LONDON —The Lib Dems have accused British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of "squatting in Downing Street" after "bottling" calling a May general election.

Launching his party's local election campaign Lib Dem Leader Sir Ed Davey said the prime minister was hiding from voters "hoping the tide will turn".

Last week Sunak ruled out a general election on May 2.

Sir Ed called on voters to use council elections to send "this out-of-touch Conservative government a message".

Elections are taking place for more than 100 local authorities, mayors, and police and crime commissioners across England on May 2.

Sir Ed launched his party's campaign with an stunt featuring a large hourglass, which had the slogan "time is running out for Rishi Sunak".

The party leader turned over the hourglass at a rally in Harpenden — which the party describes as a "Blue Wall battleground", as part of a campaign to challenge the Conservatives in southern England.

Sir Ed said: "People know it's time for a change and people are voting Liberal Democrat because they know it's time for the Liberal Democrats."

He added: "Above all, it's time to get the Conservatives out of power. It's time to give people a fair deal."

The Lib Dems will focus their campaign on the state of local health services.

On Wednesday, the party published research which found nearly 20,000 older people waited over four hours for an ambulance after falling at home last year.

Sir Ed said the government had "plunged the NHS into crisis".

He said: "Above all else, the country desperately needs a general election to get rid of a Conservative government which has run health services into the ground.

"This May, families and pensioners have the chance to vote for local Liberal Democrat champions who will stand up for local health services." — BBC