BritishPrimeMinisterRishiSunakspeaksoutside10DowningStreetinLondon,Britain,onMay22,2024.(Xinhua)Theprimeminister'sannouncementcamejusthoursafternewfiguresshowedthatinflationinthecountryhasfallensharplyto2.3percent,itslowestlevelinnearlythreeyears.LONDON,May22(Xinhua)--BritishPrimeMinisterRishiSunakannouncedonWednesdaythatthecountrywillholdageneralelectiononJuly4."EarliertodayIspokewithHisMajestytheKingtorequestthedissolutionofparliament.ThekinghasgrantedthisrequestandwewillhaveageneralelectiononJuly4,"Sunaktoldthenationinfrontof10DowningStreet.Theprimeminister'sannouncementcamejusthoursafternewfiguresshowedthatinflationinthecountryhasfallensharplyto2.3percent,itslowestlevelinnearlythreeyears.TherulingConservativePartyconsidersthisahearteningachievement.Theprimeminister'sfivepledgesinJanuary2023includedhalvinginflation,whichhadclimbedtoabove11percentattheendof2022.Sunaksaidthelatestfiguresmarka"majormomentfortheeconomy"andthat"brighterdaysareahead."TheConservativeshavebeeninpowerfor14years,buthaveinrecentyearsfacedchallenges,rangingfromsloweconomicgrowthtopoliticalinstability,demonstratedbyfrequentchangesofpartyleadership.TheToriescurrentlylagbehindtheirmainrival,theLabourParty,inthelatestYouGovpolls.ReactingtoSunak'scallforasummersnapelection,LabourleaderKeirStarmersaidthisis"amomentthecountryneedsandhasbeenwaitingfor.""Thefutureofthecountryisinyourhands,"hesaid."Togetherwecanstopthechaos,turnthepageandstarttorebuildBritainandchangeourcountry."EdDavey,theLiberalDemocrats'leader,said:"Thisgovernmentisoutoftouch.It'soutofexcusesandit'soutoftime.Andit'stimetogetthisConservativegovernmentoutofoffice."PeoplewalkontheLondonBridgeinLondon,Britain,Jan.28,2024.(Xinhua/LiYing)OnMay30,theBritishparliamentwillbeformallydissolved,andtheelectioncampaignwillthentakeplaceuntilpollingdayonJuly4.AstatementfromBuckinghamPalacefollowingSunak'sannouncementsaid"theRoyalFamilywill,inaccordancewithnormalprocedure,postponeengagementsthatmayappeartodivertattentionordistractfromtheelectioncampaign.""Theannouncementofageneralelectionwasnorealsurprisegivenrecenteconomicfigures.Thecurrentgovernmentcanarguethatthecountry'seconomyisheadedintherightdirectionandnowisnotthetimetochangestrategy,"saidProfessorJohnBrysonfromtheUniversityofBirmingham.ProfessorIainBeggfromtheLondonSchoolofEconomicsandPoliticalScience(LSE)toldXinhuathattheConservativeparty"remainsfarbehindintheopinionpolls"andtheLabourPartynarrativeof"timeforachange"resonateswithvoters.ProfessorJonTongeoftheUniversityofLiverpoolsaid:"Itisanextraordinarydecision."■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.