Sir Keir Starmer has been handed a horrifying early Christmas present after an official petition demanding an immediate General Election finally exceeded three million signatures.
The Prime Minister, who will face a potentially humiliating Westminster Hall debate on the petition in the New Year, was hoping to enjoy some much-needed rest with a festive getaway just as the milestone was met.
Michael Westwood’s petition received an official response from the Government on December 6, with Britons still able to provide further signatures until May 20.
Starmer categorically rejected calls to hold yet another General Election, instead insisting that the Government remains focused on “fixing the foundations, rebuilding Britain, and restoring public confidence”.
Starmer handed horrifying early Christmas present as 3 million sign petition demanding 'immediate' General Election
PA/PETITIONS
The petition initially went viral on social media after a number of high-profile politicians shared it with their followers, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.
However, a recent burst of energy from disgruntled voters helped tip the petition past the three million milestone.
Despite going to the polls five times in the last decade, millions of voters want another opportunity to elect MPs to the House of Commons.
The petition comes after a series of measures resulted in Starmer’s support slumping, with Reform UK making major inroads while the Prime Minister presides over one of the shortest honeymoon periods in British political history.
Axing Winter Fuel Payments for 10 million pensioners, introducing a £40billion tax-hiking Budget and removing preferential inheritance tax breaks for farmers appears to have fuelled much of the discontent directed towards Starmer.
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PAThe latest issue of failing to cough up billions in compensatory payments to Waspi women added another layer to Labour’s disapproval, with aggrieved pensioners yet again sharing the petition on social media.
The petition, set up by a disgruntled pub landlord, reads: “I would like there to be another General Election.
“I believe the current Labour Government have gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election.”
The total number of signatures is now just 500,000 short of the number of votes cast for the Liberal Democrats in the 2024 General Election, representing around 30 per cent of the ballots counted for Starmer’s Labour.
A petition calling for an immediate General Election during Boris Johnson's premiership failed to exceed one million signatures, sitting at 906,624 when it closed in January 2023.
Keir Starmer won the 2024 General Election with a stonking majority
PAHowever, several other petitions have also managed to attract millions of signatures in recent years.
A petition to revoke Article 50 and keep Britain inside the European Union received a staggering six million signatures in 2019.
A separate petition demanding a second referendum on Brexit also attracted 4.15 million signatures.
And there is virtually no chance the petition will result in a general election.
Labour returned 411 MPs on July 4, giving Starmer an enormous super-majority, and ultimately thwarting the chance of an early General Election unless the Prime Minister himself wants to go to the polls early.
