Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he is working on the assumption that he will hold a general election “in the second half of this year”. The latest the next election could legally be held is 28 January 2025.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused him of “squatting in Downing Street for months on ends, dithering and delaying while the country wants change”. He said both the country and the Labour Party were ready for an election.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also called Mr Sunak a “squatter… holed up in Downing Street, desperately clinging on to power rather than facing the verdict of the British people”.
The opening days of this year have already been full of speculation about the timing of the election - but Mr Sunak has now killed a lot of that, for a few months at least.
Opposition parties were talking up the prospect of a May poll so that, if the prime minister decided to wait until later in the year, they could then accuse him of running scared.
Mr Sunak and his team have clearly decided this is not a risk they want to take - and the phrase “working assumption” gives him enough room to change his mind should circumstances change.
Whenever the election is called, Rishi Sunak is the encumbrance that will bring defeat for the Tories … 
