The&nbsp;Scottish&nbsp;National&nbsp;Party&nbsp;hoped the second day of vote-counting Saturday would bring it a slim&nbsp;majority&nbsp;in the devolved parliament while Prime Minister Boris Johnson decried its plan for an&nbsp;independence&nbsp;referendum.

The UK voted in a series of local and regional polls on "Super Thursday" in its first major vote since Brexit and the pandemic.

Johnson's Conservative&nbsp;Party&nbsp;performed strongly and claimed a traditional Labour seat in a parliamentary by-election.

But the focus remained on Scotland, where a vote for the devolved parliament in Edinburgh tested public support for the SNP's plan to hold a fresh referendum on&nbsp;independence&nbsp;that could reshape the UK.

The SNP on Friday won 39 of the 48 seats declared but lost two key targets. It needs 65 seats to claim a&nbsp;majority&nbsp;at Holyrood for the first time since 2011.

'Hopes fading'&nbsp;

"Hopes of SNP&nbsp;majority&nbsp;fading", the Herald daily headlined its election story, while The Scotsman wrote: "SNP hopes on a&nbsp;knife-edge&nbsp;amid gains for Nicola Sturgeon's&nbsp;party."

Deputy First Minister John Sweeney told BBC Radio 4 on Saturday morning that the SNP "is going to be the largest&nbsp;party&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Scottish&nbsp;Parliament" but said an overall&nbsp;majority&nbsp;"was always a very, very challenging mountain for us to climb".

He predicted that the&nbsp;Scottish&nbsp;parliament would however have a&nbsp;majority&nbsp;"of people who are committed to the holding of an&nbsp;independence&nbsp;referendum." The other pro-independence&nbsp;party&nbsp;with Holyrood seats is, the&nbsp;Scottish&nbsp;Greens.&nbsp;

Johnson in an interview with The Daily Telegraph indicated that he would not agree to a referendum even if the SNP wins a&nbsp;majority.

"I think a referendum in the current context is irresponsible and reckless," Johnson told the right-wing broadsheet.

Asked what he would do if Sturgeon pushed for a referendum without Westminster's consent, he said "there's no case now for such a thing... I don't think it's what the times call for at all."

Sturgeon has stressed that she will only hold a legal referendum and that it will be held when the virus crisis is over and not before the end of 2023.&nbsp;

"I pledge today to get back to work immediately, to lead this country in recovery from Covid, and then, when the time is right, to offer this country the choice of a better future," she said Friday.

The SNP also pledges that independent Scotland would seek to rejoin the European Union after most Scots voted against Brexit.

Johnson told The Telegraph he had the impression that the SNP had "moved away from the idea of a referendum, and I think very wisely."

The last referendum in 2014 saw 55 per cent vote "no". Recent polls suggest "no" would win again in an immediate referendum, as many fear ongoing upheaval post-Brexit.

'Very encouraging'&nbsp;

On Friday Johnson's Tories won a landslide in the northeast parliamentary seat of Hartlepool, in a bitter blow for Labour and its leader Keir Starmer.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-johnsons-party-sweeps-aside-labour-in-northern-english-town-383549">PM Johnson's party sweeps aside Labour in northern English town</a>

The Tory mayor for Tees Valley, also in northeast England, won re-election, also by a landslide, increasing his share of the vote compared to 2017.

Johnson described the results as "very encouraging" for his government.

The results continue the trend from the last general election in December 2019, when Brexit was the dominant issue and&nbsp;Conservatives grabbed a string of seats across Labour's so-called "Red Wall" heartlands in northern England.

This time, Johnson may have benefited from Britain's successful vaccine rollout, despite the country also suffering one of the world's worst Covid-19 death tolls.

Dogged by scandals in recent weeks, Johnson campaigned on his record of finally having "got Brexit done".&nbsp;

He also touted government economic support during the pandemic and the vaccine drive.

The Scottish National Party hoped the second day of vote-counting Saturday would bring it a slim majority in the devolved parliament while Prime Minister Boris Johnson decried its plan for an independence referendum.

