What a day in politics. It feels like I've said that a lot over the last year. After the Conservatives' surprise general election victory, the chaos of the EU referendum and the madness of Donald Trump in the States, I thought there may be a state of calmness and stability. The Prime Minster calling a snap election on June 8th has fired up the campaigns, division and uncertainty in an instant - just as it was starting to die down. It appears one national vote per year has become compulsory! Readers will know that in a previous blog, I thought there wouldn't be a snap election. Well, I was wrong.
The day began normally enough. I was on my last day of the Easter holidays doing some practice Maths papers. I'd gone to a cafe for my revision, as I enjoy drinking tea and revising! As there was no wi-fi, and I wasn't using technology anyway due to revision, I had no idea that as I was attempting the joys of trigonometry and probability, a general election was being called. It was only thanks to some women sitting on the table next to me, whom I heard muttering 'May's called an election!' My ears pricked up. Thankfully, they let me watch Theresa May announce her plans for an election. I was shocked. Personally, I believe an early general election is an awful idea. Just as the UK has triggered Article 50, surely the priority should be planning out exiting negotiations on such a huge range of issues rather than a long, drawn out, divisive campaign. Surely the Government should prioritize the key issues in health and education - actually doing something - rather than saying they will do something. Surely, after a general election just 2 years ago, the time for going to the country is wrong, miscalculated and unpredictable. With only 3 years left of the Parliament, surely getting a clear, fair Brexit must be the top priority. A large part of me thinks this is all to do with party politics. Theresa May knows the Labour opposition are weak, the Liberal Democrats will take a long time to resurrect and the SNP are only there to oppose. The Conservatives must think they can be re-elected, with a extremely large majority, with no party stopping any legislation. Though opinion polls are dire for opposition parties, they were wrong at the last election and during the referendum, They must think they are granted an election victory, as if it's their divine right to be in Government. To me, this seems arrogant, wrong and a reason definitely not to vote Conservative. In her speech calling for a general election, the Prime Minister said how a lack of unity in Parliament over Brexit was the main reason for her u-turn. Does she really think this will be solved with a general election? Even if the Conservative party were re-elected, there may be more pro-EU Tories, blocking legislation for our EU departure. The whole point of Parliament is for people to have different points of view and debate them in a civil, curious manner. The idea behind a democracy is for different views to be heard, expressed and considered. Though I was a remainer who accepts the referendum result, other remainers have every right campaign for the UK to still remain a member. The general election will not bring stability. If anything, it will open up the divides of the EU referendum once again. I'm sure, no certain, that big metropolitan cities will vote differently to rural heartlands. Scotland will vote overwhelming for the SNP, again. Theresa May saying an independence referendum will cause instability is pure hypocrisy as she now calls a general election. Of course, while I welcome any party standing at an election, I do hope the UK can return to a state where those with different political stances can be civil, rather than everyone living in an echo chamber, simply hearing their own views. So, another election is on the horizon. I have no doubt the snap election legislation will easily pass through the Commons. Following that, the six weeks of soundbites, slogans, promises and shouting through megaphones begins - all while my GCSEs are taking place. Thank goodness I can't vote.
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