What's required in this instance is a couple of pint bottles.

It is this logic that leads me to argue that supermarkets should be ordered alphabetically.

One assumes the Kings advisers are telling the PM not to put the King into a scenario where there is doubt.

If word got out that he'd got to the King before Brady turned up with the postbag, we'd be in that scenario...

The PM has to ask the King for an election, and the King can only give the PM what they ask if the King believes that the PM has confidence of the House of Commons. If there's doubt, the King has to ask for that to be resolved first.

Yep. 2017, 1987 and 1983 again.

I mean he just needs to call the General Election before the party moves against him after the Locals on 2 May.

No, the King has zero agency. Lascelles principles mean he can only take advice from a Prime Minister with confidence of the House of Commons.

He has the benefit that he just needs to underestimate the numbers of letters that have gone in.

Which means calling the GE before May 2nd.

He'd have to get to the King before Graham Brady let it be known that the Threshold has been reached.

But if a (party) no confidence motion was in play, the PM couldn't show he had the confidence of the party, and hence the Commons. At that point, the King wouldn't be in a position to accept the recommendation of a Dissolution. Sunak would be told to show he has confidence, or send his successor.

Spigen case has kept my Pixel safe.