Why did Rishi Sunak call an early election?

On Wednesday, British prime minister Rishi Sunak stood in the rain outside 10 Downing Street and called an early general election. But why now? The Tories are performing poorly in the polls and his party is divided.

Six weeks out from election day on July 4th, the odds of him winning look slim. By Irish standards, the campaign is long, so is there anything he can do in the run up to election day to change the hearts and minds of British voters or has Labour leader Keir Starmer’s time come?

Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul went to Derby to see Sunak in action on Thursday on his first day of campaigning and he tells In the News about the timing of the election, the disarray in the Tory party and why Sunak is taking the chance of going to the country after less than two years in office.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.