Labour MP Chris Bryant's election challenge to Tories becomes an instant meme

The first major development around when exactly we can expect the next general election came in January, when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was his “working assumption” that the public would go to the polls in the second half of this year.

Then, as the cut-off point for calling an election on 2 May got closer, the Conservative leader confirmed that he wouldn’t have the vote on the same day people will cast their ballots in local and police and crime commissioner elections.

And now, as Sunak intends to carry on governing in the meantime, Labour have been crying out for news as to when exactly they can expect - if the polls on voting intention are correct - a significant victory for their party and a devastating defeat for the Tories.

In fact, one senior Labour MP’s frustration over the delay has become an instant meme.

Chris Bryant, the Rhondda MP and shadow minister for creative industries and digital, wrote on Twitter/X on Tuesday: “End the psychodrama. End the speculation. End the uncertainty. Call the date.”

It comes on a bumper day of election speculation, as No 10 has ruled out a summer vote and Sir Graham Brady - chair of the influential 1922 Committee representing backbench Tory MPs - said Sunak would address them all at 5pm on Wednesday.

As for Bryant’s tweet, his exasperation in demanding Sunak “call the date” has inspired other X users to joke about issues over which they’re impatient.

While the election date is still to be officially confirmed, it is known that the next cohort will include plenty of new faces, as high-profile MPs such as Theresa May, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab, Matt Hancock, Ian Blackford, Mhairi Black and Caroline Lucas have all confirmed they will be standing down when the next polling day comes around.

Last week, Downing Street sources told The Independent the election has been pencilled in for 10 October.

Time will tell.

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