Social media did what it does best as a rain-sodden Mr Sunak was forced to raise his voice above the D:Ream song Things Can Only Get Better, which protester Steve Bray blasted out of a boombox.
There was a lot of material to work with and X (formerly Twitter) users didn’t disappoint with their comical mocking of the PM as he announced the July 4 election.
Here are some of the best memes of Mr Sunak’s surprise announcement.
Four Weddings and a Funeral 2?
Rodney from Only Fools and Horses comparison
Another outing for the bus photo
This photo was originally used on BBC Look North in 2021 and showed the prime minister promoting local transport.
But his chat with a local bus user has been parodied many times — with the latest offering joking that the PM might have been asking for a coat.
The wally without a brolly
Nick Murphy wondered if the former England manager Steve McClaren has put a generation off umbrella use. McClaren was nicknamed “the wally with the brolly” after England’s 3-2 defeat to Croatia in November 2007, leading to their failure to qualify for the 2008 European Championship.
During the crucial match, McClaren stood on the sidelines holding an umbrella (brolly) to shield himself from the rain. This was widely ridiculed because it symbolised his perceived ineffectiveness and poor game management.
Things Can Only Get Better was released more than 30 years ago in 1993 and the song still haunts the Conservative Party.
Comparison to Ralph Wiggum… the final insult?
No, apparently it gets worse
With a textbook comparison to Alan Partridge.
Another old adversary of the Tories, the TUC (Trades Union Congress), joined in on the fun.