A PETITION calling for MPs to back an early election has been signed by more than half-a-million people in the UK.

As of 12pm on Friday, October 7, the petition had gained 564,419 signatures.

In order for an official petition on the Parliament.uk to be considered for debate in the House of Commons, 10,000 signatures are required.

More than 1,700 people from Warrington have signed the petition, titled 'Call an immediate general election to end the chaos of the current government.'

Signatures from Warrington North total more than 720, and there were over 1,050 signatures from Warrington South.

The MP for Warrington South, Andy Carter - Conservative - said: "500,000 looks like a large number but it’s less actually than one per cent of the UK population.

"Opposition parties tend to argue in favour of a general election, we’re mid-way through a parliamentary term and the date for the next general election is a matter for the prime minister.”

Warrington Guardian: Mr Carter has shut down calls for an early electionMr Carter has shut down calls for an early election (Image: Parliament UK)

Meanwhile, Labour's Warrington South MP, Charlotte Nichols, backed the calls for an early election - proving Mr Carter's claim about opposition parties.

Ms Nichols said: "The Conservatives got their majority in 2019 declaring that austerity was over, promising to focus on levelling up and ruling out fracking.

"Instead they are now radically cutting taxes for wealthy corporations predominantly in London, to be paid for (even after the 45p u-turn) by expensive borrowing and further cuts to public services while threatening our communities with fracking.

"This goes against everything they were voted in on and they have no mandate for it.

"We have a government that is evidently out of touch and incompetent, causing chaos for our economy, our mortgages and our pensions."

Warrington Guardian: The Warrington North MP has backed the calls for an early general electionThe Warrington North MP has backed the calls for an early general election (Image: Parliament UK)

The Labour MP added: "The country deserves a chance to elect a fresh and fit team who will actually focus on the cost of living crisis that we face.

"The sooner we have an election the better."

The full petition can be found here, along with a map of where the signatories are signing the petition from.