Following around 24 hours of speculation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has officially announced a general election will take place on 4th July 2024.

Responding to the announcement, Ian Girling, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber, said: “An early general election is to be welcomed to bring much needed clarity to the future direction of the country and our economy.

“Whatever the colour of the next government, we need decisive leadership and meaningful policies and support which place business at the top of the agenda.

“A prompt growth plan must be embedded across the regions as soon as feasible after the election, including Dorset, to put our economy on a stable footing and primed for growth.

“In the meantime, I would urge our political parties and their candidates to place the economy at the heart of their campaigns for its critical importance in the future of our country, its people and businesses.

“A strong economy underlies everything from funding for the NHS, defence spending and jobs creation to community support and social coherence. Giving business in Dorset and nationwide the support they need is absolutely fundamental to achieving this goal.”

We will be updating you with more reactions to the announcement as they come in.