Elections in Britain may reserve a surprise for May’s Tories

British Prime Minister, Theresa May received the President of the European Union Council
President, Donald Tusk at 10 Downing Street. Crown Copyright. (Taken on April 6, 2017. Credit: Jay Allen, some rights reserved).

The easy ride for the 8 June election in Britain that Prime Minister Theresa May planned for the Tories seems to be turning sour. When same weeks ago she negatively surprised everybody in Europe by announcing early elections, public opinion polls allocated to her conservative party double ratings than Labour, 48% to 24% – not anymore. Jeremy Corbin, the leader of major opposition, despite strong Blairist neoliberal internal opposition in his party, made good progress and has reduced the differential to less than 10% and counting. To reverse this adverse development, last week PM May aired the ‘Tory Manifesto’. In this 84 page pamphlet she took special care to include extensive and effective reassurances to the big newspaper groups (Daily Mail, Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Express, etc.), that they won’t be forced to pay indemnities or legal costs to citizens who are abused and molested by media. Obviously, May expects out of proportion backing from the English press in return. This inconceivable and flagrant horse-trading between the government and the press would have given rise to a huge negative public reaction tsunami in the rest of Europe. Not in Britain. Caressing the Press Not surprisingly then, that the likes of Rupert Murdoch have been supporting May so openly and totally, that no British PM has ever enjoyed such massive backing. According to them, Corbin is a bloody Marxist not even worthy mentioning. This is an apparent collusion between the moguls of the British press and that part of the Tories who regrouped around May, making her shine in the British political constellation and taking the UK out of the European Union. From a European perspective, May’s manifesto had nothing new to add. She keeps threatening with a wild Brexit without agreement. According to the Tories’ pamphlet, Britain is to exit EU’s single market, but seek a “deep and special partnership”, including of course a wide- ranging free trade and customs agreement. May insists that the terms of the future partnership with the EU and more precisely the trade agreement, must be negotiated in parallel with the terms of the Brexit, during the next 2 years. This is the time limit foreseen by Article 50 of the EU Treaty, for a country to exit the Union, after it has submitted the relevant formal request, as Britain did on 29 March. A provocative May In short, the UK continues to completely disregard the unanimous decision of the 27 EU member states, which states that the Brexit terms and the trade agreement cannot be negotiated at the same time. There are many reasons for this EU stance. For one thing, Article 50 demands that the exit negotiations are being conducted and concluded within this 2 years deadline, but It doesn’t provide for any other kind of negotiations in that period. According to the same article, if on 28 March 2019 the Brexit terms are not decided, the UK is automatically ousted from the Union. An extension to this deadline can be decided only by a unanimous decision of the remaining 27 member states, an eventuality which seems quite implausible. By the same token, it’s not humanly possible to conclude within the next two years, a full scale EU trade agreement with Britain, the fifth biggest economy of the world. Usually, an EU free trade agreement with a major economy takes many years to conclude. The last one with South Korea has not yet being fully applied and the first contacts between the two sides started in 1997. It’s out of question then that Brussels will ever accept to discuss a free trade agreement with the UK, in parallel with the Brexit negotiations. An anti-EU Tory Manifesto The fact that the Tory Manifesto insists on this, means that May wants to use this impossible demand in order to increase her acceptance in the hard anti-EU part of the public opinion. At the same time, she threatens Brussels with the prospect of a wild Brexit, an exit without agreement. In this way, she continues to pay no attention to the alarming financial side of a wild Brexit and the repercussions on London’s City. Reportedly, the EU is already preparing to create the technical infrastructures and prepare the rules and regulations of the EU Capital Market Union on mainland Europe, in order to replace the City. According to Reuters, “Brexit has forced the European Union to rethink its flagship capital markets union (CMU) project and urgently look for ways to create an alternative financial market to London, according to a draft EU document seen by Reuters on Wednesday (May 17)”. Mainland Europe badly and urgently needs an effective, liquid and low cost capital market to succeed London. Towards the same target, the giant banks, which make up what the City is today, are ready to emigrate across the English Channel, if given the right regulatory environment and infrastructures. If this prospect becomes real during the next few years, Britain runs the danger of losing a good part of her GDP, because that square mile of London’s soil, the City, produces more than 10% of it. Yet, May doesn’t seem to mind about the woes of the City. However, this is not the only risky passage for the UK economy, featuring in the Tory Manifesto. Attacking immigration Cutting down immigration to some tens of thousands yearly as the Manifesto promises for the coming years, has already created new headaches to a number of important business sectors in Britain. Construction, tourism, health care, manufacturing even agriculture and education will find it more difficult to find the personnel they need, from a diminishing offer. Unemployment rates have been dropping for years and the fast ageing population are two strong arguments, for a more relaxed immigration policy. That is the opposite of what May plans, just to please her more xenophobic, chauvinist and backward audiences. And seemingly there are a lot of them. There is no doubt then that Theresa May has decided to represent the most jingoistic circles of her country and the Tories. This is a political group which by advertising the Brexit as the opening of Britain to the world, actually serve the most clear cut protectionist and inward looking ideology in Western Europe. If they count on the US for unconditional support, they will soon find that the Americans, at the weird exception of Trump, would have preferred Britain to have remained in the EU. Harlequin Donald will soon find out that there are colossal forces in the US, which do not play with their long term interests as he does. Trump will soon be confronted with impeachment and May will have the fate of Tony Blaire, who narrowly escaped imprisonment, about his lies for the Iraqi war. Politics is a vengeful game…  

