By Kara Evans
Following rampant speculation across the parliamentary benches, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed a general election will be held on July 4 2024. He made this historic announcement as Tony Blair’s 1997 anthem drowned out his catastrophic defence of his party’s ‘achievements’ during his time as leader.
Many had been reluctant to believe that an election would come any sooner than Autumn, giving the Prime Minister a greater opportunity to improve the economy and more than anything, public perception of the Conservative Party. However, here we are, with the rain pouring. It will soon be over to us to boot the Conservatives to the curb of Downing Street.
Since confirmation that a general election will take place in the Summer little movement has been made in the polls. Across many major polls Labour is still seen maintaining 44% of the public's support whilst the Conservative Party holds a small 23%. Reform UK continues to hold 11% of support, 2 percentage points up from the Liberal Democrats. However, there has been no time yet for any substantial movements in the polls since Sunak’s election announcement, and no doubt as parties’ policy announcements begin to roll in, we may see some changes in party support.
A clear example of this is the Conservative Party’s most recent proposal. The PM has announced that if the party wins on July 4, a national service for 18-year-olds will be introduced in the UK. The Prime Minister has said this move is part of an effort to provide security and opportunity in “an increasingly uncertain world.” The plans would require 18-year-olds to work with the armed forces on a 12-month placement or to carry out one weekend per month of community work. However, do not be fooled by the Conservative Party’s attempts to prepare our “prewar generation” for future conflict. This is merely a play by Sunak and his Cabinet to pull attention away from Labour’s campaigns and dominate our timelines with preposterous policies that will never touch the benches of Parliament. Some have also speculated that this policy is a last-ditch attempt to attract voters from the Reform Party, older members of society who perceive the youth as unruly and lazy.
The Conservative Party has been in power for 14 years for this exact reason, they know when and how to play their cards to distract voters from their catastrophic failures as a government.
The main question still remains: does Keir Starmer have enough gas in the tank to fight the Conservative Party in a general election and become Prime Minister?
In his first major campaign speech, Starmer aimed his attacks at the Conservative Party leader by asserting that Sunak’s behaviour has become “symbolic of the chaos and instability” of his party. He highlights their national service pledge by suggesting that the Prime Minister’s party are merely “rummaging around in their toy box to try and find any plan that they can throw on the table.”
For Starmer, this Conservative party has been one of gimmicks and gestures which has stood to appease sections of the party rather than the British people. As a result, the Labour Party has set out six core policy promises that will be implemented come their success on July 4th which detail their plans for Britain. The plans focus mainly on economic stability, supporting the NHS, border security, energy, education, and cracking down on anti-social behaviour. Sunak, however, has been quick to hit back when accusing the Labour leader of having nothing to say and no plans of how to realistically implement these promises.
Talking about a party with no plans, no ideas, and nothing to say, Reform UK have been quickly ascending into the election limelight following their rise to fame as the Brexit party in the 2019 General Election. Although they seem to be in a better place financially than three years ago, the party is frantically finding their footing after the right-wing group was caught off guard by Sunak’s decision to call the general election on July 4.
Politics professor at Oxford University, Ben Ansell, has gone as far as to suggest that Reform UK will be limited by their own lack of organisation and it will be extremely difficult for the party to translate Conservative antipathy into pushing people to come out and vote for them. The party have seemingly pinned all their hopes on this outcome as more than 76 Tory members have announced they will not stand at the upcoming election. Dealing a hammer blow to Sunak, former Tory MP Lucy Allan stepped down from the party to directly endorse Reform UK’s Alan Adams in Telford. Although the party may be benefiting more from Tory defections than expected, it is unlikely that they will make any substantial movement in the polls or any realistic manifesto pledges.
"Over the next few weeks, as the manifestos and mistruth’s roll out, we will begin to see a clearer picture of the Conservative Party’s last-ditch efforts as the reality of their situation sets in."
Like D:Ream sang in their hit 90s song, things can only get better if the Conservative Party is booted from government on July 4 and leave their successor with the responsibility of rebuilding Britain after 15 years of Tory failures.
However, the question remains, who will be the next party leader if (and when) the Tories lose at the general election? Many controversial names have been thrown into the ring including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other cabinet members. Kemi Badenoch, current Business and Trade Secretary, is in a strong position for leadership, and with the right-wing of the Tory party, as she has previously defied expectations in leadership elections. Only time will tell who will pick up the crumbs of the Conservative Party left behind by Rishi Sunak.
Over the next few weeks, as the manifestos and mistruth’s roll out, we will begin to see a clearer picture of the Conservative Party’s last-ditch efforts as the reality of their situation sets in. When more preposterous policies dominate the media (which they will) we cannot give them the attention they are looking for, it is time to focus on a fresh face for Britain. Picking the best out of a bad bunch isn’t ideal, but it can’t get worse than it is now.
Image: Flickr / UK Parliament
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