LONDON, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage on Monday demanded a general election after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a timetable for his resignation as prime minister and Labour Party leader.
Writing on X, Farage said Reform UK "demands an election" and was "ready to deliver radical change."
"If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No. 10, it has another thing coming," he said.
Starmer said earlier that he had informed King Charles III of his decision and asked Labour's National Executive Committee to set out a timetable for a leadership contest.
Under the timetable announced by Starmer, nominations for the Labour leadership will open on July 9 and close on July 16, before the summer parliamentary recess. If there is a contest, a new Labour leader is expected to be in place by the time parliament returns in September.
Under Britain's parliamentary system, a change of governing party leader does not automatically trigger a general election, as the new Labour leader would be expected to become prime minister if the party retains its majority in the House of Commons. ■