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Interesting reads

Iran attacks

Deadly bombing of Iran primary school ‘a grave violation of humanitarian law’: UNESCO

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN education agency, UNESCO, says that the bombing of a primary school during the US and Israeli military attacks on Iran on Saturday constitutes a grave violation of humanitarian law. The missiles reportedly destroyed a girl’s primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing around 150 and […]
© UNRCO Iran Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes ‘undermine international peace and security’

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the heads of UN agencies have condemned Saturday’s joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran and the Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and the Gulf Regions. The attack on Iran reportedly targeted military sites as well as the leadership of the Iranian […]
© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour A woman holds a child as a storm approaches Khan Younis in Gaza.

Palestine: UN rights chief highlights suffering, atrocity crimes ‘that remain unpunished

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN rights chief Volker Türk on Thursday highlighted the “human-made disaster” across the Occupied Palestinian Territory stemming from Israel’s disregard for human rights norms and serious violations also committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Citing a new report from his office (OHCHR) covering the […]
Ángela Soria Pitarch was born on March 28, 2003. She is currently a fifth-year medical student at the University of Valencia.

Not the Future, the Present: Young Voices Shaping Global Health in 2026

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Ángela Soria Pitarch was born on March 28, 2003. She is currently a fifth-year medical student at the University of Valencia. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to […]
© UNOCHA Many rural areas of Ukraine have been blasted by shelling and drone strikes. The country is also one of the most mined in the world, top UN aid officials warn.

Ukraine wakes to more violence as Russia’s invasion enters fifth year

This article is published in association with United Nations. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops on 24 February 2022 shattered the peaceful aspirations of an entire continent, but war must never be the new normal, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday. “Four years ago, people in Europe woke up in another […]
Zainatun Nawwariyah is a fifth-year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, University of North Sumatera, who is passionate about advancing medicine through research, advocacy, and service.

From Local Barriers to Global Lessons: Practical Paths Toward Inclusive Healthcare

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Zainatun Nawwariyah is a fifth-year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, University of North Sumatera, who is passionate about advancing medicine through research, advocacy, and service. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed […]
© UNICEF/Bullen Chol A grandmother takes care of her 17-month-old malnourished grandson in South Sudan.

World News in Brief: UN humanitarian chief visits South Sudan, shelter fire risks in Gaza, West Bank violence

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator arrived in South Sudan on Friday to visit one of the most under-reported humanitarian crises in the world, as clashes between government and opposition forces continue in Jonglei state.  Tom Fletcher will focus on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the world’s youngest country and escalating protection risks for both civilians and aid workers.  […]
Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war as attacks on energy, healthcare continue – UN humanitarians

Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war as attacks on energy, healthcare continue – UN humanitarians

This article is published in association with United Nations. Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, millions in Ukraine struggle to keep the lights on and heat their homes, with the crisis taking a particular toll on women, humanitarians warned on Friday. Freshly back from a visit to the country UN Women’s Chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia […]
Fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank: UN rights report

Fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank: UN rights report

This article is published in association with United Nations. Increased Israeli attacks and the forced transfer of Palestinians have sparked concern over ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said in a report issued on Thursday.  The report covers the period from 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025 and is […]
Samaya Rahimova  is a public health student at the Azerbaijan Medical University and an active member of SCOPH at Azermeds

Inclusive Healthcare Fails When We Design for the “Average Patient”

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Samaya Rahimova , a public health student at the Azerbaijan Medical University and an active member of SCOPH at Azermeds. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer […]
IOM Women make up the majority of victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. (file photo)

Epstein files: ‘No one is too wealthy or too powerful to be above the law’; rights experts demand accountability

This article is published in association with United Nations. The large-scale disclosure of materials known as the “Epstein Files” has revealed “disturbing and credible evidence” of what independent human rights experts describe as a possible global criminal enterprise involving systematic sexual abuse, trafficking and exploitation of women and girls. In a statement on Monday, the independent […]
© UNICEF/Dmytrii Bortkevych A young girl carries firewood for a warming stove at a house in the Kyiv region.

As conditions worsen in Ukraine, refugees struggle to return

This article is published in association with United Nations. As Ukraine prepares to enter the fifth year of the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February, UN monitors say harm to civilians has “demonstrably worsened”, while energy attacks and freezing temperatures are making it harder for displaced families to return. “More people are killed and injured each […]
© UNICEF/Mohammed Nateel A young boy in Gaza City eats a plate of food.

Gaza: Lifesaving aid operations continue despite restrictions

This article is published in association with United Nations. Humanitarians in the Gaza Strip continue to face impediments in their efforts to deliver lifesaving aid to the population.  The United Nations said that its teams attempted to coordinate eight humanitarian missions on Friday and five were fully facilitated.  The remaining three – which included a mission to reach a water treatment plant in Khan Younis – were denied […]
© CDC/Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regnery Mpox (previously known as monkeypox) is a viral disease caused by an orthopoxvirus called monkeypox virus (MPXV).

New recombinant mpox strain detected in UK and India, WHO urges continued monitoring

This article is published in association with United Nations. The detection of a newly identified recombinant mpox virus containing genetic material from two known strains underscores the need for continued genomic surveillance, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday, as the overall global public health risk assessment remains unchanged. WHO confirmed that two cases […]
Aytac Mammadova is a third-year Public Health student at Azerbaijan Medical University

Inclusive Healthcare: Improving Accessibility and Care for Disabled Patients through Investment and Workforce Innovation

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Sadia Khalid, a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technologye. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on […]
© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov Workers secure plywood boards over the shattered windows of a residential building damaged by a missile strike in eastern Ukraine. (file)

Ukraine: UN aid convoy reaches frontlines in Dnipro

This article is published in association with United Nations. A UN humanitarian convoy reached frontline communities in Ukraine’s Dnipro region on Wednesday, delivering critical medical and hygiene supplies as fighting continues to take a heavy toll on civilians and infrastructure across the country. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that access to the town had been […]
© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour A child helps to pitch his family's tent after it collapsed during heavy rain in Gaza.

UN warns civilians remain at risk as airstrikes continue across Gaza

This article is published in association with United Nations. Fresh airstrikes and shelling across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours have put civilians at renewed risk and compounded months of hardship, the UN said on Tuesday, warning that humanitarian needs continue to outpace access and capacity. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the […]
United Nations Palestinian families are being evicted from the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

West Bank: New Israeli measures further erode prospects for two-State solution

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced grave concern on Monday over the reported decision by the Israeli security cabinet to authorize a series of administrative and enforcement measures in Areas A and B in the occupied West Bank.  The measures would make it easier for Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian […]
© Unsplash/Hosein Charbaghi A view of Tehran, Iran's capital city.

Guterres welcomes resumption of Iran-US talks

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday welcomed the resumption of talks between Iran and the United States.  The development follows weeks of tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme and threats of a US military attack.  Delegations headed by US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign […]

Why don't you drop your comment here?

Go back up

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

The European Sting – Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology – europeansting.com