PA photo
By
Hazel Speed
Yesterday morning, Mrs May made a surprise announcement outside No 10 Downing Street that she will be putting forth a Motion in Parliament on Wednesday in accordance with the Fixed Term Parliament Act in the hope she will achieve a two thirds vote to have a General Election on 8th June. Was she wise?
First of all, she explained that there was division in Westminster whilst the people of the country were coming together. One might comment, however, that might not be entirely true regarding the people.
She said that Labour have said they will vote against her over the final agreement with the European Union.
The Liberal Democrats will grind the business of Government to a standstill. The House of Lords also present problems for Mrs May (and she pointed out they are an unelected chamber). They have vowed to fight against her every step of the way. Also, the Scottish Nationalist Party have said they would vote against the Great Repeal Bill.
Interestingly enough, she said “we are leaving the European Union and there can be no turning back.” If she is not re-elected then I dare say someone may try to overturn matters in that regard.
In leaving Europe she said that it means Britain will regain control of its own money, laws and borders. The Prime Minister also remarked about the divisions and political game playing.
I cannot help but think despite all of the above, it is a huge risk as it is a Brexit replay but despite riding high in the polls The Prime Minister may lose, i.e. people who voted for Brexit only had that issue on the voting slip but now there will be many who will not vote, as they are not, and never will be, Conservative voters.
It may have been smarter to have taken an issue on the final deal with Europe (if that was the final choice being impeded by Parliament in the future), to a referendum on that deal alone. She may want her own specific mandate but this time it should itemise things with more care to avoid future Supreme Court Cases.
What will Nigel Farage and Mr Nuttall of UKIP think, as the Brexit vote is not going to be so effective this time around because it cannot have the replicated power which it once possessed due to people having to vote in such diluted ways on 8th June. There is a possibility UKIP may win a large majority but they have lost so much ground since Brexit I.
Only the results after the next General Election will confirm either way, but somehow I think Mrs May will regret her action.
The Prime Minister has also contradicted her own earlier comments that she would not be calling a General Election, and also told the Scottish Nationalists that now was not the time for them to have another Referendum about Independence so soon after the previous one. Mrs May ha,s in metaphorical terms, just fallen through a hole in the ground, one of her own making.
Even her Cabinet Ministers left No 10 looking despondent, including the normally ebullient Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. A few commentators are concurring with my own interpretation herein as to why did Mrs May need to call a General Election when she could have gone to the people if needed, regarding a final deal over Europe.
For my money, this is Brexit II and a bid for more Conservatives MP in case of further Party revolts, but even new MPs can also revolt. She may end up having to do a deal with UKIP as she will lose Leave supporters who are not Conservatives. Many people will not vote at all and who can blame them for that. A number of voters will feel let down and betrayed.
This was a wrong call and I for one think there is more to it than we know as The Prime Minister spoke almost through gritted teeth, so more like an enforced political shotgun wedding to appease internal Conservative strife and that may just have cost her the keys to No10.
Hazel Speed
Photo (c) Hazel Speed – used by kind permision to Tuck Magazine
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