The Know Daily - Thursday 23 May 2024

_{Read in 5m 48s ∙ Listening to Arctic Monkeys ∙}

“BookTok Bookshelves” 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.

🗳️ 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 “the moment for Britain to choose its future”.

Speaking shortly afterwards, Labour leader Keir Starmer promised to “stop the chaos”, declaring “it’s time for change”. Here’s how other party leaders reacted to the prospect of a general election in six weeks’ 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 Sunak’s 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 PM’s flagship plan to “stop the boats” 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.

“It seems Sunak has decided to gamble on the theory that the outlook would never be better than this summer to face voters”, 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 men’s football championships - and as The Guardian’s Heather Stewart pointed out, there will be “much speculation” about the potential impact on the public mood.

If you haven’t yet registered to vote - or if you’re not sure whether you’ve done so - you have until 18 June. Register today!! 📣