Live updates as Rishi Sunak expected to announce the general election – and what it means for Leicestershire

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will soon announce the date when the country will go to the polls. When the next general election will be held has long been a source of political speculation – and a point of contention between opposing sides of the House of Commons.

The Conservative Party is expected to suffer heavy losses in the election, with Labor claiming the public want a “fresh start” after “14 years of Tory misrule”. However, the country’s ruling party will be hoping that today’s announcement that inflation – the rate at which prices rise – fell to 2.3% in April will boost their chances at the polls. Rishi Sunak made getting the economy back on track one of his five pledges when he took office.

When it emerged today that the Prime Minister had summoned ministers to Downing Street for a 4pm meeting, many began to wonder if the long-awaited announcement would finally be made. Most news outlets now say they expect him to announce that Britain will go to the polls on Thursday, July 4.

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Locally, this would mean that every one of our 10 MPs will have to fight if they want to keep their seat for the next Parliament. Leicester currently has two Labor MPs, Liz Kendall and Jon Ashworth, and one independent, Claudia Webbe.

Leicestershire has six Tory MPs – Edward Argar, Alberto Costa, Luke Evans, Jane Hunt, Alicia Kearns and Neil O’Brien. The seventh county seat is held by former Tory – and briefly Reclaim – MP Andrew Bridgen, who is currently and will run as an independent.

This election will however have a change of local seats. A new seat has been created in the county – Mid Leicestershire – while Alicia Kearn’s Rutland and Melton seat will be split. Rutland will move across the Lincolnshire border to join Stamford, while Melton will join areas currently belonging to the seat of Charnwood to form a new constituency called Melton and Syston. You can follow all the news and reaction below.

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