UK to have general elections December 12th
The British parliament has voted 438 to 20 to approve prime minister Boris Johnson’s demand that they hold general elections on December 12th in exchange for getting an extension to remain in the European Union until the end of January.
Though polls suggest that the public supports Johnson strongly in his effort to leave the EU, an actual election is something completely different. We shall now see if it will really happen.
Personally, I am pessimistic. The opposition to Brexit, like the opposition to Trump in the U.S., has never accepted the results of their previous defeats. I doubt any who voted against Brexit then have changed their mind since, while their unrelenting effort (like the resistance to Trump) has likely worn down its support.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
The British parliament has voted 438 to 20 to approve prime minister Boris Johnson’s demand that they hold general elections on December 12th in exchange for getting an extension to remain in the European Union until the end of January.
Though polls suggest that the public supports Johnson strongly in his effort to leave the EU, an actual election is something completely different. We shall now see if it will really happen.
Personally, I am pessimistic. The opposition to Brexit, like the opposition to Trump in the U.S., has never accepted the results of their previous defeats. I doubt any who voted against Brexit then have changed their mind since, while their unrelenting effort (like the resistance to Trump) has likely worn down its support.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
The impression I get is that the Brexit Bloc has only grown since the original 2016 vote.
I guess we find out on Dec. 12.
Dick Eagleson: The big issue is Northern Ireland. A no-deal Brexit would require the re-establishment of border controls between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the citizens in both places oppose this strongly. Similarly, the citizens of Wales would also suffer, as they are now better linked to Ireland without border controls.
Johnson’s deals have tried to get around this. I’m not sure he has succeeded. So therefore it could be that Brexit support in these two areas will drop significantly with this election.
All guesses on my part. As we both say, we shall find out December 12.
Johnson’s deals to get around the Northern Ireland problem have failed because he needs Northern Ireland to have any kind of working majority in Parliament. If the Brexit block grows to the point that he doesn’t need Northern Ireland’s DUP party, that’s when things will get interesting.
It will come down to which bloc is more weakened by having its vote split between parties: the Remain/Revoke vote split between Lib Dems and Labour, and the Brexit vote split between the Tories and the Brexit Party.
If Johnson can either reach a voting alliance with the BP, or simply keep their total share down into the low teens, he ought to be able to form a majority government.
The British people are so sick and tired of the inability of politicians to actually do their jobs, that I believe this election is too close to call…. The “no turnout” will be massive.
As a United Kingdom citizen I was in favour of leaving the EU… That was back in the heady days when I believed that after the referendum on the wishes of the British public, government would work together to establish trade deals, secure and confirm EU border regulations, Migrant works rights, etc, etc, etc….
It turns out we have had years of infighting, point scoring, back stabbing, and a sum total of next to zero actual politics from our politicians.
The British public are tired, and genuinely sick of politicians who are not fit for purpose.
The EU are determined to stop the UK from leaving, by any means possible, because a successful Brexit would essentially mean an end to the EU…
Not since the second world war has British politics been so messed up…. Not one of my friends or family back in the UK has an ounce of trust in their governmental representatives.
The “people” just want an end to the madness… The outcome of the election will be interesting.
How is it that the UK can have an election at the proverbial drop of a hat, and it takes the US years to run up to an election?
Blair Ivey: The UK uses a parliamentary system, whereby the prime minister is determined by the majority party in the legislature. If that party should fall, or break up, they require new elections. Our system is separates the president from the legislature, and sets elections at fixed intervals, as per our Constitution.
Blair Ivey asked: “How is it that the UK can have an election at the proverbial drop of a hat, and it takes the US years to run up to an election?”
For one, the U.S. forgot how to do it right. Instead, it does it expensive.
For another, to add to Robert’s observation, the U.S. has elections scheduled far into the future. We see them coming and start planning for them far in advance. This general election in the UK was scheduled less than two months in advance. Good planning on their part, as everyone has to state their campaign points quickly, and there is less time to plan and execute an “October Surprise.”