Why Britain's election won't end the political chaos

Britain, a land of green pastures, tea drinking and centuries of political stability until now. The British people are heading to the polls for the fourth time in five years to try to break the deadlock over how to leave the European Union. But this election is unlikely to heal Britain’s divided politics.

Before the Brexit referendum, Britain had enjoyed decades of relative political stability with one of the Conservatives or Labour almost always in power. But their success was built on increasingly shaky foundations. One study found that British voters’ trust in government suffered a long decline from 1986 until 2012. And two events in particular became emblematic of that loss of trust.

And then a few years later the elite appeared to be proven wrong again. The financial crisis of 2008 challenged the competence of Britain’s ruling class.

These two events began to undermine the political centre on which both Labour’s Tony Blair and the Conservatives' David Cameron had built their success. The collapse in trust in this elite then gave way to active revolt. The election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party signalled a rejection of the ruling consensus and a decisive shift to the left. Then in 2016 the public had their opportunity to turn on the establishment.

Within three years Boris Johnson one of the faces of the Leave campaign was leader of a Conservative Party that had shifted clearly to the right. If Labour were to defy expectations and take power the party’s economic policies alone would have profound consequences. If neither party ends up with a working majority they’re going to find it harder than ever to form alliances in Parliament now they’ve vacated the centre ground.

Such a coalition would legislate for a second Brexit referendum. A solid Conservative victory would spare the country from this fate. But don’t expect Boris Johnson’s promise to “get Brexit done” to spell an end to chaos either. And Brexit could mark the start, not the end of the country’s constitutional turmoil. For Scotland who voted to stay in the EU another independence vote is already on the cards.

Whatever the outcome of the election there’s another reason why neither of Britain’s potential prime ministers will end the chaos. Don’t expect their answers to change any time soon in part because neither party is likely to return to the political centre any time soon. Britain could face a future swinging between very right-wing and left-wing governments. And with no end in sight to the political chaos.

[trolololololll]

Maybe calling everyone a fascist is not a great strategy at all

[grahamwales]

"...a Conservative Party that had shifted clearly to the Right" The failure to understand that Brexit cut across all political positions is a fundamental error of commentators and many politicians alike. Generational Labour voters in the industrial heartlands did not overnight become supporters of a 'far right' Conservative Party - they voted for Brexit. Johnson's clearing out of the Remainers from the Party was not a 'move to the Right' - it simply removed any doubt from the electorate that voting Conservative would indeed see the Referendum result enacted. The Labour Party's failure to exorcise the division in it's own ranks and thereby take a clear position on Brexit directly led to the historic wipe-out for the Party.

[tbseow]

Whoever wins, the problem is still there.

[ibha-xhnn]

Media: British Politics is so divided these days.
Me: Here are the Civil Wars/Rebellion that happened in Great Britain throughout history
1. Jacobite Rising 1745
2. Jacobite Rising 1715
3. Jacobite Rising 1689-92
4. Monmouth Rebellion 1685
5. English Civil War 1642-1651
6. Rising of The North - 1569-1570
7. War of The Roses 1455-1485


Things are way better these days. Politicians arguing in the parliament is not a sign of a divided nation. It's a sign of a working political system. Please stop calling it "chaos" and start learning that people have different opinion, and sometime we argue about it.

[DanM]

“Politics is broken”, “Democracy is under threat” no it’s not. It’s just not going the way you want it to 😂

[MRHIRSTY]

Now our history is being removed, statues, what is next, art? Churches? I despair

[digitaldistribution]

this video aged liked milk. Report the news instead of trying to fabricate it.

[batman]

It's funny that when the peasants don't do as they are told, then "politics is broken".

[einseitig]

In centuries past this would have led to civil war. As least that provided a solution.
Should Scotland gain their independence and 90% of the remaining oil revenues whilst taking 10% of the national debt, England and Wales will be impoverished.
Great piece, thanks.

[youtubemonitorsyoutubemoni]

Well done Boris Johnson winning the election, now we all can get Brexit done.

[BedsitBob]

6:06 "and a no-deal Brexit is extremely disruptive."

Please don't state your opinion, as though it were a demonstrable fact.

[AtheusMaximus]

Both Corbyn and Boris were laying to the British public about their economic plan for Britain. However Boris was better at lying, so he won. There you go, that's democracy for you.

[erzan]

Public railways, living wage & tuition-free university = Germany 🇩🇪

Nice try with the scare tactics, you tried.

[terah]

This is why Trump will be re-elected in 2020. Everybody has had enough with modern socialism, liberalism & left wing politics.

[lonewolf]

The old media being wrong... yet again.

[uusrano]

The threat of brexit has already made wages rise.

[Slothlout]

what I've taken from this is that we're all doomed and should start mass panic

[sensibledriver]

It's ended some remainers careers though!

[davidhoward]

So it all goes back to Blair and when did economists get there prediction right.

[xerakis]

The huge issue that no one is speaking about is the role of Central Banks and the bogus fiat money they produce.