Voter sums up mood of nation after Sunak's snap general election: ‘About time’

Andy Wells
·Freelance Writer
·3 min read
The voter smirked as she said it was ‘about time’ that a general election was called. (BBC)
The voter smirked as she said it was ‘about time’ that a general election was called. (BBC)

A woman has summed up the mood of millions of Brits following Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a snap election by saying: “About time.”

The prime minister surprised Westminster on Wednesday when he announced a snap election for 4 July. Sunak was soaked as he stood in the rain outside Downing Street to confirm a summer election, despite previously suggesting one would be called in the autumn.

Looking for voter reaction to the announcement, BBC News spoke to several people to gauge how they felt about going to the polls in six weeks. One woman became an instant meme when she gave a smirk and turned to the camera, saying: “Thank God. About time.”

The moment is reminiscent of the ‘Brenda from Bristol’ moment at the start of the 2017 snap election. When Brenda was approached by a reporter, she was shocked about the news, saying: “You’re joking. Another one?”

Her horrified reaction to the election news, that came off the back of the Brexit referendum in the previous year and a general election the year before that, seemed to sum up the voter fatigue felt by much of the nation that year.

Time will tell if the ‘about time’ moment will capture the imagination of the voting public this year – but the woman’s delight at an election being called does seem to chime with polling that suggests most Brits preferred a summer election, rather than waiting several more months.

A YouGov survey taken after Sunak’s announcement on Wednesday found that 61% of people agreed that now was the right time to call for a general election. Just 11% of respondents felt it was the wrong decision.

A survey found voters overwhelmingly in favour of a summer election. (YouGov)
A survey found voters overwhelmingly in favour of a summer election. (YouGov)

While the snap election appears popular with voters, the same can’t be said for many Tory MPs – many of whom are fearful of losing their jobs, while others who have already said they will not stand are now having to say goodbye to parliament sooner than expected.

Despite speculation at Westminster about a Tory rebel effort to oust Sunak and call off the election, one prominent critic of the prime minister said it was “too late” to get rid of him.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who has called for Sunak to go, said she understood “other letters have been going in” to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady but “colleagues, it’s too late, I told you six months ago we should have done this”.

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