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Celebrities took the opportunity to poke fun at the Prime Minister after he announced a General Election in the pouring rain, with Sue Perkins asking: “Can’t he afford an umbrella?”

Rishi Sunak fired the starting gun for a July 4 election while exposed to the elements outside 10 Downing Street.

Broadcaster and comedian Perkins, who previously presented The Great British Bake Off, was among those who took to social media platform X to share their thoughts.

Can’t he afford an umbrella?

— Sue Perkins ? (@sueperkins)

“Can’t he afford an umbrella?” she posted.

Posting several times about the election announcement, author and journalist Caitlin Moran wrote: “Rishi now having to strip down to his pants and sit in front of the three-bar fire while his mum makes him a cup of Bovril.”

She added: “There’s someone in a room with Rishi right now whose job it is to look at the response on social media and tell him how it’s going. Hi! I hope you have a hipflask!”

Broadcaster Carol Vorderman was more scathing in her assessment.

The former Countdown presenter posted a video of herself on social media and wrote: “Rishi Sunak became the drip in front of No 10 to announce it in the rain.”

Financial journalist and broadcaster Martin Lewis, who founded the website MoneySavingExpert.com, wrote: “Message management… Statement given in pouring rain, and sodden shoulder pads.

“Blairite theme tune being played in the background. Not exactly the glorious sunlit uplands.”

Message management…

Statement given in pouring rain, and sodden shoulder pads.

Blairite theme tune being played in the background.

Not exactly the glorious sunlit uplands.

— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis)

Mr Sunak’s election announcement was accompanied by the sound of Tony Blair’s 1997 general election soundtrack Things Can Only Get Better by pop group D:Ream being played through a loudspeaker.

Armando Iannucci, the Scottish satirist who wrote political sitcom The Thick of It, posted on X: “That music is Heckle Gold.”

That music is Heckle Gold

— Armando Iannucci (@Aiannucci)

Comedian Dara O Briain wrote: “In a few minutes, somebody in Conservative head office will think to check if England are playing in Euro 2024 on July 4th.”

Food writer Nigella Lawson meanwhile opted to quote tweet a post reading: “This is our Four Seasons Total Landscaping.”

The phrase refers to when former US president Donald Trump faced mockery after his campaign held a press conference at a local garden centre in Pennsylvania, having earlier appeared to claim it would be held at a luxury hotel.

Count Binface, a satirical figure who ran for London mayor, posted an image of himself wearing his signature bin costume with the text: “Bindependence Day: Time To Take Out The Trash.”

Meanwhile, presenter Lorraine Kelly quote posted the words of @Number10cat to make her point.

Larry – he knows

— Lorraine (@reallorraine)

The satirical Larry the Cat account wrote: “I was inside, because it was raining. Only an idiot would have gone out in that…” to which Kelly replied: “Larry – he knows.”