It was 2017 that saw Theresa May's bold over-reach that cost her party the political advantage and undoubtedly jeopardised their Hard Brexit stance in the ensuing lunacy.
"I’m not going to be calling a snap election. I’ve been very clear that I think we need that period of time, that stability to be able to deal with the issues that the country is facing and have that election in 2020." - Theresa May, September 4th 2016.
First off the bat I'd like to open by stating that I voted Labour. I found Jeremy Corbyn's outlook both endearing and genuine - he was a candidate who appeared authentic, transparent and rich in integrity. The Labour manifesto was solid, costed and inspiring for a population of struggling families suffering under the subjugation of backbreaking austerity. At the first perusal my only concern was how beautiful of a pipe dream was painted in the 128 pages; this Utopian idea of redistribution of wealth, reduction in economic disparity and the creation of a world I'd feel content raising my child in.
In contrast the Conservative Manifesto was one dimensional and vacuous; 88 pages of bland directionless rhetoric, suffocated amidst technical jargon and meaningless taglines. Strong and stable. Five giant challenges. The great meritocracy. The only policy that carried weight was the Hard Brexit stance, the rest of the Manifesto was a waste of the time taken to produce it. Delusional proposals included the Snoopers Charter to demolish digital privacy, the scrapping of the European Convention on Human Rights, an aggressive foreign policy, the continued austerity and public sector decimation including slashes to education, social care, emergency services and affordable housing. With a track record littered with so many damaging policies, cuts, austerity and financial pains, the list is so extensive that I cannot even begin to surmise it here. However, fully sourced and documented accounts are available online including a good starting point here.
The campaign undertaken by the Conservatives was embarrassing. It was purely a smear campaign against Jeremy Corbyn with little to no coverage offered in respect of the Manifesto or the policies in which we will be held to ransom for the next term of Government. A very bitter allegation was that Jeremy Corbyn is a terrorist sympathiser, a despicable approach given the recent terrorist attacks in Manchester and London. I questioned the absence of a solid Manifesto, provoking debate, goading Tory voters at every opportunity and was met with blank faces regurgitating propaganda fueled hyperbolic headlines from mainstream media, and of course personal attacks against Jeremy Corbyn. Nobody could debate, but then again, not even Prime Minister May was willing to debate her own position so that should not be surprising.
To reiterate the title of the article, and to come full circle to the over-reach of Theresa May, the U-turn decision for a Snap Election was taken purely from a predatory stance that saw a Labour party in disarray and sought to go for the kill. It failed, miserably. Theresa May sacrificed 13 seats on an arrogant gamble, and lost her party the Majority position in Parliament. This weakened the prospect of a Hard Brexit which was the strongest policy of the Tory vision. In the wake of a catastrophic campaign that echoed the failings of Cameron's approach to the 2016 EU Referendum, the Conservative have shot themselves in the foot, seemingly with a RPG.
Sobering reality hit on June 9th, as the reality of a well fought Labour campaign closed the gap between the two parties to a spectacularly minimal 792,228 voters. Conservative edged the Election by 1.2% of the population. In the wake of the results, an outcry called for Theresa May to relinquish her position and resign. She refused stubbornly and instead dug in her heels, further displaying the selfishness of her outlook with her subsequent decision to approach the DUP for an arrangement to prop up their now minority Government.
For context, the DUP was founded by members of the Ulster Resistance, a terrorist paramilitary group who violently clashed with the Irish Republican Army over three decades of civil conflict dubbed The Troubles. During the conflict, 85% of those killed by the Ulster Resistance were civilians. To further muddy the waters, it is important to understand the fragility and instability of the current situation in Northern Ireland, and the rising tensions that threaten to unravel the Good Friday Agreement that underpins the ceasefire and security in Ireland. More of this can be read in another blog post of mine found here. The DUP are adamant they do not want a Hard Brexit, as the reality of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is an unwelcome prospect; this brings the plausibility of a Hard Brexit under fire considering the Conservatives are relying on the support and confidence of the DUP to help carry their policies through parliament.
Theresa May has continued with her forward march defiantly in spite of her underwhelming election campaign; the Queen's speech has been prepared with more U-turns on policies their Manifesto proposed, making compromises and provisions to their beliefs and aims. It is my opinion that the very claim of "strong and stable" leadership under Theresa May has been directly contradicted by her misjudgments, unnecessary risks, inconsistency and proneness to collapse under pressure and backtrack on her own policies at the first challenge.
