Who are the 2 million demanding a general election? Crunching viral petition numbers
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Sir Keir Starmer has stated that he will not be pursuing a general election, despite a petition demanding another vote that has garnered over two million signatures.
"The petition states that I am in favor of having another general election."
"I think the current Labour government has failed to uphold the commitments they made before the last election."
When questioned about the petition during ITV's This Morning show on Monday, Sir Keir rejected the idea of holding an election, stating that this is “not how our system operates.”
He mentioned, “I keep in mind that a lot of people chose not to vote for Labour in the last election.”
"It's no shock that a lot of them are hoping for a repeat."
The government is required to address any petitions that gather more than 10,000 signatures, and those that collect at least 100,000 signatures are brought before parliament for consideration.
The petition has emerged as dissatisfaction with Labour's budget increases. The budget has raised concerns due to increases in national insurance and the expansion of inheritance tax to cover farms, along with other unpopular suggestions intended to address the financial shortfall.
Notable individuals who have signed the petition include billionaire Elon Musk, a supporter of Trump, who has often taken jabs at Sir Keir since he assumed office, as well as British actor Michael Caine.
Who Wants A General Election?
The petition was launched on November 20 and has already gathered more than 2,184,000 signatures as of now.
Most of the people who signed the petition are located in areas where Conservative or Reform candidates are likely to win easily.
You might recognize several names among those occupying these positions, as they have openly criticized the current Labour government. The Members of Parliament representing areas with the highest number of petition signatures include opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, former leadership candidate James Cleverly, and at the top of the list, Alex Burghart.
The petition has gained significant support among the voters represented by Reform leaders Richard Tice and Nigel Farage, collecting a total of 9,550 signatures from their two constituencies.
Nevertheless, more than a million signatures have been collected from areas represented by Labour MPs.
The Labour MP with the highest number of constituents advocating for a general election is Kevin McKenna, as 4,609 residents have added their names to the petition.
In July, Mr. McKenna secured victory in his Sittingbourne and Sheppey constituency with a narrow margin of only 355 votes.
The constituency experienced a modest voter participation rate of only 51.9 percent and has a history of being a Conservative stronghold.
His slim victory probably left many locals dissatisfied in a region that typically backs the Conservatives. However, it remains uncertain if those who signed the petition could successfully remove Mr. McKenna in a future election.
No Labour constituency has recorded more than 6 percent of its voters signing the petition.
Nonetheless, this dissatisfaction could still raise worries for Labour MPs who have narrow majorities. In the Derbyshire Dales, Labour MP John Whitby secured victory by just 350 votes, and more than 4,426 of his constituents have signed a petition demanding a new election. MPs representing Ribble Valley, Middlesbrough South, and Redditch are in a comparable situation.
Many residents in South Norfolk have also added their names to the petition, which is supported by Labour MP Terry Jermy.
Mr. Jermy has been experiencing increased scrutiny due to the recent protests by farmers, especially since his district is of interest to the Conservative Party and is home to 408 farms.
Even some supporters of Labour leaders have added their names to the petition demanding a fresh election, accumulating more than 3,000 signatures in Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s constituency.
According to the information provided in the petition forms, at least 14,276 signatures came from individuals located outside the UK.
Thousands of signatures were gathered from people in the United States, Spain, France, and Australia.
The petition has garnered a wide array of support, with hundreds of signatures coming in from Thailand, the UAE, and Cyprus.
There are actually five signatures documented from Vatican City, which is home to the Pope.
Only individuals who are British citizens or residents of the UK are permitted to sign this kind of petition for it to be reviewed by Parliament.
The fast growth of the petition could complicate the process of confirming the identities of the over two million people who have signed it. The Independent has contacted the government to find out how many of these signatures have been validated.
This situation is made worse by individuals like billionaire Elon Musk, who isn’t a citizen, supporting the petition. He stated on X that “the people of Britain are tired of living under a oppressive police state.”
