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- The Know Daily - Thursday 23 May 2024
The Know Daily - Thursday 23 May 2024
š³ļø Sunak calls a general election, reviving the UKās rainforests + the Pet Gala.
Read in 5m 48s ā Listening to Arctic Monkeys ā
š³ļø The next UK general election will take place on 4 July
š³ Plans to protect temperate rainforests
š±The city attempting to go smartphone-free for under 14s
āBookTok Bookshelvesā are popping up across the UK, as TikTok and the National Literacy Trust (NLT) team up on a new project that aims to get teenagers reading. In total, 11 UK areas will benefit from the books, which will be paid for by TikTok and chosen by NLT youth volunteers.
š³ļø Election talk
On Wednesday evening, UK PM Rishi Sunak called a surprise general election for 4 July.
What did Sunak say?
Standing outside 10 Downing Street in the pouring rain, Sunak set out his pitch for re-election. He cited his experience as chancellor during the pandemic, and said it was āthe moment for Britain to choose its futureā.
Speaking shortly afterwards, Labour leader Keir Starmer promised to āstop the chaosā, declaring āitās time for changeā. Hereās how other party leaders reacted to the prospect of a general election in six weeksā time.
What are the polls saying?
Labour is currently well ahead in the opinion polls, at 45% compared with 23% for the Conservatives. Reform UK is in third place with 11%, but their support is spread evenly across the country, so it could be hard to turn that support into seats, said the BBC. In short, Starmer is widely expected to become the next UK PM.
Why did Sunak decide to call an election now?
Two key factors may have played into Sunakās decision. The first is the economy. Official figures released yesterday showed that inflation fell to 2.3% in April, but the economic backdrop is not expected to improve significantly before the autumn.
The second is the PMās flagship plan to āstop the boatsā by sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda. The PM will hope that the first flight has taken off by 4 July, but it will also be too early to tell if the plan is working as a deterrent.
āIt seems Sunak has decided to gamble on the theory that the outlook would never be better than this summer to face votersā, summarised POLITICO.
What happens now?
This parliament will end on 30 May, and any last bits of legislation will have to be passed in the coming days. MPs will then return to their constituencies to begin campaigning as parliamentary candidates, while party leaders tour the UK.
What does a summer election mean for voters?
The timing is less than ideal for those in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where the school holidays will have already started. The 4 July date also coincides with the Euro 2024 menās football championships - and as The Guardianās Heather Stewart pointed out, there will be āmuch speculationā about the potential impact on the public mood.
If you havenāt yet registered to vote - or if youāre not sure whether youāve done so - you have until 18 June. Register today!! š£
šāāļø TRIVIA TIME
The Met Gala may feel like a distant memory, but the 2024 Pet Gala took place in New York on Monday night, where which animal took to the red carpet?
A) Cats
B) Dogs
C) Hamsters
Scroll to the very bottom for the answer.
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