Election Now: The Independent’s petition calling for general election passes 300,000 signatures

It comes as Conservative MPs prepare to elect our third prime minister of the year

The Independent’s petition calling for a general election to be held in the UK following months of political upheaval has hit 300,000 signatures.

The milestone was passed just after 9.30am on Friday, 20 hours after Liz Truss quit as prime minister following just 45 days in office – and the number of signatures is continuing to climb at pace.

It comes after weeks of chaos in Downing Street as Ms Truss’s serial U-turning saw her fail to maintain control of her own party – bedlam punctuated by reports of “manhandling” and “bullying” during last night’s fracking vote.

A such, we have been campaigning for a national ballot since it became apparent that Ms Truss could no longer hold the confidence of her party earlier this week.

Announcing her resignation outside the door to No 10 on Thursday afternoon, Ms Truss confirmed there will be another leadership election to be completed within the next week.

“We at The Independent believe this is unacceptable,” writes our acting editor David Marley.

As Conservative MPs prepare to elect our third prime minister of the year, we have renewed our plea for a general election to be called. To lend your voice to our appeal or find out more, click below:

Sign The Independent’s petition here

Our campaign was today echoed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who called for an “immediate” national ballot, saying the Conservative Party had shown it no longer had a mandate to govern the country.

And new YouGov polling also reveals that more than 63 per cent of people now believe a general election should be called once a new prime minister has been elected.

Ms Truss earlier today told the nation it was clear she could no longer deliver the “mandate” she had been given by her party just weeks earlier.

As it stands, bookies have raised Rishi Sunak, Ms Truss’s leadership race opponent, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt and defence secretary Ben Wallace as likely replacements for the outgoing prime minister.

Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 committee, has explained that Friday 28 October is the date Britain’s next prime minister will be announced.

“We are deeply conscious of the imperative in the national interest in resolving this quickly,” he told reporters in Westminster.

“I have spoken to the party chairman Jake Berry and he has confirmed that it will be possible to conduct a ballot and conclude a leadership election by Friday 28 October.

“So we should have a new leader in place before the fiscal statement which will take place on the 31.”