A General Election is Needed to End Government Chaos
The former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson once famously remarked that a week is a long time in politics. Perhaps that phrase needs updating. Now, a day is a long time in politics. In the space of two months, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was replaced by Liz Truss, who is now set to be replaced by Rishi Sunak. Additionally, within the space of four months, the UK has had four different chancellors. This is perhaps one of the most unstable periods of governance the UK has experienced in modern times.
The rapid downfall of the Conservative Party began last year when stories about the now infamous Downing Street lockdown parties were released. Since then, the Conservatives have failed to top any major poll. The country has stumbled through numerous crises. Earlier this year, the energy crisis intensified, with energy bills rocketing across the country. This has led to spiralling inflation which subsequently has led to the worst cost of living crisis in a generation. In response, trade unions have rightly demanded that the general public they do not pay the price for government incompetence and the financial greed of profiteers.
Amidst this, in Westminster, there have been allegations of sexual harassment and corruption. Eventually, this led to Johnson resigning earlier this year. Following his resignation, Conservative MPs jostled to be the next Prime Minister. Liz Truss won the leadership contest, but the problems for the Conservatives were only just beginning.
Following a disastrous mini-budget, which suggested that the remedy for economic instability was further tax cuts for the wealthy, the value of the pound collapsed, financial markets went into free-fall, 40% of mortgage offers were withdrawn, and pensions were on the brink of solvency. As a result, the cost of government borrowing has increased significantly. In an unprecedented move, the Bank of England had to intervene to prevent further economic chaos, while the International Monetary Fund criticised the policies and urged a rethink.
Truss initially defended her policies and then tried to shift the blame onto her Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, which led to his replacement by Jeremy Hunt. Although Kwarteng was partly to blame, it is worth remembering that these economic policies were advocated for by Truss. After Hunt reversed the majority of the economic policies (notably, he did not reverse the lift on the cap on banker’s bonuses), it signalled the end of Truss’ economic plan and her credibility. Many Conservative MPs began to openly call for her resignation.
Like all Prime Ministers that have passed their expiration date, she tried to cling to power. At Prime Minister’s Questions on the 19th of October, she declared that she was a “fighter, not a quitter”. The next day she quit. Once again, the country will be forced to endure the spectacle of squabbling and egotistical Conservative MPs struggle for the leadership. Meanwhile, many people are queueing outside food banks, or are sitting in homes that they cannot heat. So, while the Conservatives Party is absorbed in their internal arguments, the country they are supposed to be governing descends into dire conditions. The only option is for there to be a general election.
As an unelected leader who was reneging on the 2019 Conservative manifesto commitments, Truss lacked a mandate to lead this country. The new Prime Minister also lacks this democratic mandate. If the Conservatives care so much about the will of the people, as they claimed to during the tumultuous Brexit era, then they should seek approval from the electorate. The Conservatives must put their partisan loyalties and personal interests aside and place the national interest first. Without doing so, the new Prime Minister will continue to inflict policies upon the public that they did not consent to.
When you add the components of an unelected Prime Minister, a divided governing party, spiralling inflation, wage stagnation, economic collapse and a cost of living crisis, there is a recipe for chaos. It cannot go on like this; the people of this country deserve better. The only option left is to call a general election and let the public decide who should govern this country.
Image Credit: Sky News
