The decision was made following a brief meeting with his Cabinet at 10 Downing Street.
"In the last five years our country has fought through the most challenging times since the Second World War," Sunak said during a press conference outside the official home and office of the prime minister in London, touting his accomplishments as rain poured and the New Labour anthem, Things Can Only Get Better by D:Ream, blared from a nearby speaker.
"Earlier today I spoke with His Majesty the King to request the dissolution of Parliament," he continued. "The King has granted this request and we will have a general election July 4. This election will take place at a time when the world is more dangerous than it has been since the end of the Cold War."
Sunak declared that he would remain at the helm of the Conservative Party, noting, "on July 5 either Keir Starmer or I will be prime minister."
"He has shown time and time again that he will take the easy way out and do anything to get power," Sunak said of his rival. "If he was happy to abandon all the promises he made to become Labour leader once he got the job, how can you know that he won’t do exactly the same thing if he were to become prime minister?"
