‘Peak Britain’: Rishi Sunak announcing polls drenched in rain sparks wave of jibes, memes

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's UK election announcement speech was drowned out by the heavy rain and the opposition's protest.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday announced a national election for July 4, when the country will vote for a new government. Sunak, 44, ended months of speculation as he stood outside his Downing Street office in pouring rain and called the election several months earlier than expected.

Rishi Sunak announced the UK election for July 4.

"Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future and decide whether it wants to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one and no certainty," he said.

"Over the next few weeks, I will fight for every vote, I will earn your trust and I will prove to you that only a Conservative government led by me will not put our hard earned economic stability at risk."

Sunak's speech was drowned out by the heavy downpour as well as the opposition Labour Party's victory song from 1997, "Things Can Only Get", being played by protesters on loudspeakers outside Downing Street's gates.

Rishi Sunak, wearing a black blazer and drenched in rain, had to almost shout to be heard by the press.

The Indian-origin leader struggling to be heard amid the rain and the opposition protest was seen as a sign by critics of his Conservative Party's potential fate at the ballot box.

Take a look at some of the reactions on X:

Low-cost carrier Ryan Air, known for its caustic posts on social media, was among those who took a dig at Sunak.

“Need a holiday, Rishi?” the airline wrote on X.

“Rishi Sunak shouting over a protestor playing ‘Things can only get better’ in the pouring rain is peak Britain,” X user Joanna Hardy said.

The Conservative Party or the Tories have been in power in the UK since 2010.

In October 2022, Rishi Sunak made history as the first Indian-origin Prime Minister of the UK. He is also one of the youngest Prime Ministers of the country, having taken the top job at the age of 42. He is married to Akshata Murty, daughter of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murty.