Russian forces make progress amid record-high losses across Ukraine's Donetsk region    Israel confirms it killed Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran    Kosovo bars Serb party from vote over anti-independence stances    Greenland again tells Trump it is not for sale    Interior Ministry makes great strides in enhancing national security landscape    MWL Chief meets Pope Francis in Vatican University of Bologna confers on Sheikh Al-Issa Honorary Fellowship in Law    Abdullah Kamel unveils plans to launch halal certificate similar to ISO Value of global halal market exceeds $2 trillion    Emir of Madinah launches first phase of Madinah Gate project worth SR600 million    Saudi Arabia starts Gulf Cup 26 campaign with a disappointing loss to Bahrain    Gulf Cup: Hervé Renard calls for Saudi players to show pride    Oman optimistic about Al-Yahyaei's return for crucial Gulf Cup clash with Qatar    Qatar coach Garcia promises surprises as they seek first Gulf Cup 26 win    Do cigarettes belong in a museum    Saudi deputy FM meets Sudan's Sovereign Council chief in Port Sudan    Kuwait, India to elevate bilateral relations to strategic partnership Sheikh Mishal awards Mubarak Al-Kabir Medal to Modi    Environment minister inaugurates Yanbu Grain Handling Terminal    Marianne Jean-Baptiste on Oscars buzz for playing 'difficult' woman    PDC collaboration with MEDLOG Saudi to introduce new cold storage facilities in King Abdullah Port Investment of SR300 million to enhance logistics capabilities in Saudi Arabia    My kids saw my pain on set, says Angelina Jolie    Legendary Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain dies at 73    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UK's May springs June surprise
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 20 - 04 - 2017

The decision by British premier Theresa May to call a snap general election in just seven weeks' time is all the more of a surprise because, ever since she succeeded David Cameron in Downing Street, May has been insisting that her government would serve out its statutory term which ends in 2020.
The pro-EU Cameron resigned when the referendum he had promised on continued EU membership was won by the Leave campaign. Though May had been a "remainer", she played little role in the referendum hustings and when she took over from Cameron pledged "Brexit means Brexit". She insisted that she was going to carry out the will of the British electorate and that there would be no half-measures. The UK was going to quit the EU. Last month she triggered the two-year process in which London's departure will be negotiated in Brussels.
May gave as her main reason for changing her mind about a snap election the fact that while the country was united on the path to Brexit, parliamentarians were not. On the face of it, this is specious nonsense. The pro-European British establishment is still in a state of shock at losing. The "remoaners", as they are now characterized, are still grumbling and pushing for a second referendum.
The real reason for May's move is more to do with the fact that she currently has an overall majority of just 17 in parliament. The opposition Labour party is in chaos under a left-wing leader who for all his evident sincerity does not look to many voters like prime minister material. The UK Independence Party, which played such a role in bringing about and then winning the referendum, has become a squabbling rabble that is a victim of its own success. May is clearly calculating that she will romp home with a much larger majority. This will not only give her a personal mandate to get on with Brexit but it will also rob pro-European MPs in her party of the ability to make significant difficulties during the negotiations with Brussels.
The problem is that this election is coming almost exactly a year after the historic referendum. Pro-Europeans will undoubtedly see it as an opportunity to stage a second vote that can be taken as overthrowing last year's Brexit result. Given the ineffectual Labour opposition, there is a clear likelihood that the battleground will be within May's conservative party itself. The risk of splitting the party in a replay of the deeply-damaging divisions under 1990s Conservative premier John Major seems very clear. Unless May can maintain party discipline, there is a clear danger that even if she wins, she will be at the head of an unstable party where old wounds have been reopened and turned politically septic.
The one advantage that May would seem to enjoy is that seven weeks is not very long for the pro-Europeans to mount a successful campaign within the general election. But now that the starting gun has been fired, all sorts of unlikely cross-party alliances, revelations and feuds seem set to emerge. By the time the British vote again, it will be known if Marine Le Pen has been checked in her chauvinistic and racist drive for the French presidency. The French outcome could have a powerful effect on the UK vote.


Clic here to read the story from its source.