The Scottish National Party hoped the second day of vote-counting Saturday would bring it a slim majority in the devolved parliament while Prime Minister Boris Johnson decried its plan for an independence referendum. The UK voted in a series of local and regional polls on "Super Thursday" in its first major vote since Brexit and the pandemic. Johnson's Conservative Party performed strongly and claimed a traditional Labour seat in a parliamentary by-election. But the focus remained on Scotland, where a vote for the devolved parliament in Edinburgh tested public support for the SNP's plan to hold a fresh referendum on independence that could reshape the UK. The SNP on Friday won 39 of the 48 seats declared but lost two key targets. It needs 65 seats to claim a majority at Holyrood for the first time since 2011. 'Hopes fading' "Hopes of SNP majority fading", the Herald daily headlined its election story, while The Scotsman wrote: "SNP hopes on a knife-edge amid gains for Nicola Sturgeon's party." Deputy First Minister John Sweeney told BBC Radio 4 on Saturday morning that the SNP "is going to be the largest party in the Scottish Parliament" but said an overall majority "was always a very, very challenging mountain for us to climb". He predicted that the Scottish parliament would however have a majority "of people who are committed to the holding of an independence referendum." The other pro-independence party with Holyrood seats is, the Scottish Greens. Johnson in an interview with The Daily Telegraph indicated that he would not agree to a referendum even if the SNP wins a majority. "I think a referendum in the current context is irresponsible and reckless," Johnson told the right-wing broadsheet. Asked what he would do if Sturgeon pushed for a referendum without Westminster's consent, he said "there's no case now for such a thing... I don't think it's what the times call for at all." Sturgeon has stressed that she will only hold a legal referendum and that it will be held when the virus crisis is over and not before the end of 2023. "I pledge today to get back to work immediately, to lead this country in recovery from Covid, and then, when the time is right, to offer this country the choice of a better future," she said Friday. The SNP also pledges that independent Scotland would seek to rejoin the European Union after most Scots voted against Brexit. Johnson told The Telegraph he had the impression that the SNP had "moved away from the idea of a referendum, and I think very wisely." The last referendum in 2014 saw 55 per cent vote "no". Recent polls suggest "no" would win again in an immediate referendum, as many fear ongoing upheaval post-Brexit. 'Very encouraging' On Friday Johnson's Tories won a landslide in the northeast parliamentary seat of Hartlepool, in a bitter blow for Labour and its leader Keir Starmer. Also read | PM Johnson's party sweeps aside Labour in northern English town The Tory mayor for Tees Valley, also in northeast England, won re-election, also by a landslide, increasing his share of the vote compared to 2017. Johnson described the results as "very encouraging" for his government. The results continue the trend from the last general election in December 2019, when Brexit was the dominant issue and Conservatives grabbed a string of seats across Labour's so-called "Red Wall" heartlands in northern England. This time, Johnson may have benefited from Britain's successful vaccine rollout, despite the country also suffering one of the world's worst Covid-19 death tolls. Dogged by scandals in recent weeks, Johnson campaigned on his record of finally having "got Brexit done". He also touted government economic support during the pandemic and the vaccine drive.

Scottish independence party seeks majority in 'knife-edge' count

At the recent UK election, it was not only the much-discussed ‘white working-class’ that made a statement. &nbsp;One of Britain’s largest minorities also mobilised to influence, and then oppose Her Majesty’s Opposition. The backlash against Labour was, however, only the latest act in a play that saw the mainly Indian, ‘dharmic communities’ (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains) move steadily from being Labour aligned in the 60s-80s toward the Tory camp today, though to different extents.&nbsp;

This does not, however, necessarily mean these communities fit snugly within the right-wing of British politics. In fact, when it comes to deep-seated values and long-term world vision, they may find more in common with Labour than the Conservatives. It is these commonalities that Labour must capitalise on to win back one of Britain’s most important constituencies. As a South Asian-origin Labor candidate in Australia’s election, I drew on these to recruit hundreds of Asian volunteers, many who had been critical of Australian Labour’s positions on South Asia.

Foreign Policy

Labour’s messaging on Kashmir lit the fuse which resulted in the Hindu community rallying against the party. In addressing this, the Conservatives’ position regarding Kashmir, and India more broadly, must be exposed by Labour as essentially temporary and transactional. For as long as New Delhi continues to be seen as a partner and potential bulwark against China by the US foreign policy establishment, the British Conservatives will follow suit. This will last as long as the current global dynamics between Great Powers remain, that is the US/West at number one with China threatening that position, and India at number three. The impermanence of such alliances has long been acknowledged by Indian foreign policymakers themselves.&nbsp;

