There was one subtle clue that Sunak was about to call an election. (Image: Getty)

       This tiny clue spotted by eagle-eyed viewers was a giveaway that Rishi Sunak was about to call a General Election.

       The Prime Minister stood outside 10 Downing Street to announce a summer General Election on July 4, but there was one thing that revealed his intention before his speech.

       Before Sunak made his appearance, Downing Street staff members set up his lectern preparing for his speech - but one thing was missing.

       The lectern did not feature the Prime Minister's crest, which was a subtle clue that a General Election was to be announced.

       When Boris Johnson called an election on November 6, 2019, he also appeared outside Downing Street behind a plain lectern without a crest.

       READ MORE: Sunak facing hammer blow as MPs 'submit letter of no confidence'

       The government crest often appears on the Prime Minister's lectern. (Image: Getty)

       Before this, in September 2019, journalist Christopher Hope said in a post on X that Johnson was signalling he would not call a General Election as there was a Government crest on his lectern.

       Theresa May also appeared with a plain lectern when she called a snap election in April 2017.

       The news of an election comes after Sunak refused to rule out a summer general election when asked during Prime Minister's Questions.

       He said: "There is, Mr Speaker - spoiler alert - there is going to be a general election in the second half of this year. At that moment, the British people will in fact see the truth about the honourable gentleman opposite me (Keir Starmer).

       "Because that will be the choice at the next election, Mr Speaker - a party that is not able to say to the country what they would do, a party that would put at risk our hard-earned economic stability, or the Conservatives that are delivering a secure future for our United Kingdom."

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       After PMQs, Sunak's press secretary told reporters in Westminster she was "not going to rule anything in or out".

       This follows a difficult period for the Conservatives, suffering two backbench MP defections and poor results at the local elections earlier this month.

       Current polls reveal that they are a staggering 20 points behind Labour, and now have less than two months to close this gap.

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