Thursday’s British general election is a major test of popular democracy versus establishment power.
Since the June 2016 referendum, in which Britons voted to leave the European Union, popular will has been restrained. While hardliner Brexit supporters share some of the blame here in pushing a Brexit that would end all EU trade links, the major obstacle to Brexit’s fulfillment has been Parliament — specifically, politicians who believe that Brexit was and is a terrible mistake. Supported by various lawsuits, they have prevented Brexit from becoming real. Given a second chance, they say, leave voters would correct their mistake and keep Britain in the EU.
We’re about to find out if they’re right.
If, as expected, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party wins a majority on Thursday, it will reaffirm that Britons either want Brexit finally implemented or want to move on from the Brexit saga. The Conservatives have made getting Brexit done the linchpin of their campaign. Their victory would be a profound rebuke to those who have spent the past three years, implying that Brexit voters are idiots who didn’t know what they were voting for.
There are other issues in this election.
The future of Britain’s prized socialized medical system, the National Health Service, is another voter priority. Both the Conservatives and Labour are pledging major increases in investment here. Law and order concerns are another important issue, fueled by rising levels of violent crime and falling police numbers. The economy, hampered by Brexit doubts, also looms large.
Then, there’s Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party. A devout socialist, Corbyn simultaneously inspires the far-left of British politics and scares the wits out of most others. If Corbyn wins a majority or can become prime minister through negotiations following a hung Parliament (where no party has a majority), he’ll move Britain back into the 1970s.
But ultimately, this about Brexit. That makes it a pivotal election for Britain’s future. Oh, and also for the United States.