The establishment media’s daily-repeated lie that Corbyn is ‘soft on terrorism’ struck a particular chord with dharmic communities. This complemented Tory politicians’ identity politics-driven pronouncements that the Conservatives supported India because of shared democratic values, or as a partner against the spectre of Islamist extremism. These could be shot down with constant reference to the Conservatives’ cosiest ally in the developing world – a country that is arguably the least democratic and most extremist – Saudi Arabia, whom they materially support through sales of lethal weapons. It was within our lifetimes that the conservative governments of Reagan and Thatcher allied with Saudi and Pakistan to support the Islamist Mujahedeen against the secular government of Afghanistan and its backers the USSR and India. More recently, from Blair’s Iraq catastrophe that spawned ISIS, to Cameron’s Libya intervention that helped ISIS and Al Qaeda take over the country, to Tories’ eagerness for regime-change elsewhere, it has been Conservative and Centrist policies that assisted jihadists via instability, while opposing it all has been Corbyn and successive Indian governments.&nbsp;

Far more enduring and fundamental at this historical moment, are the two parties’ visions of the future world order. The UK Conservatives, like much of the foreign policy establishment, cannot envision a future without full spectrum Western dominance and values leadership. This presents a fundamental clash with the worldview of India’s leadership, both present and past, including the BJP, Congress, Delhi’s foreign policy establishment, and much of India’s population. They view that India should ultimately become a Great Power, at least an equal to the West and China. Becoming a junior partner in an anti-China, Western-led coalition is not part of the plan. Whether it is branded as ‘non-alignment’, as, during the Cold War, or ‘strategic autonomy’ as it is called now, India still follows an independent foreign policy. These positions are also likely to be reflected in those segments of the British Hindu community who would alter their vote based on a party's policy towards India.

Such a worldview finds less obvious contradiction within Labour. &nbsp;The Party prioritises international law and greater equality amongst nations. Labour focuses on human rights for all peoples more than the need to continue Western dominance.&nbsp;

Closer alignment between Indian and Labour worldviews is borne out in major global debates. Whether it is military interventions in Iraq, Libya and Syria, or how to respond to Ukraine, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Russia and even apartheid South Africa, Corbyn’s positions have more closely matched India’s (under both Congress and BJP) than have the Tories’ positions (and most of Western media). The current wave of Western Russiaphobia is viewed sceptically by India, its diaspora and Corbyn supporters inside Labour. Even India’s growing military trade with Israel has not prevented New Delhi simultaneously strengthening ties with Iran.

Many of the Hindu diasporas criticised Labour’s Kashmir motion as interference in India’s affairs. The Party must highlight its evolution on the question of interventionism. Pre-Corbyn Labour had been dominated by interventionists, enthusiastic to mobilise Western military might to deliver human rights to those threatened by officially designated enemies e.g. Syrians, while studiously ignoring those persecuted by allies, e.g. Yemenis.&nbsp;

Today’s ascendant group within Labour, however, identifies with the global anti-interventionist trend stretching from Corbyn to Bernie Sanders, to Tulsi Gabbard (America’s only Hindu presidential candidate) and even early-stage Donald Trump.&nbsp;Again this sits more closely with the Indian Government for whom the principle of non-interference remains steadfast, as does tolerance of different types of regimes and the objective of making pragmatic friendships where possible.&nbsp;

The Indian leadership’s worldview is likely shared by much of the diaspora. This stems in part from an impressive knowledge of history and acute awareness of colonial exploitation. The diaspora’s thirst for this type of narrative led to Shashi Tharoor’s eloquent rebuke of Britain’s legacy in India at the Oxford Union going viral.&nbsp;

Social Values

Many basic values emerging from dharmic cultures are more in line with Labour than the Tories. On individualism versus collectivism, cultures of the subcontinent sit closer to socialist Labour than the laissez-fair capitalism that emerged from Protestantism. The diaspora is of course known for entrepreneurism. &nbsp;Voting for the Tories, however, is often based more in personal financial calculations, a reasonable approach to take, though not one rooted in deep ideological affinity. This may be spurred on by a feeling of not fully belonging within Britain, fuelled by decades of discrimination, though this is decreasing in younger generations. It is noteworthy that while the diaspora may vote Conservative for lower taxes, they simultaneously give heavily to charity for the needy in India. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The community’s emphasis on education too is not necessarily a slam dunk for Conservatives. A strong state that provides services like education and health to improve all of society, the model that has been instrumental in Asia’s success, is closer to Labour’s agenda than the Thatcherite, small-government Tories.

