Rishi Sunak has repeated his insistence that the general election will take place in the second half of the year amid mounting speculation of a summer polling day.
The Prime Minister was asked about the date of the election during PMQs as fevered rumours spread in Westminster of a July 4 ballot.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn asked: “Speculation is rife so I think the public deserves a clear answer to a simple question.
“Does the Prime Minister intend to call a summer general election?”
Mr Sunak replied: “As I have said repeatedly to him, there is – spoiler alert – there is going to be a general election in the second half of this year.
“And at that moment the British people will in fact see the truth about [Keir Starmer] because that will be the choice at the next election.
“A party that is not able to say to the country what they would do, a party that would put at risk our hard-earned economic stability or the Conservatives that are delivering a secure future for our UK.”
Mr Flynn then accused Mr Sunak of continuing to “play games with the public”.
After PMQs, Downing Street refused to rule out a summer general election amid speculation one could be called imminently.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “I know there’s a lot of interest in this, as there has been pretty much every week over the last five months.
“I’ll just say the same thing I’ve always said, which is I’m not going to rule anything in or out. The PM said election – second half of the year.”
Labour urged Mr Sunak to “get on with it” and call a general election this afternoon.
It comes as the rumour mill at Westminster has gone into overdrive about a summer ballot.
The fresh speculation comes after some welcome news for the embattled PM as official figures showed inflation dropped to 2.3%.
Ministers have been summoned to a Cabinet meeting at 4pm but have not been told what is on the agenda.
It follows a difficult period for the Conservatives, who have suffered two defections by backbench MPs and a drubbing at the local elections earlier this month.
Polls continue to suggest the Tories are on course to lose the coming national vote, with Labour retaining a double-digit lead.
