Now we have a better bargaining position to negotiate Brexit, thanks Theresa May! But seriously, this result amuses me to no end, probably the biggest self-inflicted injury since the EU referendum for the tories.
Conservative party initiated a snap general election with the idea that they would be able to strengthen their majority in parliament, which would theoretically allow a 'smoother' brexit process They followed this by running a piss poor campaign, with labour doing the opposite. State of the country actually got youth vote out as well who are generally more aligned with labour / lib dem. Result? Hung parliament - no party has the majority required to form a government. Conservatives will probably retain government but they have to compromise by making a coalition / coming to an agreement with another party. Overall very Firking embarrassing "Strong and stable" was Theresa Mays version of "Make America Great Again"
So it will be a conservative government propped up by the DUP (the largest pro union northern Irish party, who are the only ones they could work with). It's embarrassing for the Tories as this was supposed to be them wiping labour from the map, and it turns out it was them barely limping to victory. It also utterly kills the narrative that Corbyn is unelectable, which they and the right of the Labour Party having being battering him over the head with since he emerged. But in terms of what it means practically: Brexit, it's hard to say whether it will effect this - parliament will have to vote on the final deal, and while there will be enormous pressure on them to support the government position, there will still have to be cross party support - which means that some of the more extream positions are now likely off the table. This may effect the bargaining position. In terms of domestic politics, it should mean that the government can do less of what it wants to -- it can pretty much kick out half it's manifesto -- which I think is a good thing - though isn't always. It may also open the never quiet closed divisions within both parties as those MPs willing to ignore the whip become very important. So a good day for me, though having just got off a plane in Buenos Aires for a six month trip around South America, the value of my carefully saved pounds has been ****ed (markets hate hung parliaments). So FML.
I thouroughly enjoy following UK politics. Need to check youtube to see if there is any new last leg episodes up yet.
To be honest, I'd like like to believe that this result showed a greater enthusiasm for social democracy, a rejection of the murdoch press false narrative, a rejection of top down thinking, but I can't quite believe it. You could easily see it as straight forward selfish self interest. Labour promised a lot, as well as their traditional base of helping the poor, and those who depend on the public sector, they also said they'd cancel student loans which means that all those middle class parents could save a lot -- easy decision for practical minded (and often natural Tories) people. May on the other hand dared to break the cardinal rule of politics -- you don't Firk with pensioners. The most important demographic in the country is the old, because they vote. Almost all of them. They may not be able to use the toilet on their own but they surely will make sure they get their say on who runs the country. This has meant over time that they have got more and more benefits as each party tries to court them. So yes May played it badly -- but she also gamed in badly and labour gamed it well. Which I don't know, to me seems not what post-Blair Labour, and Corbyn in particular, should be about.
