Brexit Bogs UK Election

The United Kingdom is going to the polls on 12thDecember for the third time within four years after the parliament failed to endorse the issue of leaving the European Union following the referendum of 2016. This is an extremely important election in the history of the UK as this will decide the future, whether UK leaves the European Union or not after 45 years membership. The referendum has divided the country clearly into two fractions: remain or leave, and as a result, Conservative party leader and prime minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn are leaning to the far right and far left. More importantly, senior leaders of the both parties have not endorsed either of these candidates to be the prime minister. Tony Blair, one of the most popular Labour leader who led the party for three consecutive victory, has said not to endorse either Boris or Jeremy. ‘’Let me put it this way — if you look, constituency by constituency, you will know the best candidates to back. Back them.”

This is an interesting election as MPs crossed the party lines and did not approve Brexit deals negotiated by Theresa May. Despite the Conservative majority with the support of Democratic Unionist Party, members of her own party including the current prime minister Johnson did not back her. MPs are divided over leave or remain lines rather than party whips. Due to this uncertainty she had to resign from the post. Johnson, leader of the leave team became the prime minister. However, his deal was also not endorsed by the House. Members of his own party voted against his deal despite the support of 19 Labour party MPs, elected from vote leave majority constituencies mostly in the northern England. According to the supreme court ruling and the law passed by the parliament, UK cannot leave the European Union without the approval of the Parliament. More than a dozen Conservative MPs in the last parliament were suspended from the party, nearly a dozen MPs of these two parties have joined Liberal Democratic party, which had 8 seats in the last parliament. Some senior leaders including the former prime ministers have said both Conservatives and Labour leaders are not fit to rule the nation and people’s vote is inevitable to conclude the Brexit issue. If Conservative party wins then this parliament will approve Johnson’s deal and UK will be out of European Union so former prime minister Blair said: ‘Conservative Party does not deserve to govern unchecked and the country would not be wise to let them.’

Even the former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major has urged the voter not to endorse Boris saying Brexit is the “worst foreign policy decision in my lifetime” and leaving the EU will affect “nearly every single aspect of our lives for many decades to come”. IMF, academics, industries and businesses have warned: ‘’Brexit will make the country poorer and weaker.’’ The Brexit uncertainty has already started to create a tremendous damage to the UK economy. The Airbus, the aerospace giant, which employees more than 124,000 people directly or indirectly says ‘’ the aerospace sector now stands at the precipice’’ as Brexit will force to take harmful decision for the United Kingdom. Siemens, EasyJet, Citigroup, Motor manufacturers, Schaeffler, fast food chains, Sony among others have warned that if there is no ‘’customs union, there are sectors of manufacturing society in the United Kingdom which risks becoming extinct. Some of the auto manufacturing including Nissan, Honda, Ford, BMW have said they were compelled to close down some or all of their plants due to Brexit uncertainty. According to the society of motor manufacturers and traders, this sector employees over 186,000 people. The finance and service sectors are the most successful areas in the United Kingdom. The Citigroup, which employees more than 214,000 people and does business in more than 160 countries, will be in crisis after the Brexit as many banks have either shifted out their operation from the UK or intend to do so after the Brexit.

The most serious issue of Brexit is the integrity and sovereignty of the UK. Brexit’s Irish paradox remains the most key question. Northern Ireland along with United Kingdom will exit from the European Union, however according to the Good Friday agreement, which ended the 30 years of violent conflict killing at least 3500 people, the border between the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, a member of the EU, should be open. This is the most serious issue of negotiation between the UK and European Union. This will undermine the unity of the union.

What are the main issues of the elections? The main issues of the Conservative party for the election are: leaving the European Union by 31stJanuary, increase the number of nurses to 50,000, introduce a points- based immigration system, no rise in income tax, VAT or national insurance, increase the pension, social care, cut emission to net zero by 2050, building 2.2 million disadvantaged homes, reduce poverty, create 250,000 child care places, freeze of university tuition, Manchester to Leeds rail line and £2 billion to fill potholes among others. ‘Brexit done’ is the main slogan of this party and this will only inspire the leave voters.

However, Labour Party has said it will negotiate a deal with the EU and put the deal to the public in a referendum with an option to remain in the EU within six months of the election. Other main issues of the Party are: nationalise key industries including energy, water, royal mail and railways,scrap university tuition fees, bring back maintenance grants for the poorest students, abolish private schools, free bus travel for under 25, provide EU national rights to remain, building 100,000 council homes a year, increase the minimum wage to £10, introduce national care service, increase budget to National Health Service (NHS) and cut emission to net zero by 2030 among other issues. The party appeals to the low- and middle-income families. Increase tax for the super-rich and bridging the gap of rich and poor is the main slogan of the party, which appeals to low- and middle-income families.

Which party will win? Although most of the election polls survey show over 10% lead of the Conservative party, election observers say there will be an unexpected results. Conservatives majority will make UK out of the EU, however, the Labour victory or hung parliament, will give public another chance of leaving or remaining within the EU. This is the most unpredictable election in the history of the UK as most of the senior politicians in both the parties have urged the voters to vote remain support candidate. Message of Blair and Major: “This is the final chance for a final say. It’s not one general election but 650 individual ones. Think long. Think hard. Time to choose. Choose wisely.” Unity of Europe is inevitable for liberty, democracy, human rights and prosperity of humanity. However, voters will decide their destiny of Brexit.