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Gamble backfires

Jun 18,2017 - Last updated at Jun 18,2017

British Prime Minster Theresa May took a big gamble by calling for snap elections in the hope that she will boost her political fortunes and increase the majority seats of the Conservative Party on the eve of the Brexit talks with the EU.

The prime minister wanted to strengthen her hands in negotiating Brexit with the EU, but what she got is exactly the opposite.

May’s gamble did not pay off; she and her ruling party lost some of their seats in the House of Commons and she came out weakened.

May must have been far from the pulse of her nation to have so miscalculated.

True, she was able to form a new government, but only by allying with another small party. Now May has become more vulnerable; her wings were clipped as a result of the vote.

Her mandate to pursue any major policy issue has effectively been compromised, including regarding Brexit.

Under the circumstances, the British government might either suspend pursuing Brexit until the hands of the government have been strengthened, in a future election, or call it off completely. Going ahead with it now is simply too risky.

The parliamentary loses sustained by the Conservatives can be attributed to several causes, including law and order issues, especially after charges that May had weakened the British police force when she was home secretary by decreasing their number at a critical time.

Three major terrorist attacks against her nation occurred on her watch.

On the other hand, May’s “defeat” can be also attributed to her Brexit policy. She lost many of the youth votes. She alienated the youth who feel attached to their European identity and did not want to have anything to do with a policy that destroys the UK links with the EU.

 

Pursuing Brexit requires strong public support; from the look of things, May simply does not have it so far.

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