RISHI Sunak’s announcement of a July 4 election date places the election right at the height of summer.
Aside from being America’s Independence Day, it will come early in the Scottish school holidays – much to the dismay of many Scottish party members and politicos.
It also places the election before English schools break up, which typically happens later in the year towards the end of July.
For this, First Minister John Swinney accused Downing Street of “contempt” because it will be less likely to interfere with the timing of people’s summer plans if they – like him – have school-age children.
It also throws up added difficulties for activists and political hacks looking to enjoy or perhaps even travel to Germany for the Euros.
England are expected to do well at the football championships, which last from March 14 to July 14, which both Labour and the Tories may hope boosts their “feel-good” factor with the electorate.
But it could put pressure on beleaguered activists who, faced with the choice of watching the Euros or chapping on doors, may opt for the former.
England's last game before the knock-out stages is on June 25 and Scotland will face off against Hungary two days before.
The timing is unusual. There has only been one July election since elections began to be held on single days after the First World War and was in 1945.
June is more common and the most recent time the country went to the polls that month, Theresa May lost her parliamentary majority when she went to the country in 2017.
