notice, after saying he wouldn't for so long.
Pollsters and commentators anticipate a sweeping change of government from a large Tory majority (right wing, Brexit-will-solve-our-propblems, blame-the-immigrants flavour, "party of business" yet tanked the economy and terrible for business these last few years, cruel to disabled and/or poor people) that most of the country seems to be fed up with by now, to a predicted large Labour majority (left wing, that few really trust because they avoid committing to a clear policy direction, perhaps for election strategy reasons). Even for people who don't like Labour, widespread tactical anti-Tory voting is likely.
It's been in the interests of the PM and Tory party to delay the election as long as they can, hoping for something good for them to happen, like a major improvement in the economy, or some world event, or some political embarrassment to Labour, to improve their chances and maximise the number of seats they will get when the election takes place.
So commentators have been expecting the election to be near the end of this year or early next year, in the strategic party-political interests of the current government pary, while saying that it would be better for the country if it were sooner.
It's a surprise that the PM has decided to get on with it after all. Some MPs in his party are surprised. The opposition Labour party is delighted.
I think this will change the mood of the country quickly - before the election. Crudely, although there is a wide spread of opinions and allegiances, for a lot of people change represents hope because they blame the current government and party for so many difficulties. There are many distressed and unhappy people, still recovering from effects of Covid-19, hard Brexit, and in economic precarity due to rising costs, shrinking wages and, for a chunk of the population, disappearing savings and unusually high levels of small business bankruptcy, all of which has occurred under the current party (though not the same PM, and the last two PMs were not elected by the people).