On the external-versus internal control spectrum, dharmic traditions weigh the impact of external factors on one’s circumstances more than Protestant culture. Similarly, Labour’s perspective understands that one’s life-situation is often the product of structural factors outside one’s control rather than personal vices.&nbsp;

Conceptions of interconnectedness with the natural environment, compassion toward animals, non-violence, pluralism and tolerance are all dharmic values which Labour policy matches more closely than the Tories – and values increasingly popular with the younger generation. Vegetarianism and veganism are increasingly politically relevant, both in BJP India and in Britain, and Jeremy Corbyn himself is a vegetarian.

The Party needs champions, including in Parliament, who can articulate these connections whilst also highlighting that it was the Left that fought over decades to create the level playing field that supported dharmic communities to excel. All minority shortlists for parliamentary selection, akin to those currently in place for gender-balance, may be an option.

Conclusion

While the Tories’ respectful silence over Kashmir helped solidify the alliance we now see with dharmic communities, the tectonic shifts occurring in the global order already posit its expiry date. Meanwhile, there are profound reasons for dharmic communities to return to Labour. &nbsp;A Labour Party that appeals to deeply shared values combined with a hard-nosed, anti-interventionist foreign policy could capture not only the minds, but also the hearts of this increasingly important diaspora. &nbsp;After all, even the most ardent anti-Labourite could not deny that if we rewound time 100 years, it would be Corbyn out in the street protesting against Britain’s colonial rule of India and Boris touting the civilizing influence of Englishmen upon the natives.&nbsp;

&nbsp;(Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

At the recent UK election, it was not only the much-discussed ‘white working-class’ that made a statement. One of Britain’s largest minorities also mobilised to influence, and then oppose Her Majesty’s Opposition.

