A new online petition calling for an immediate General Election has reached nearly 60,000 signatures, automatically triggering the requirement for an official Government response and adding pressure on Sir Keir Starmer’s administration just over a year after Labour’s electoral victory.
The petition, hosted on the UK Government and Parliament’s official petition portal, asks citizens to sign if they agree with the statement: “We want an immediate General Election to be held. We think the majority need and want change.” At the time of writing, more than 57,000 people have added their names to the growing list of signatories.
Under parliamentary petition rules, any petition receiving more than 10,000 signatures requires a formal response from the Government. The current petition has surpassed this threshold nearly six-fold, ensuring ministers will need to address the concerns raised by tens of thousands of citizens.
The petition represents the latest in a series of similar calls for early elections since Labour took power on 4 July 2024. Once a petition reaches 100,000 signatures, it must be considered for debate in Parliament by the Petitions Committee, though reaching this milestone does not guarantee a debate will take place.
This latest appeal comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting criticism over several key policy areas. The Government has been accused of failing to adequately address the ongoing migrant crisis, with asylum accommodation continuing to dominate headlines across the country.
Perhaps most damaging to Labour’s reputation has been the controversial decision to withdraw winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners. The policy U-turn sparked widespread condemnation from opposition parties, charities, and Labour’s own backbenchers, with critics arguing it betrays the party’s traditional support base.
The timing of the petition is particularly significant, launching just over a year after Labour’s landslide victory ended 14 years of Conservative rule. Typically, governments enjoy a honeymoon period with voters, but Starmer’s administration has faced persistent challenges that have eroded public confidence.
Previous similar petitions have achieved remarkable success in terms of signatures. In January 2025, another petition calling for a fresh election reached 2.8 million signatures and was subsequently debated in Parliament. During that debate, then-Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch used the opportunity to tell Starmer that “two million people” were “asking him to go.
Whilst petitions cannot legally force a general election, they serve as a barometer of public sentiment and can create political pressure. Under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022, only the Prime Minister can request the King dissolve Parliament to trigger an election, typically done when the government sees political advantage or has lost Commons confidence.
The petition system has become an increasingly popular method for citizens to express dissatisfaction with government policies. Since its relaunch in 2015, the platform has hosted numerous high-profile campaigns, including Brexit-related petitions that garnered millions of signatures.
Constitutional experts note that whilst such petitions have no binding legal force, they can influence political discourse and force governments to defend their positions publicly. The requirement for a government response at 10,000 signatures ensures ministers must engage with public concerns, even if they ultimately reject the petition’s demands.
Labour’s struggles since taking office have included managing public sector strikes, addressing cost-of-living pressures, and navigating complex international crises. These challenges have contributed to a sense amongst some voters that the change promised during the election campaign has not materialised.
The petition’s language, stating “the majority need and want change,” ironically echoes Labour’s own campaign messaging from 2024, when they successfully argued for change after years of Conservative governance. This reversal highlights how quickly political fortunes can shift in modern British politics.
As signatures continue to accumulate, attention will turn to the Government’s official response, which must be published on the petition website. Previous responses to similar petitions have typically defended the democratic mandate received at the last election and outlined government achievements.
Should the petition reach 100,000 signatures, the Petitions Committee will consider scheduling a Westminster Hall debate. These debates, whilst not binding, provide MPs with an opportunity to air constituents’ concerns and can generate significant media coverage.
The rise of digital democracy through online petitions has transformed how citizens engage with Parliament between elections. The platform provides a direct channel for public opinion to reach Westminster, bypassing traditional gatekeepers like political parties and media organisations.
Critics of frequent election petitions argue they undermine democratic stability and ignore the fact that governments need time to implement their manifestos. Supporters counter that they provide essential accountability and reflect genuine public dissatisfaction with government performance.
As the petition approaches the 60,000 signature mark, it joins a growing list of post-election challenges facing Starmer’s government. Whether it will maintain momentum towards the 100,000 threshold required for parliamentary consideration remains to be seen, but its rapid growth suggests significant public discontent.
The Government has yet to comment specifically on this latest petition, though ministers have previously dismissed calls for early elections, citing their democratic mandate and ongoing reform programmes. The formal response, when published, will likely reiterate these arguments whilst attempting to address underlying concerns.
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Image Credit: Keir Starmer in 2024 – by UK Parliament / Maria Unger, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
