Fury as Public Demand Keir Starmer Call Snap Election After Petition Explodes Past Debate Trigger

It’s getting a bit uncomfortable for Sir Keir Starmer as a public petition demanding he call an immediate general election has smashed through the threshold needed to force a debate in Parliament. The online petition, which simply states “we want an immediate general election to be held. We think the majority need and want change,” hit over 137,000 signatures by Wednesday — far beyond the 100,000 required to get MPs talking.

What’s raising eyebrows is just how fast it’s taken off. The number of signatories has more than doubled in the past 24 hours alone and shows no signs of slowing down. It’s not the first time voters have used the petition system to vent their frustration either. A similar campaign earlier this year gathered a staggering 2.8 million signatures, although it didn’t result in another trip to the polls, reported the Express.

The momentum behind this fresh wave of public pressure suggests the political temperature is still simmering following last year’s general election. There’s growing chatter online as people express dissatisfaction not just with Starmer’s leadership but with the broader state of UK politics.

This isn’t the only petition currently doing the rounds either. Another one calling for an end to asylum seekers being allowed to claim benefits has also exploded in popularity, gathering over 420,000 votes so far. The mood among parts of the public seems to be one of mounting impatience.

Back in January, when the earlier petition was debated, Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch took the opportunity to have a swipe at Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions. She pointed out that millions were demanding he step down, saying it showed “two million people asking him to go.”

Starmer brushed it off, arguing that the result of the July 4 general election itself was a “massive petition” in his favour. But the numbers tell a more complicated story.

Labour did indeed win a hefty 412 seats in that election, a landslide by any measure. But in terms of actual vote share, the picture was far less impressive. The party secured just 33.7% of the vote — barely ahead of Jeremy Corbyn’s much-maligned 2019 campaign which ended in disaster for Labour. And it was well short of the 45% Tony Blair secured in his iconic 1997 win.

Adding to the pressure is the rise of Reform UK under Nigel Farage. His party took an eye-catching 14.3% of the vote last year and managed to get six MPs elected. That number crept up to seven after a dramatic by-election in Runcorn and Helsby this May. The seat became vacant after Labour MP Mike Amesbury was caught on camera punching a man in his constituency, triggering his resignation.

All in all, the mood in Westminster is far from settled. With public petitions gaining serious traction and new political forces rising fast, the calls for a snap election aren’t going away anytime soon. Whether Starmer chooses to ignore them or not, the growing chorus demanding change is starting to echo loudly through the halls of power.