Is this suicide for the Tory party? Yesterday, the British prime minister surprised the nation by announcing a general election on 4 July. Is his bid to stay in power doomed to fail?
Rishi Sunak’s last throw of the dice
Final gamble?: Rishi Sunak (AI-generated above) says he can win despite being 20 points behind in the polls. Glossary
Foreign secretary - In the UK, the politician in charge of how Britain deals with other countries.
Downing Street - 10 Downing Street, in central London, has been the official home of the UK prime minister since 1735.
Dissolution - An official ending.
Conservatives - A traditionally right-wing or centre right political party in the UK. Members are sometimes called Tories.
Manifesto - A statement published by a person or group of people, especially a political party, or a government, in which they say what their aims and policies are.
Inflation - An increase in the price of goods in an economy.
Asylum - When a state agrees to shelter somebody who is fleeing dangerous circumstances. The right to asylum is protected in international law by the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Rwanda - A country in the centre of Africa. At least 500,000 people were killed in the appalling genocide of 1994.
Editorial - A newspaper article expressing the opinion of the editor on a specific issue.
Right-wing - Sometimes referred to as 'conservative', this is a range of political beliefs that emphasise the value of tradition, individual freedom and responsibility, low taxes and a hands-off approach to government.
Tory - A member of the Conservative party.
MPs - Members of Parliament. MPs are elected to represent people in 650 different geographical areas.