At the recent UK election, it was not only the much-discussed ‘white working-class’ that made a statement. One of Britain’s largest minorities also mobilised to influence, and then oppose Her Majesty’s Opposition. The backlash against Labour was, however, only the latest act in a play that saw the mainly Indian, ‘dharmic communities’ (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains) move steadily from being Labour aligned in the 60s-80s toward the Tory camp today, though to different extents. This does not, however, necessarily mean these communities fit snugly within the right-wing of British politics. In fact, when it comes to deep-seated values and long-term world vision, they may find more in common with Labour than the Conservatives. It is these commonalities that Labour must capitalise on to win back one of Britain’s most important constituencies. As a South Asian-origin Labor candidate in Australia’s election, I drew on these to recruit hundreds of Asian volunteers, many who had been critical of Australian Labour’s positions on South Asia. Foreign Policy Labour’s messaging on Kashmir lit the fuse which resulted in the Hindu community rallying against the party. In addressing this, the Conservatives’ position regarding Kashmir, and India more broadly, must be exposed by Labour as essentially temporary and transactional. For as long as New Delhi continues to be seen as a partner and potential bulwark against China by the US foreign policy establishment, the British Conservatives will follow suit. This will last as long as the current global dynamics between Great Powers remain, that is the US/West at number one with China threatening that position, and India at number three. The impermanence of such alliances has long been acknowledged by Indian foreign policymakers themselves. The establishment media’s daily-repeated lie that Corbyn is ‘soft on terrorism’ struck a particular chord with dharmic communities. This complemented Tory politicians’ identity politics-driven pronouncements that the Conservatives supported India because of shared democratic values, or as a partner against the spectre of Islamist extremism. These could be shot down with constant reference to the Conservatives’ cosiest ally in the developing world – a country that is arguably the least democratic and most extremist – Saudi Arabia, whom they materially support through sales of lethal weapons. It was within our lifetimes that the conservative governments of Reagan and Thatcher allied with Saudi and Pakistan to support the Islamist Mujahedeen against the secular government of Afghanistan and its backers the USSR and India. More recently, from Blair’s Iraq catastrophe that spawned ISIS, to Cameron’s Libya intervention that helped ISIS and Al Qaeda take over the country, to Tories’ eagerness for regime-change elsewhere, it has been Conservative and Centrist policies that assisted jihadists via instability, while opposing it all has been Corbyn and successive Indian governments. Far more enduring and fundamental at this historical moment, are the two parties’ visions of the future world order. The UK Conservatives, like much of the foreign policy establishment, cannot envision a future without full spectrum Western dominance and values leadership. This presents a fundamental clash with the worldview of India’s leadership, both present and past, including the BJP, Congress, Delhi’s foreign policy establishment, and much of India’s population. They view that India should ultimately become a Great Power, at least an equal to the West and China. Becoming a junior partner in an anti-China, Western-led coalition is not part of the plan. Whether it is branded as ‘non-alignment’, as, during the Cold War, or ‘strategic autonomy’ as it is called now, India still follows an independent foreign policy. These positions are also likely to be reflected in those segments of the British Hindu community who would alter their vote based on a party's policy towards India. Such a worldview finds less obvious contradiction within Labour. The Party prioritises international law and greater equality amongst nations. Labour focuses on human rights for all peoples more than the need to continue Western dominance. Closer alignment between Indian and Labour worldviews is borne out in major global debates. Whether it is military interventions in Iraq, Libya and Syria, or how to respond to Ukraine, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Russia and even apartheid South Africa, Corbyn’s positions have more closely matched India’s (under both Congress and BJP) than have the Tories’ positions (and most of Western media). The current wave of Western Russiaphobia is viewed sceptically by India, its diaspora and Corbyn supporters inside Labour. Even India’s growing military trade with Israel has not prevented New Delhi simultaneously strengthening ties with Iran. Many of the Hindu diasporas criticised Labour’s Kashmir motion as interference in India’s affairs. The Party must highlight its evolution on the question of interventionism. Pre-Corbyn Labour had been dominated by interventionists, enthusiastic to mobilise Western military might to deliver human rights to those threatened by officially designated enemies e.g. Syrians, while studiously ignoring those persecuted by allies, e.g. Yemenis. Today’s ascendant group within Labour, however, identifies with the global anti-interventionist trend stretching from Corbyn to Bernie Sanders, to Tulsi Gabbard (America’s only Hindu presidential candidate) and even early-stage Donald Trump. Again this sits more closely with the Indian Government for whom the principle of non-interference remains steadfast, as does tolerance of different types of regimes and the objective of making pragmatic friendships where possible. The Indian leadership’s worldview is likely shared by much of the diaspora. This stems in part from an impressive knowledge of history and acute awareness of colonial exploitation. The diaspora’s thirst for this type of narrative led to Shashi Tharoor’s eloquent rebuke of Britain’s legacy in India at the Oxford Union going viral. Social Values Many basic values emerging from dharmic cultures are more in line with Labour than the Tories. On individualism versus collectivism, cultures of the subcontinent sit closer to socialist Labour than the laissez-fair capitalism that emerged from Protestantism. The diaspora is of course known for entrepreneurism. Voting for the Tories, however, is often based more in personal financial calculations, a reasonable approach to take, though not one rooted in deep ideological affinity. This may be spurred on by a feeling of not fully belonging within Britain, fuelled by decades of discrimination, though this is decreasing in younger generations. It is noteworthy that while the diaspora may vote Conservative for lower taxes, they simultaneously give heavily to charity for the needy in India. The community’s emphasis on education too is not necessarily a slam dunk for Conservatives. A strong state that provides services like education and health to improve all of society, the model that has been instrumental in Asia’s success, is closer to Labour’s agenda than the Thatcherite, small-government Tories. On the external-versus internal control spectrum, dharmic traditions weigh the impact of external factors on one’s circumstances more than Protestant culture. Similarly, Labour’s perspective understands that one’s life-situation is often the product of structural factors outside one’s control rather than personal vices. Conceptions of interconnectedness with the natural environment, compassion toward animals, non-violence, pluralism and tolerance are all dharmic values which Labour policy matches more closely than the Tories – and values increasingly popular with the younger generation. Vegetarianism and veganism are increasingly politically relevant, both in BJP India and in Britain, and Jeremy Corbyn himself is a vegetarian. The Party needs champions, including in Parliament, who can articulate these connections whilst also highlighting that it was the Left that fought over decades to create the level playing field that supported dharmic communities to excel. All minority shortlists for parliamentary selection, akin to those currently in place for gender-balance, may be an option. Conclusion While the Tories’ respectful silence over Kashmir helped solidify the alliance we now see with dharmic communities, the tectonic shifts occurring in the global order already posit its expiry date. Meanwhile, there are profound reasons for dharmic communities to return to Labour. A Labour Party that appeals to deeply shared values combined with a hard-nosed, anti-interventionist foreign policy could capture not only the minds, but also the hearts of this increasingly important diaspora. After all, even the most ardent anti-Labourite could not deny that if we rewound time 100 years, it would be Corbyn out in the street protesting against Britain’s colonial rule of India and Boris touting the civilizing influence of Englishmen upon the natives. (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

UK Labour party must talk values to win back the Asian community

State opening of the U.K. Parliament after the victory of Boris Johnson in recent elections.

