London/IBNS: Ending months of speculations, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Wednesday scheduled the general election date for July 4.

The poll will be the first time Sunak, 44, faces the public while in charge after he was appointed leader of the largest party in parliament by Conservative MPs in October 2022.

The vote, the third since the Brexit referendum in 2016, will see Sunak seeking to capitalise on better economic data to woo voters hit by cost-of-living rises.

"The king has granted this request and we will have a general election on July 4," Sunak announced.

"Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future," he added.

Political commentators have suggested that Sunak, trailing badly in the polls to the main opposition Labour Party, could try to seek a bounce from the healthier outlook.