Almost a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for an immediate general election.
Rishi Sunak has insisted that the public do not want a snap election amid questions about his personal mandate on key issues such as the landmark HS2 rail project and net zero.
Speaking to reporters, he said: “That’s not what the country wants” in a sign that he could be more tin-eared than was previously believed.
“I go out (and) about every day. That’s not what anybody wants. What people want is politicians making a difference to their lives”, he added.
Sunak insists he is not afraid of an election and is “just getting on and delivering for people”, but a new petition suggests he could be way out of step with the general public in that belief.
The petition notes that “consistent opinion polling has shown the British public have lost confidence in the current government.
“The NHS is in crisis, the asylum system is broken, there are delays at the ports, and institutions are failing. The British people should be given a say on what to do next.”
It has won the support of several prominent political campaigners on social media, including Carol Vorderman, who had this to say:
Simply Red’s X account also called on Brits to make the Tories “extinct”, while Alex Andreou said the petition had the power to “embarrass” the PM.
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