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.
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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.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
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.”