Rishi Sunak Dismisses July Election Speculation Amid Record-Low Approval Ratings

Rishi Sunak, the UK prime minister, has declined to dismiss rumors of a July general election, despite his record-low poll ratings.

Sunak stated that he was focused on his work and not distracted by his personal ratings.

Some senior Conservatives believe that Downing Street is deliberately fueling election speculation to maintain control over unruly MPs.

A former Conservative health minister, Dr Dan Poulter, recently defected to Labour, potentially fueling rebellion against current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

An Ipsos poll revealed Sunak's personal satisfaction rating reached a record low of -59, with only 16% of people satisfied and 75% dissatisfied.

Despite ongoing Tory plots to replace Sunak after local elections, the poll suggested a new Tory leader might not significantly improve the party's chances against Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Penny Mordaunt, a potential contender, trailed behind Starmer by 17 points on personal ratings.

The Labour Party's leader has seen a drop in approval ratings from 29% to 25% since February.

The Conservative Party is also expected to lose up to half of its councillors in upcoming local elections.

Boris Johnson's successor, Rishi Sunak, acknowledged the challenges for incumbent parties in local elections.

However, potential losses for high-profile Conservative mayors Andy Street and Ben Houchen could trigger a confidence vote against Sunak.