Bradford residents react as General Election looms on July 4

On Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stepped out onto a rainy Downing Street to call a surprise summer election.

In his address, he spoke of how "now is the moment for Britain to choose its future".

Voters will go to the polls on July 4 and the Telegraph & Argus spoke to people around Bradford city centre to see what they had to say. 

“I’m glad when the Tories called the General Election,” said John W, of Bradford.

“It’s time for a change. I can’t wait for them to be ousted.”

“There just needs to be a radical change in general,” said Mark L, who works in Bradford.

“The whole system needs changing.

The world's media watches on as the Prime Minister calls a July 4 General Election (Image: PA)

“It would be nice if all the people in the UK were represented by the Government, rather than a select few who live in posh bubbles and live in the home counties.”

“The Conservatives aren’t doing what they promised, so I’ll be looking at Labour,” said one Bradford man.

He added: “I would say the Tories have a slim chance.”

A July election is earlier than many had expected, with a contest in October or November widely thought to have been more likely.

“I couldn’t believe how quick the turnaround will be,” said Nomy, of Bradford.

“They’ve already dissolved Parliament and we’re going to have a General Election in six weeks. We’ll have to wait and see how it turns out.

“I’m not really looking forward to the election, but by the looks of it the Tories are going to be out and Labour is going to win. But I haven’t taken a liking to Keir Starmer.”

“In July or December, it doesn’t matter when they called the General Election,” said Adeem Malik.

“We all know who’s winning. It’s going to be a major Labour landslide.

“I think Rishi Sunak called the General Election because he was thinking there would be a vote of no confidence coming.

“I also don’t think he wanted it to collide with the US elections in November.”

“God help us all,” said Analise Turner, who said that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling the General Election did not take her by surprise.

“I’m never surprised in politics. Which party is the lesser of two evils?”

“It doesn’t matter who gets in there, they all look after themselves,” added Howard Taylor, of Bradford.