Gravitas: The queen outlines Boris Johnson government's agenda

Former British prime minister Tony Blair, Labour's most successful leader, on Wednesday urged the party to rebuild from electoral humiliation by rejecting the "protest movement with cult trimmings" created by outgoing leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-opposition-chief-corbyn-sorry-for-election-wipeout-268383">Jeremy Corbyn</a>.

Thursday's defeat was Labour's worst since 1935, and a battle for control is now underway between moderates and Corbyn's hard-left allies.

Blair won three elections for Labour by hauling it towards a business-friendly centrist platform and was premier from 1997 to 2007. But he lost favour in part by sending British forces to back the US&nbsp;President George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Corbyn's supporters say Blair both betrayed the working classes and undermined faith in politicians, and "Blairism" remains badly tarnished, both inside and outside Labour.

After <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-stop-brexit-uks-johnson-gets-down-to-work-268636">Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a>'s party swept up long-standing Labour constituencies in working-class areas of northern and central England, including Blair's old seat, the ex-premier said few would now bet against another decade of Conservative rule.

"The takeover of the Labour Party by the far left turned it into a glorified protest movement with cult trimmings, utterly incapable of being a credible government," Blair said. "The result has brought shame on us."

Labour won just 203 seats, down 59, and saw its vote fall by 7.8 percentage points to 32.2 per cent, while the Conservatives won 365 seats, up 47, on 43.6 per cent&nbsp;of the vote.

Also watch:&nbsp;UK's PM welcomes 109 lawmakers after a landslide victory

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Corbyn is standing down in the new year and prominent Labour lawmakers including Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer are considering running to replace him as the leader.

Blair said Labour must now "renew itself as the serious, progressive, non-Conservative competitor for power in British politics, or retreat from such an ambition, in which case over time it will be replaced".

He said Corbyn had personified "an idea, a brand, of quasi-revolutionary socialism, mixing far-left economic policy with deep hostility to Western foreign policy", and that voters had found his "combination of misguided ideology and terminal ineptitude" insulting.

"To win power we need self-discipline, not self-indulgence," he said.

Corbyn had promised a radical socialist programme of higher public spending, sweeping nationalisation and taxes on the wealthy.

Blair said this "wish list" would have caused chaos if implemented.

"Any fool can promise everything for free but the people weren't fooled," he said. "They know life isn't like that."

Blair also said that Corbyn's complicated and equivocal stance on leaving the EU - while Johnson endlessly promised to "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-uses-threat-of-brexit-cliff-edge-to-demand-eu-trade-deal-by-end-of-2020-268681">Get Brexit done</a>" - had displeased both opponents and advocates of Brexit. Always ambiguous on EU membership, Corbyn promised voters a second EU referendum, in which he would remain neutral.

"We pursued a path of almost comic indecision, alienated both sides of the debate," Blair said.

"The absence of leadership on what was obviously the biggest question facing the country then reinforced all the other doubts about Jeremy Corbyn."

Former British prime minister Tony Blair, Labour's most successful leader, on Wednesday urged the party to rebuild from electoral humiliation by rejecting the "protest movement with cult trimmings" created by outgoing leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair, Labour's most successful leader, on Wednesday urged the party to rebuild from electoral humiliation by rejecting the "protest movement with cult trimmings" created by outgoing leader Jeremy Corbyn. Thursday's defeat was Labour's worst since 1935, and a battle for control is now underway between moderates and Corbyn's hard-left allies. Blair won three elections for Labour by hauling it towards a business-friendly centrist platform and was premier from 1997 to 2007. But he lost favour in part by sending British forces to back the US President George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq in 2003. Corbyn's supporters say Blair both betrayed the working classes and undermined faith in politicians, and "Blairism" remains badly tarnished, both inside and outside Labour. After Prime Minister Boris Johnson's party swept up long-standing Labour constituencies in working-class areas of northern and central England, including Blair's old seat, the ex-premier said few would now bet against another decade of Conservative rule. "The takeover of the Labour Party by the far left turned it into a glorified protest movement with cult trimmings, utterly incapable of being a credible government," Blair said. "The result has brought shame on us." Labour won just 203 seats, down 59, and saw its vote fall by 7.8 percentage points to 32.2 per cent, while the Conservatives won 365 seats, up 47, on 43.6 per cent of the vote. Also watch: UK's PM welcomes 109 lawmakers after a landslide victory × Corbyn is standing down in the new year and prominent Labour lawmakers including Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer are considering running to replace him as the leader. Blair said Labour must now "renew itself as the serious, progressive, non-Conservative competitor for power in British politics, or retreat from such an ambition, in which case over time it will be replaced". He said Corbyn had personified "an idea, a brand, of quasi-revolutionary socialism, mixing far-left economic policy with deep hostility to Western foreign policy", and that voters had found his "combination of misguided ideology and terminal ineptitude" insulting. "To win power we need self-discipline, not self-indulgence," he said. Corbyn had promised a radical socialist programme of higher public spending, sweeping nationalisation and taxes on the wealthy. Blair said this "wish list" would have caused chaos if implemented. "Any fool can promise everything for free but the people weren't fooled," he said. "They know life isn't like that." Blair also said that Corbyn's complicated and equivocal stance on leaving the EU - while Johnson endlessly promised to "Get Brexit done" - had displeased both opponents and advocates of Brexit. Always ambiguous on EU membership, Corbyn promised voters a second EU referendum, in which he would remain neutral. "We pursued a path of almost comic indecision, alienated both sides of the debate," Blair said. "The absence of leadership on what was obviously the biggest question facing the country then reinforced all the other doubts about Jeremy Corbyn."

