Who are the 2 million demanding a general election? Crunching viral petition numbers
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Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed the idea of holding a general election, despite a petition urging for another vote that has garnered over two million signatures.
"The petition states, 'I wish there would be another general election.'"
"I think the present Labour government has not kept the commitments they made before the last election."
In an interview on ITV's This Morning program on Monday, Sir Keir responded to questions about the petition by stating that the demand for an election does not align with the way our system is structured.
He stated, “I keep in mind that a lot of people chose not to vote for Labour in the most recent election.”
"It's no shock that a lot of them are asking for a do-over."
The government is required to address all petitions that gather more than 10,000 signatures. Additionally, those that earn 100,000 signatures are taken into consideration by parliament.
The petition is emerging in response to the increasing criticism of Labour's budget. This budget has caused a stir due to its increases in national insurance and the decision to apply inheritance tax to farms, along with other unpopular measures intended to address the significant gap in funding.
Notable individuals who have signed the petition include billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk, who has consistently spoken out against Sir Keir since he took office, as well as British actor Michael Caine.
Who Is Pushing For A General Election?
The petition was launched on November 20 and, as of now, has gathered more than 2,184,000 signatures.
Most of the people who signed the petition come from Conservative or Reform stronghold areas.
You might recognize many of the names on this list, as they are outspoken opponents of the current Labour government. The Members of Parliament representing the areas where the petitions have garnered the most support include opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, former leadership contender James Cleverly, and leading the pack is Alex Burghart.
The petition has gained significant support among the constituents of Reform leaders Richard Tice and Nigel Farage, amassing a total of 9,550 signatures across the two areas.
Nonetheless, more than a million signatures have been gathered from areas represented by a Labour MP.
The Labour MP with the highest number of constituents asking for a general election is Kevin McKenna, who has garnered 4,609 signatures on the petition.
In July, Mr. McKenna narrowly secured victory in the Sittingbourne and Sheppey constituency, winning by only 355 votes.
The district experienced a modest voter participation rate of only 51.9 percent and has traditionally leaned toward the Conservative party.
His slim victory probably left many locals dissatisfied in a region that strongly backs the Conservative party. However, it remains uncertain if those who signed the petition could successfully remove Mr. McKenna in a future election.
No Labour constituency has had over 6 percent of its voters sign the petition.
Nevertheless, this dissatisfaction could raise worries for Labour MPs who have narrow majorities. For instance, in Derbyshire Dales, Labour MP John Whitby secured victory by just 350 votes, and more than 4,426 residents have signed a petition demanding a new election. MPs in Ribble Valley, Middlesbrough South, and Redditch find themselves in a comparable situation.
Many residents in South Norfolk have signed the petition, which is supported by Labour MP Terry Jermy.
Mr. Jermy has been under increasing pressure lately due to the protests organized by farmers, especially since his constituency is attracting attention from the Conservative Party and is home to 408 farms.
Some supporters of Labour leaders have also added their names to the petition demanding a new election, gathering more than 3,000 signatures in Deputy PM Angela Rayner's constituency.
Based on the reported locations provided in the petition forms, at least 14,276 signatures came from individuals outside the United Kingdom.
Countless signatures were collected from individuals in the United States, Spain, France, and Australia.
The petition has garnered hundreds of signatures from people in Thailand, the UAE, and Cyprus.
There are actually five signatures documented from Vatican City, which is the home of 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.
Nonetheless, the swift 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 the signatures have been officially verified.
The situation is made worse by non-citizens like billionaire Elon Musk endorsing the petition, declaring on X that "the citizens of Britain are fed up with a repressive police state."
