The UK will hold its first election in almost 5 years. Here's what to know
LONDON (AP) — The United Kingdom is getting ready to have its first national election in almost five years on Thursday. Opinion polls show that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party might face consequences for not keeping their promises after being in charge for 14 years.
The Conservatives, a political group leaning towards the right, gained control of the government during the worst part of the worldwide financial crisis and have managed to secure victory in three additional elections after that. Despite this, their time in power has been characterized by a slow economy, a decrease in public services, and multiple controversies. As a result, the Tories, as they are commonly referred to, have become easy subjects of criticism from both the left and the right sides of the political spectrum.
The left-leaning Labour Party is leading in the majority of opinion polls. They have centered their campaign around one key theme: Change.
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer was seen engaging with port workers at an event in Southampton Docks during a campaign for the general election in Southampton, England on Monday, June 17, 2024.
ARTICLE - UK's Leader Rishi Sunak participates in BBC's Prime Ministerial Debate, held in Nottingham, England on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (Photo: Phil Noble/Pool via AP)
Britain's Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, is pictured playing a game at an arcade, holding coins and spending time with supporters in Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, England on Friday, June 21, 2024.
Photograph - Ed Davey, the leader of Liberal Democrats, participates in a campaign event for the general election at a center for adults with learning disabilities in Carshalton, London, on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
However, the Conservative party is encountering additional obstacles. The emergence of the Reform Party is attracting support from the conservative faction of the Tories, as they have criticized the leadership for not effectively managing immigration.
Take a peek at the upcoming election and what is on the line.
How Does The Election Work?
In the United Kingdom, voters will choose one representative for each of the 650 local areas in the House of Commons. There are no preliminary elections or additional rounds of voting, just one day of voting on July 4th.
In the UK, elections follow a winner-takes-all voting system where the candidate with the most votes in each district wins, regardless of whether they have majority support or not. This setup usually favors the main political parties, Conservatives and Labour, making it tough for smaller parties to secure seats unless they have strong backing in specific regions.
How Is The Prime Minister Selected?
The political party that has the most seats in the House of Commons, either by themselves or with the help of another party, will become the next government and their leader will become the prime minister.
This means that the outcome will decide the political path of the government, which has been controlled by the centrist Conservatives for the last 14 years. The left-leaning Labour Party is believed to be in a dominant position.
Sunak, the ex-Treasury head who has been serving as prime minister since October 2022, is steering his party towards the upcoming election. His main rival is Keir Starmer, the former head of public prosecutions in England and leader of the Labour Party since April 2020.
However, different political groups, some of which have significant backing in specific regions, may play a vital role in creating a coalition government in the event that no one secures a majority.
The Scottish National Party supports Scottish independence, the Liberal Democrats, and the Democratic Unionist Party aims to keep ties between Britain and Northern Ireland, are currently the top three parties in Parliament after the Conservatives and Labour. Some experts believe that the new Reform Party, led by Nigel Farage who campaigned for Brexit, could take away votes from the Conservatives.
Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer participated in the BBC's Prime Ministerial Debate in Nottingham, England on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (Phil Noble/Pool via AP, File)
PICTURE - A British flag is shown outside the Parliament buildings in London on Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
What Is Putting Pressure On The Conservatives?
The Conservatives have encountered numerous difficulties since coming into power in 2010. Initially, they had to deal with the aftermath of the global financial crisis, which increased Britain's debt and led to years of austerity measures in order to achieve financial stability. In addition, they successfully guided Britain through the process of leaving the European Union, faced the challenges of managing one of the most severe COVID-19 outbreaks in western Europe, and saw inflation rise following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
No matter what's happening, a lot of voters hold the Conservatives responsible for the many issues plaguing Britain, such as sewage leaks, trains that are never on time, the high cost of living, increasing crime rates, and the number of migrants arriving in the country via inflatable boats across the English Channel.
Additionally, the reputation of the party has been tarnished by the numerous unethical actions of government officials, such as hosting parties during lockdown in government buildings. These scandals led to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson stepping down and ultimately leaving Parliament due to being caught lying to lawmakers. Liz Truss, who succeeded him, only lasted 45 days in office before her economic strategies resulted in a significant downturn in the economy.
What Are The Major Problems?
PICTURE - This photo shows a polling station sign laying on the ground in Twickenham, England. The picture was taken on Thursday, December 12, 2019.
The economy: The United Kingdom has faced challenges with rising prices and a sluggish economy, causing many individuals to feel a decrease in their financial well-being. The Conservative Party managed to keep inflation in check, with rates slowing down to 2% in the 12 months leading up to May from a high of 11.1% in October 2022. However, economic growth continues to be slow, leading to concerns about the effectiveness of the government's economic strategies.
Immigration: Over the past few years, numerous asylum seekers and economic migrants have made the journey across the English Channel in unstable inflatable boats, causing many to question the government's ability to manage Britain's borders. The main strategy proposed by the Conservative party to tackle this issue is to send some migrants to Rwanda. However, critics argue that this approach goes against international laws, lacks humanity, and will not address the root causes of why people are risking their lives to escape war, turmoil, and hunger.
Healthcare in the United Kingdom, provided by the National Health Service, offers medical treatment at no cost to all individuals. However, the system is facing challenges with extended wait times for services ranging from dental care to cancer treatment. Reports in the media often highlight instances of critically ill patients enduring lengthy delays for ambulance services and hospital admissions.
Environmental policies have been reversed by Sunak, delaying the phase-out of petrol and diesel cars and allowing for more oil drilling in the North Sea. Critics argue that these decisions are counterproductive as the world works towards addressing climate change.
What Is The Reason For Holding The Election Now?
Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addressed reporters outside 10 Downing Street in London on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in the midst of heavy rain. He declared that a General Election will take place on July 4th.
Sunak shocked experts and many of his own colleagues six weeks ago when he announced the election would be held on July 4th, which was earlier than anticipated by at least three months.
Despite the general belief that the election would be held in the autumn, Sunak took a risk by scheduling it for the summer. He was banking on upbeat economic updates to convince voters that the Conservative party's strategies were starting to show results.
The surprising choice caused trouble for the Tories. Accusations have surfaced that party members and police officers who were supposed to protect government officials had made bets on a summer election, indicating they had access to confidential information and undermining Sunak's claim that his party is more reliable than Labour.
Experts had been discussing when the election would take place for a long time because the current parliamentary session was supposed to finish in the middle of December. Even though parliament can last for up to five years, the prime minister has the power to announce an election whenever it benefits them politically.
