Sunak goes to the country: why now?

Once the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act was quietly repealed, Boris Johnson reclaimed for himself and his successors the power (via the monarch) to dissolve Parliament and call a general election. For better or worse, Rishi Sunak has exercised that power.

Boris Johnson quietly repealed the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, which allowed him and his successors to dissolve Parliament and call a general election through the monarch. Now, for better or worse, Rishi Sunak has used this power.

For the pedants out there, July 4 is technically in the second half of the year, but it's not quite the autumn date that Sunak had previously mentioned. As a result, his announcement came as a surprise, especially considering the iron rule of British politics: prime ministers don't go to the country when they're more than 20 points behind in the opinion polls. This begs the question: why now?

The logical conclusion is that Sunak and his inner circle don't believe that things will improve, to borrow a phrase. Even if the economy recovers, inflation decreases, and interest rates drop, this feel-good factor won't necessarily translate into support for the Conservatives. The longer the Prime Minister waits to call an election amid this “time for a change” momentum, the harsher the voters' response may be.

In that case, one could argue that this election is long overdue.

Even in 2019, when Jeremy Corbyn led Labour to its worst defeat since 1935, the party performed well in the capital, winning 49 of 73 constituencies. However, Sir Keir Starmer could still gain a few more.

Labour is expected to gain Tory seats like Kensington and Bayswater, Chingford and Woodford Green, and Chipping Barnet. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats may hope to defeat the Conservatives in Wimbledon, Carshalton and Wallington, and seats in the Home Counties, known as the "Blue Wall."

The issues at stake will also vary across the capital, from the Ulez extension and housing to the Israel-Hamas conflict. At the same time, all Londoners want a government that will not level down our city but instead elevate it as the wealth-creating, job-producing, and talent-exploding capital that it is. In other words, Londoners aren't all that different from voters in other parts of the UK.

Our capital's now 75 seats are up for grabs — the parties ought not ignore the global city on their doorstep.

It's the item that's dividing Londoners: some swear by it, while others swear at those who wear it. We're talking about changing robes, specifically the Dryrobe.

Outdoor swimming has certainly become more popular, thanks in part to the lockdown. But our writer El Hunt has noticed a strange trend: the drier the location, the more likely you are to see a Dryrobe.

The item risks becoming the Chelsea Tractor of clothing, bought not for its off-road capabilities but for what it says about the wearer. So yes, the Dryrobe is polarizing, but it might still poll better than the Conservative Party. If only the Prime Minister had thought to wear his while speaking in the pouring rain at Downing Street.

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