Former PM Blair tells Britain's Labour Party: change or you will disappear

British <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/uk-election-what-boris-johnsons-victory-means-for-britains-place-in-the-world-268495">Prime Minister Boris&nbsp;Johnson</a>&nbsp;will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election-winning pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding for the state health service.

After securing a commanding majority in last week's vote,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;will seek to speed up approval by parliament of his withdrawal agreement with the European Union, and start ploughing money into health, education and the police.

The prime minister, who won over many traditional supporters of the main opposition Labour Party in northern and central England, has proclaimed he will lead a "people's government" and "repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done".

"This election and the new generation of MPs (members of parliament) that have resulted from Labour towns turning blue will help change our politics for the better," said a source in&nbsp;Johnson's Downing Street official residence.

"The PM has been very clear that we have a responsibility to deliver a better future for our country and that we must repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done."

Also watch:&nbsp;UK PM Boris Johnson promises the speedy Brexit, to happen before January 31

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The government will bring the Withdrawal Agreement Bill back to parliament on Friday, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a vote because it needs the agreement of the House of Commons' new speaker.

But with such a large majority, he is expected to get the bill through parliament by his deadline.

The priority is to leave the EU on January&nbsp;31 and then secure a trade agreement with the bloc before the end of next year,&nbsp;Johnson's spokesman said.

"We plan to start the process before Christmas and we will do so in the proper constitutional way in discussion with the speaker," he said, adding that the Brexit bill would reflect the agreement made with the EU.

In a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/queen-elizabeth-to-set-out-pm-johnsons-agenda-on-thursday-268326">Queen's Speech</a> on Thursday setting out his government's programme,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;will also promise more funds for Britain's much-loved but struggling public health service - a pledge he plans to enshrine in law.

After more than three years of debate over Brexit,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;wants to move quickly to try to unite a country riven by disagreements over how, when or whether Britain should <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-urges-healing-for-brexit-bound-britain-268237">leave the EU</a>. Towns, villages and even families have been fractured.

Brexit has also scrambled traditional party loyalties, with&nbsp;Johnson's Conservatives going into Thursday's election pledging a swift Brexit, in stark contrast to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour, which promised a second referendum on EU membership.

The election saw Labour suffer its worst result since 1935 as many of its supporters who wanted to leave the EU switched to the Conservatives. The opposition party is expected to appoint a new leader by early next year.

Johnson&nbsp;is keen to hold on to those voters who supported the Conservatives, many for the first time, and is likely to retool his government next year to deliver his election promises.

For now, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-will-repay-your-trust-uk-pm-johnson-tells-ex-labour-voters-on-trip-to-north-268312">prime minister</a> will appoint three new ministers to fill vacant positions and keep any changes to a minimum before Britain leaves the EU on January&nbsp;31.

