Keir Starmer Faces Backlash as General Election Petition Surges Past 800,000 Signatures
A petition demanding a snap general election has smashed through 800,000 signatures, piling fresh pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Government just 13 months after Labour’s historic landslide victory.
The online petition, hosted on Parliament’s official website, insists: “We want an immediate general election to be held. We think the majority need and want change.”
That call has struck a chord with the public. Within days, it has grown into one of the largest petitions currently active.
Despite the mounting signatures, Downing Street remains unmoved. Responding last week, the Government said: “This Government was elected on a mandate of change at the July 2024 general election.
Clamour for Keir Starmer to stand down and call a fresh General Election is growing exponentially. A Government petition is set to top one million signatories. https://t.co/RhpX3pD7gl pic.twitter.com/8c2GTIcsxy
— Express Politics (@ExpressPolitics) August 19, 2025
Our full focus is on fixing the foundations, rebuilding Britain, and restoring public confidence in government.”
Ministers stressed that only the Prime Minister has the power to trigger an early election within the five-year parliamentary cycle.
They doubled down on their mission to “deliver growth, jobs and stability” while accusing the Conservatives of leaving behind a £22 billion fiscal black hole — a claim the Tories strongly reject.
The petition’s size means MPs may soon be forced to debate it. Any petition that gathers more than 100,000 signatures is eligible for consideration.
But campaigners may be left disappointed. Earlier this year, a separate petition calling for an early election, with millions of signatures, was already debated in Parliament, with no outcome in sight.
The growing unrest comes as YouGov polling reveals Labour’s lowest favourability score since Sir Keir entered Number 10 in July 2024. Public confidence appears to be wavering, with many voters impatient for the sweeping reforms Labour promised.
The Government insists it is staying the course: “We inherited unprecedented challenges, with crumbling public services and crippled public finances, but will deliver a decade of national renewal through our five missions: economic growth, fixing the NHS, safer streets, making Britain a clean energy super-power and opportunity for all.”
The UK political mood remains unsettled. Starmer’s majority may be strong, but growing petitions and falling poll ratings highlight a public keen to see immediate change.
For now, the Government’s position is clear. The next election will be held on its terms, not the public’s.
