More than 750,000 people sign petition demanding immediate general election as Government refuses fresh vote

More than three quarters of a million people have signed a petition calling for an immediate general election, piling pressure on the Government only a year after Labour’s landslide win.

The petition, launched on the official Parliament website, urges that voters should be given another chance to decide who governs the country, claiming: “We want an immediate general election to be held. We think the majority need and want change.”

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer’s popularity has taken a sharp dip since last summer’s victory, with critics accusing the Government of failing to live up to its promises. Supporters of the petition argue that voters feel let down and should not be forced to wait until 2029, the year when the next ballot is scheduled to take place, reported the Express.

Despite the growing signatures, the Government flatly rejected the call in a formal response last week. It insisted the administration still had a mandate from the July 2024 election, saying: “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 statement went on to defend Labour’s record, claiming: “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. The Government will continue to deliver the manifesto of change that it was elected on.”

With the petition now well past the 100,000 signature threshold, MPs will be forced to consider debating it in Parliament. The platform automatically ensures any petition that reaches that milestone can be scheduled for discussion, although the timing is down to parliamentary authorities.

This is not the first time the issue has been raised in Westminster. Earlier this year, a similar petition demanding a snap election gathered more than three million signatures and was debated by MPs. That discussion saw heated exchanges over whether voters were being denied a say while frustrations about the cost of living, NHS waiting lists and immigration policies dominated public debate.

The latest petition adds to the sense of political unease, with critics of the Prime Minister accusing him of being out of touch and failing to deliver real progress on key issues such as housing, wages and public services. However, Downing Street is standing firm, arguing that long term change requires stability and time, not another divisive ballot.

As signatures continue to climb, campaigners are hopeful MPs will be forced to revisit the issue again and keep the pressure on the Government. Whether that translates into any real chance of an early election remains to be seen, but the message from hundreds of thousands of voters is clear: many want the country to head back to the polls sooner rather than later.