Throughout the afternoon, a slow trickle of rumours turned into a torrent.

As the skies opened and the rain fell, the drips of news kept coming. 

Just after 1 o'clock, foreign secretary David Cameron cut short a visit to Albania; TiranaThe capital city of Albania. 's extravagant decorations, including a huge "Welcome" sign, were in vain. At 2.30, chancellor Jeremy Hunt pulled out of a television appearance. Then - the news that cabinet ministers' diaries were being cleared for an unexpected meeting.

Reporters rushed to Downing Street10 Downing Street, in central London, has been the official home of the UK prime minister since 1735. , holding their umbrellas aloft. Something big was happening. 

At 5 o'clock, the news was confirmed. A lectern appeared in front of Number 10 and Sunak stepped out into a downpour. "Earlier today I spoke with His Majesty The King to request the dissolutionAn official ending. of parliament," he declared. "The king has granted this request, and we will have a general election on the 4th of July." 

So why call an election now? For a long time, the ConservativesA traditionally right-wing or centre right political party in the UK. Members are sometimes called Tories. have spoken of an election in "the second half of the year".¹ Technically, Sunak has kept his promise - the second half of the year begins on 1 July - but there is no doubt the timing is a surprise. LabourBritain's main left-of-centre political party. will now have to scramble to finetune their manifestoA 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. and raise campaign funds months before they expected.

Some point to a small series of good news headlines for Sunak in recent days. After months of skyrocketing prices, inflation has fallen back to 2.3%. The scheme to send asylum seekersPeople who have left their countries due to danger and are seeking refuge elsewhere. to RwandaA country in the centre of Africa. At least 500,000 people were killed in the appalling genocide of 1994. has passed into law - a fact that will be popular with some Tory voters. Sunak may be hoping that when voters cast their ballots, these stories will still be fresh in their minds. 

Can this save him? Almost certainly not, most people agree. Labour is soaring ahead in the polls, at 44% to the Tories 23%. Some surveys even put the Conservatives on less than 100 seats.²

If Sunak had waited until the autumn, he may have had evidence to prove to British voters that life really is getting better, declared an editorialA newspaper article expressing the opinion of the editor on a specific issue. in right-wing magazine The Spectator yesterday. "Calling an early election is an admission of defeat and that, on everything from public finances to public services, the worst is yet to come." 

Meanwhile, the argument that a feel-good factor caused by a potential England appearance in the Euros quarter-finals in early July could boost votes for Sunak is unlikely to reassure many Tory backbenchersMembers of Parliament who are not part of the government or shadow cabinet. They sit on the backbenches of the House of Commons. . 

In contrast, Labour MPs ended the day happy. Rishi Sunak gave his speech in the rain, at times nearly drowned out by protesters playing the Labour 1997 rallying cry - "things can only get better".³ Opposition leader Keir Starmer gave his response indoors, staying dry.  

The Tories have been in power for 14 years, with five different leaders. The country now is different to the one it inherited - few in 2010 foresaw Brexit, and even fewer Covid-19.

In his speech, Sunak spoke of potential threats to Britain - and of the Labour party. "I don't know what they offer - and in truth, I don't think you know either," he told voters. Conservative officials hope that Britons will see Sunak as the safe option, and vote for what they know. 

Later, Keir Starmer had one word on his podium: "Change."

Is this suicide for the Tory party?

Yes: The polls for the Conservatives are abysmal. Many MPs have chosen to stand down rather than lose their seat. It is simply a question of how much the Tories will lose by.

No: Rishi Sunak will have chosen the timing of the election carefully. He has had some recent wins. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has not yet faced his biggest challenges.

Or... A week is a long time in politics - or so the saying goes. And the Tories have six of them to turn it around. Much can change during a campaign.