A General Election is to be held this summer, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Voters will go to the polls on Thursday, 4 July.

Speaking outside Number 10, a rain-soaked Prime Minister said: “Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future.

“Earlier today I spoke His Majesty the King to request the dissolution to Parliament.

“The King has granted this request and we will have a General Election on 4 July.”

Mr Sunak said the last five years have seen the country fight through the most challenging times since World War Two with the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Europe, adding: “it’s easy to forget the scale of what we’ve been through.”