THOUSANDS of Halton residents have signed a petition calling for a new General Election to be called.

The national petition has steadily been gaining traction over recent days.

It states: “I would like there to be another General Election.

“I believe the current Labour Government has gone back on the promises it laid out in the lead-up to the last election.”

Nationally, more than 2.6million people have attached their names to the movement, with a map also showing its support in Runcorn and Widnes.

The figures are given on a constituency basis, and they are correct at the time of writing around midday on Tuesday.

In Widnes and Halewood, the seat held by Labour MP Derek Twigg, 3,676 people have signed the petition – around four per cent of constituents.

The figure is higher in Runcorn and Helsby, which elected then-Labour now independent MP Mike Amesbury, with 4,339 residents signing, which amounts to 4.7 per cent of the electorate.

The Government is required to respond to all petitions that get more than 10,000 signatures.

Moreover, Parliament considers all petitions that get more than 100,000 signatures for a debate.

Speaking yesterday, Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ruled out calling another General Election.

But he said he is ‘not surprised’ that some people who did not support Labour might want a second poll.

Asked about the petition on ITV’s This Morning programme, Sir Keir said: “I remind myself that very many people did not vote Labour at the last election.

“I am not surprised that many of them want a re-run. That is not how our system works.

“There will be plenty of people who didn’t want us in in the first place. What my focus is on is the decisions that I have to make every day.”

He characterised decisions taken so far by his Government as ‘tough but fair’.

Sir Keir and his ministers have faced a particularly strong backlash for limiting winter fuel payments to only the poorest pensioners.

Farmers have also protested over changes to inheritance tax which they claim could affect the future of their businesses.

As he marks five months as Prime Minister, Sir Keir acknowledged the job has been difficult, but he added: “I would not swap a single day in opposition for a day in power.

“It is much better to be in power to do things rather than the frustration, as I found it, in opposition for all of those long years where we were just able to say what we would do.”

The petition calling for another general election is open for signatures until May 2025.

To view it, visit petition.parliament.uk/petitions/700143