An online petition calling for an immediate General Election has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 188,000 signatures and forcing an official government response. The petition, which cites Labour policies not included in its 2024 pre-election manifesto as justification for a new vote, has now passed the threshold where parliamentary consideration is required.
Petition Details and Government Response
Created by Robert JF Barnes, the petition states: "On July 4 2024, Sir Keir Starmer was elected as Prime Minister. Since then, his Government has introduced measures that were not included in the Labour Party's manifesto." It further argues that signatories feel misled by the government's actions, specifically mentioning border control failures regarding small boats and policies adversely affecting pensioners and farmers.
The petition declares: "We have no confidence in the way this Government has acted. Our country cannot go on like this. Dissolve Parliament and call a General Election now!"
Official Government Position
In response to reaching 10,000 signatures earlier this year, the government issued a statement on January 21, stating: "The Government holds office by virtue of being able to command the confidence of the House of Commons, whose members are elected by the public. There are no plans to change these arrangements."
The response emphasised that the Prime Minister can call a General Election at their discretion within the five-year parliamentary term by requesting dissolution from the Sovereign. Officials noted: "The Committee recognised the support that this petition has received. However, the issue raised by this petition has recently been discussed by MPs in a petition debate on this topic."
Labour's Defence and Achievements
The government defended its record, highlighting that it was elected on a mandate of change in July 2024 and remains focused on delivering those promises. The official statement outlined several achievements since taking office:
- Restoring stability across government operations
- Securing £340 billion of investment into the country
- Increasing wages more in their first year than during the previous decade
- Reducing NHS waiting lists by 225,000 patients
- Rolling out thousands of free breakfast clubs nationwide
Petitions that gather more than 100,000 signatures are automatically considered for debate in Parliament, making this milestone particularly significant in the current political landscape. The development comes amid ongoing political discussions about government accountability and manifesto commitments.