Undoubtedly Theresa May has committed political suicide; now we just need to wait patiently for her, and her party to realise it and move forward without her.
"I’m not going to be calling a snap election. I’ve been very clear that I think we need that period of time, that stability to be able to deal with the issues that the country is facing and have that election in 2020." - Theresa May, September 4th 2016.
First off the bat I'd like to open by stating that I voted Labour. I found Jeremy Corbyn's outlook both endearing and genuine - he was a candidate who appeared authentic, transparent and rich in integrity. The Labour manifesto was solid, costed and inspiring for a population of struggling families suffering under the subjugation of backbreaking austerity. At the first perusal my only concern was how beautiful of a pipe dream was painted in the 128 pages; this Utopian idea of redistribution of wealth, reduction in economic disparity and the creation of a world I'd feel content raising my child in.
In contrast the Conservative Manifesto was one dimensional and vacuous; 88 pages of bland directionless rhetoric, suffocated amidst technical jargon and meaningless taglines. Strong and stable. Five giant challenges. The great meritocracy. The only policy that carried weight was the Hard Brexit stance, the rest of the Manifesto was a waste of the time taken to produce it. Delusional proposals included the Snoopers Charter to demolish digital privacy, the scrapping of the European Convention on Human Rights, an aggressive foreign policy, the continued austerity and public sector decimation including slashes to education, social care, emergency services and affordable housing. With a track record littered with so many damaging policies, cuts, austerity and financial pains, the list is so extensive that I cannot even begin to surmise it here. However, fully sourced and documented accounts are available online including a good starting point here.
The campaign undertaken by the Conservatives was embarrassing. It was purely a smear campaign against Jeremy Corbyn with little to no coverage offered in respect of the Manifesto or the policies in which we will be held to ransom for the next term of Government. A very bitter allegation was that Jeremy Corbyn is a terrorist sympathiser, a despicable approach given the recent terrorist attacks in Manchester and London. I questioned the absence of a solid Manifesto, provoking debate, goading Tory voters at every opportunity and was met with blank faces regurgitating propaganda fueled hyperbolic headlines from mainstream media, and of course personal attacks against Jeremy Corbyn. Nobody could debate, but then again, not even Prime Minister May was willing to debate her own position so that should not be surprising.
To reiterate the title of the article, and to come full circle to the over-reach of Theresa May, the U-turn decision for a Snap Election was taken purely from a predatory stance that saw a Labour party in disarray and sought to go for the kill. It failed, miserably. Theresa May sacrificed 13 seats on an arrogant gamble, and lost her party the Majority position in Parliament. This weakened the prospect of a Hard Brexit which was the strongest policy of the Tory vision. In the wake of a catastrophic campaign that echoed the failings of Cameron's approach to the 2016 EU Referendum, the Conservative have shot themselves in the foot, seemingly with a RPG.
Sobering reality hit on June 9th, as the reality of a well fought Labour campaign closed the gap between the two parties to a spectacularly minimal 792,228 voters. Conservative edged the Election by 1.2% of the population. In the wake of the results, an outcry called for Theresa May to relinquish her position and resign. She refused stubbornly and instead dug in her heels, further displaying the selfishness of her outlook with her subsequent decision to approach the DUP for an arrangement to prop up their now minority Government.
For context, the DUP was founded by members of the Ulster Resistance, a terrorist paramilitary group who violently clashed with the Irish Republican Army over three decades of civil conflict dubbed The Troubles. During the conflict, 85% of those killed by the Ulster Resistance were civilians. To further muddy the waters, it is important to understand the fragility and instability of the current situation in Northern Ireland, and the rising tensions that threaten to unravel the Good Friday Agreement that underpins the ceasefire and security in Ireland. More of this can be read in another blog post of mine found here. The DUP are adamant they do not want a Hard Brexit, as the reality of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is an unwelcome prospect; this brings the plausibility of a Hard Brexit under fire considering the Conservatives are relying on the support and confidence of the DUP to help carry their policies through parliament.
Theresa May has continued with her forward march defiantly in spite of her underwhelming election campaign; the Queen's speech has been prepared with more U-turns on policies their Manifesto proposed, making compromises and provisions to their beliefs and aims. It is my opinion that the very claim of "strong and stable" leadership under Theresa May has been directly contradicted by her misjudgments, unnecessary risks, inconsistency and proneness to collapse under pressure and backtrack on her own policies at the first challenge.
Undoubtedly Theresa May has committed political suicide; now we just need to wait patiently for her, and her party to realise it and move forward without her.
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