Snap general election to be debated by MPs next week as pressure mounts on Liz Truss

MPs are set to debate demands for an urgent general election next Monday. Parliament will discuss calls for a national ballot after a petition urging an early vote passed the 100,000 signatures threshold required for a debate to take place.

In total more than 500,000 Britons have added their name to the appeal on the official parliament.uk website.

It comes after market panic following the Government’s mini-budget on September 23.

There has been a run on the pound and fears for the stability of pension funds following the measures announced by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

The petition was first set up in July shortly after Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister following the mass resignation of ministers.

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Polls suggest the Tories are heading for election defeat following the impact the mini-budget has had on the economy.

The latest TechneUK tracker poll for Express.co.uk has shown that the Conservatives are now 22 points behind Labour, the worst the party has been since the Tony Blair Government.

According to the poll, Labour is now on 48 percent and the Tories at 26 percent.

Responding to the petition, the Government said: “The United Kingdom is a Parliamentary democracy, not a Presidential one.

“Following the general election of December 2019, Members of Parliament of the governing party (the Conservative Party) was elected, such that there is a majority in the House of Commons. This remains the case.

“A change in the leader of the governing party does not trigger a general election – this has been the case under governments of successive political colours.”

It added: “In her speech of September 6 2022, the new Prime Minister set out three early priorities: to grow Britain’s economy, deal with the energy crisis caused by Putin’s war, and putting the national health service on a firm footing.

“The Prime Minister is determined to address the challenges the country faces and ensure opportunity and prosperity for all people and future generations.”