An online petition calling for a fresh general election in the UK has crossed 2 million signatures, triggering mandatory government and parliamentary responses. The petition argues that the Labour government, which came to power in July, has not fulfilled its pre-election promises.
Michael Westwood, the petitioner, stated, “I would like there to be another general election. I believe the current Labour government has gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead-up to the last election,” according to the Metro.
The petition has sparked further scrutiny after the BBC revealed that 4 percent of the signatures came from outside the UK, including countries like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. While British citizens abroad can sign, the presence of non-UK residents raises questions about the activity.
Labour’s six key pledges, including reducing taxes and NHS wait times, have been at the center of public debate. Last month, protests erupted over a proposed 20 percent levy on family farms valued at over £1 million, with demonstrators in Westminster accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of harming farmers.
The government is required to respond to petitions exceeding 10,000 signatures, and parliament must consider debating those that garner over 100,000.
