Rishi Sunak laughs when asked when he'll call general election

By Lewis Denison, Westminster Producer

When will the prime minister call a general election?

Rishi Sunak laughed loudly when asked on a radio phone-in, but did not rule out calling a national poll in the early part of next year, despite suggestions he could wait until next winter.

Calls for a general election have been growing along with government dissatisfaction, which was laid bare with two crushing defeats in last month's by-elections.

It is understood the PM wants to claw back public support by halving inflation before calling a general election, with polls indicating Labour would win if one was held today.

But a coy Mr Sunak said he "wouldn't like to speculate" when pressed for an answer by broadcaster Nick Ferrari on LBC radio after reading text question from a listener, who asked: "When will there be general election?"

He chuckled, before attempting to brush away the question with a stock response: "That will be announced in the normal way. I've got five priorities that I've set out I’m keen to deliver those for the country."

Watch Sunak's response when asked when he will call a general election

Asked what part of the year it may come, the PM said: "Well maybe come back on your show at some point and we can talk about that nearer the time."

Mr Sunak added that he "wouldn't like to speculate" when asked if it would be early next year.

He will face at least two by-elections before then - and likely a third if Chris Pincher is recalled by his constituents - so he'll want to test his party's performance locally before even considering a general election.

The next by-election will be held in Scotland after lockdown-breaking MP Margaret Ferrier was recalled but that is a poll the Conservatives would never be expected to win.

More of a test will be the by-election held when Nadine Dorries resigns. The Mid Bedfordshire MP said she was standing down with immediate effect in protest and not receiving a peerage two months ago, but she still hasn't gone.

Despite widespread Conservative fears of a loss in Mid Bedfordshire, Mr Sunak did indicate she should now quit Parliament.

“I think people deserve to have an MP that represents them wherever they are," he told LBC.

“It’s just making sure your MP is engaging with you, representing you, whether that’s speaking in Parliament or being present in their constituencies doing surgeries, answering your letters.

“That’s the job of an MP and all MPs should be held to that standard.”

Asked if that means Ms Dorries is failing her constituents, Mr Sunak said: “Well, at the moment, people aren’t being properly represented.”

The prime minister knows he will need to achieve at least some of his five priorities if he is to turn around his party's fortunes, but he accepted on LBC that he is not cutting the NHS waiting list or inflation as fast as he'd like.

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He said: “I know families are struggling with the cost of living and that’s why I set it out as my first priority to halve inflation, and we’re making progress.

“Is that as fast as I’d like? No. Is it as fast as anyone would like? No. But the numbers most recently that we had show that we’re heading in the right direction, inflation is coming down, and I think people can see light at the end of the tunnel.

“But, look, we’ve got to stick to the plan, it’s not easy to bring down inflation. It requires me to make difficult but responsible decisions on behalf of the country."

The PM also acknowledged NHS waiting lists in England have increased, but he opted to blame industrial action for the situation.

"We were actually making progress, we eliminated the number of two-year waiters – people waiting a really long time – we practically eliminated the number of people waiting one-and-a-half years, and we were making progress on bringing the overall numbers down.

“What happened? We had industrial action, we’ve got strikes."