Scarborough and Whitby constituency candidates react to July 4 General Election announcement

Speaking from a lectern in the pouring rain outside 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: “I spoke with His Majesty the King to request the dissolution of Parliament. The King has granted this request and we will have a general election on July 4.”

Here are the local reactions.

Alison Hume, Labour Party

“I’m delighted Rishi Sunak has called an election.

"Our country needs a new vision and new leadership.

"Here in Whitby and Scarborough, a Labour government will cut down NHS waiting times with more appointments at Scarborough and Whitby hospitals; get the teachers we need into classrooms including better support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; introduce a licence system for holiday lets to free up homes for local families and champion investment into the green, digital and creative economies.

"A vote for Labour is a vote for economic and political stability, and a welcome end to Conservative chaos.”

Roberto Weeden-Sanz, Conservative Party

"We have six weeks to decide whether we will allow a new generation to speak up for Scarborough and Whitby.

"Our community needs someone with the energy and enthusiasm to deliver for us.

"Whether it is jobs and investment, health and social care, housing that local people can afford, improving transport infrastructure including the A64, buses and trains or standing up for our rural communities for a fair deal for farmers and fishermen.

"I will be a fresh voice for Scarborough and Whitby and put our towns and villages first.

“The Westminster pollsters are predicting Starmer could win over 400 seats.

"Five years of no accountability. That would be a disaster for Britain and for democracy.

"I am the only candidate who can prevent that, and who will bang the drum for Scarborough and Whitby for the next five years."

Tom Foster, Social Democratic Party

"I am your Social Democratic party (SDP) candidate for the Scarborough and Whitby constituency.

"I am standing here to offer the public something different from the mainstream parties that have failed us time after time.

"We can no longer keep voting for the same parties and expect a different result.

“The SDP offers people a left of centre economic policy with a right of centre social policy.

"We believe it’s time to renationalise utilities, railways and build 100,000 council houses a year.

"We want a society where crime doesn’t pay and families are the centre of Government policy pledges."

David Bowes, Reform UK

"A soaking wet PM, hunched over a lectern, to a backdrop of D:Ream was symbolic of 14 years of failure.

"The announcement was surprising, but obviously considered.

"Considered in the sense that things will not get any better.

"Interest rates will remain as they are, the boats will continue to arrive and the Rwanda policy will inevitably fail.

“On a personal and local level, I'm proud to stand for genuine change, genuine local representation and a common sense receptacle for anyone disillusioned with mainstream identikit politics.”

Asa Jones, Social Justice Party

“After two of the most exciting elections in history – 2017 and 2019 – where we had a real chance to create a better society, Labour and the Tories are now united in wanting cuts, austerity and privatisation.

“That’s why I’m standing, people deserve the opportunity to vote for something they believe in.

"To vote for an entirely publicly owned NHS, for a £15 minimum wage regardless of age, for an end to tuition fees, for a ceasefire in Gaza, for a massive social housing scheme and for a Green Industrial Revolution.

"That’s what the Social Justice Party stands for.”

The Green Party was also contacted for comment.