Sir Michael Fabricant has admitted he would have preferred the General Election to be later in the year.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed yesterday (22nd May) that the vote would be held on 4th July.
So far three parties have confirmed their candidates for the election:
- Sir Michael Fabricant (Conservatives)
- Richard Howard (Reform UK)
- Paul Ray (Liberal Democrats)
The timing of the ballot had come as a shock to some commentators – and Sir Michael said he too had not expected the move.
“The announcement of a July election was as big a surprise to me as it was to most of the cabinet.
“I would have preferred an election later in the year when the benefits of economic growth would be felt more by the electorate – that was certainly Labour’s concern hence their constantly demanding an early election.
“Nevertheless, I can see advantages in getting the General Election over and done with and I suspect all the candidates in the Lichfield constituency would prefer tramping the streets in the summer rather than the cold and dark of November.
“I hope all the candidates will treat each other with mutual respect as we have generally done in past elections.
“This will be a brief campaign and its outcome will be known in the early hours of July 5th – just six short weeks away.”
Sir Michael Fabricant
