Government issue response after petition calling for general election passes 500,000 signatures

The government has been forced to reply

The petition on the UK Government and Parliament’s own portal asked people to sign if they feel they would agree with the statement: “We want an immediate General Election to be held. We think the majority need and want change”.

Once the total number of signatures has passed the 100,000 mark, the petition has be considered for debate in Parliament.

As things stand the petition sits at over 650,000 signatures with a reply from the government posted underneath on the page.

It reads: "This Government was elected on a mandate of change at the July 2024 general election. Our full focus is on fixing the foundations, rebuilding Britain, and restoring public confidence in government.

The full statement said: "The Prime Minister can call a general election at a time of their choosing by requesting a dissolution of Parliament from the Sovereign within the five-year life of a Parliament. The Government was elected by the British people on a mandate of change at the July 2024 general election.

"This Government is fixing the foundations and delivering change with investment and reform to deliver growth, with more jobs, more money in people’s pockets, to rebuild Britain and get the NHS back on its feet. This will be built on the strong foundations of a stable economy, national security and secure borders as we put politics back in the service of working people.

"On entering office, a £22 billion black hole was identified in the nation’s finances. We inherited unprecedented challenges, with crumbling public services and crippled public finances, but will deliver a decade of national renewal through our five missions: economic growth, fixing the NHS, safer streets, making Britain a clean energy super-power and opportunity for all. This is what was promised and is what we are delivering.

"The Government’s first Budget freed up tens of billions of pounds to invest in Britain’s future while locking in stability, preventing devastating austerity in our public services and protecting working people’s payslips.

"Mission-led government rejects the sticking-plaster solutions of the past and unites public and private sectors, national, devolved and local government, business and unions, and the whole of civil society in a shared purpose. The Government will continue to deliver the manifesto of change that it was elected on."

The petition comes just over a year since Labour came into power and will put pressure on Keir Starmer and his administration, who, in the eyes of many have been seen to have failed at addressing an ongoing migrant crisis, as well as overturning financial decrees such as winter fuel payments for pensioners.

This wouldn’t be the first time that Starmer has faced demands to call another election. In January MPs debated another petition for a re-run of the election after it reached 2.8 million signatures.

While this didn’t trigger an election, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told the PM that it showed "two million people asking him to go".

Starmer responded by saying the election result in July last year was a "massive petition" in itself.

Many online users have shared support for the petition, with one X user calling for others to sign.

“Please add your details if you would like to see change, and lets fight for an immediate General Election,” he wrote.

Another posed: “I don’t usually do politics, but this country is a mess and Labour are destroying it!”

The petition’s deadline was marked as December 5 of this year; however, the target has been reached in just 24 hours.

We’ll have to wait and see where it goes from here…