"By getting Brexit done, this One Nation Conservative government will help this country move forward," the source said. "Our job is to serve the people of this country, and the people's government will deliver on the people's priorities."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election-winning pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding for the state health service.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election-winning pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding for the state health service. After securing a commanding majority in last week's vote, Johnson will seek to speed up approval by parliament of his withdrawal agreement with the European Union, and start ploughing money into health, education and the police. The prime minister, who won over many traditional supporters of the main opposition Labour Party in northern and central England, has proclaimed he will lead a "people's government" and "repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done". "This election and the new generation of MPs (members of parliament) that have resulted from Labour towns turning blue will help change our politics for the better," said a source in Johnson's Downing Street official residence. "The PM has been very clear that we have a responsibility to deliver a better future for our country and that we must repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done." Also watch: UK PM Boris Johnson promises the speedy Brexit, to happen before January 31 × The government will bring the Withdrawal Agreement Bill back to parliament on Friday, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a vote because it needs the agreement of the House of Commons' new speaker. But with such a large majority, he is expected to get the bill through parliament by his deadline. The priority is to leave the EU on January 31 and then secure a trade agreement with the bloc before the end of next year, Johnson's spokesman said. "We plan to start the process before Christmas and we will do so in the proper constitutional way in discussion with the speaker," he said, adding that the Brexit bill would reflect the agreement made with the EU. In a Queen's Speech on Thursday setting out his government's programme, Johnson will also promise more funds for Britain's much-loved but struggling public health service - a pledge he plans to enshrine in law. After more than three years of debate over Brexit, Johnson wants to move quickly to try to unite a country riven by disagreements over how, when or whether Britain should leave the EU. Towns, villages and even families have been fractured. Brexit has also scrambled traditional party loyalties, with Johnson's Conservatives going into Thursday's election pledging a swift Brexit, in stark contrast to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour, which promised a second referendum on EU membership. The election saw Labour suffer its worst result since 1935 as many of its supporters who wanted to leave the EU switched to the Conservatives. The opposition party is expected to appoint a new leader by early next year. Johnson is keen to hold on to those voters who supported the Conservatives, many for the first time, and is likely to retool his government next year to deliver his election promises. For now, the prime minister will appoint three new ministers to fill vacant positions and keep any changes to a minimum before Britain leaves the EU on January 31. "By getting Brexit done, this One Nation Conservative government will help this country move forward," the source said. "Our job is to serve the people of this country, and the people's government will deliver on the people's priorities."

Welcoming new lawmakers, PM Johnson vows a speedy Brexit

Leaders across the globe reacts to Johnson's historic victory in UK elections.

World leader reacts to Boris Johnson's win

The leader of Britain's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-leaders-welcome-brexit-clarity-from-conservative-victory-267987">pro-European Union</a> Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, lost her parliamentary seat to the Scottish National Party on Friday.

The Liberal Democrats had hoped to win over 'remain' voters by pledging to overturn Britain's 2016 vote to leave the EU but an exit poll predicted they would gain just one seat in parliament compared to the last national election in 2017.

Prime Minister<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-beckons-as-uks-johnson-coasts-to-commanding-win-267999"> Boris Johnson's Conservatives</a> are on course to win a large majority after voters backed his bid to deliver Brexit on January&nbsp;31. The SNP are predicted to win 50 of the 59 seats in Scotland.

"Some will be celebrating the wave of nationalism that is sweeping on both sides of the border," said Swinson, who only Liberal Democrat leader in July. "These are very significant results for the future of our country."

Swinson, who held the seat of East Dunbartonshire from 2005-2015 and then regained it in 2017, lost by just 149 votes.

She did not say whether she would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Democrats, who were in coalition with the Conservatives from 2010-2015, but said she would be making further remarks later on Friday.

"I still believe that we as a country can be warm and generous, inclusive and open and that by working together with our nearest neighbours we can achieve so much more," she said.

"Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for these values that guide our liberal movement: openness, fairness, inclusivity. We will stand up for hope."

The leader of Britain's pro-European Union Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, lost her parliamentary seat to the Scottish National Party on Friday. The Liberal Democrats had hoped to win over 'remain' voters by pledging to overturn Britain's 2016 vote to leave the EU but an exit poll predicted they would gain just one seat in parliament compared to the last national election in 2017.

The leader of Britain's pro-European Union Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, lost her parliamentary seat to the Scottish National Party on Friday. The Liberal Democrats had hoped to win over 'remain' voters by pledging to overturn Britain's 2016 vote to leave the EU but an exit poll predicted they would gain just one seat in parliament compared to the last national election in 2017. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservatives are on course to win a large majority after voters backed his bid to deliver Brexit on January 31. The SNP are predicted to win 50 of the 59 seats in Scotland. "Some will be celebrating the wave of nationalism that is sweeping on both sides of the border," said Swinson, who only Liberal Democrat leader in July. "These are very significant results for the future of our country." Swinson, who held the seat of East Dunbartonshire from 2005-2015 and then regained it in 2017, lost by just 149 votes. She did not say whether she would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Democrats, who were in coalition with the Conservatives from 2010-2015, but said she would be making further remarks later on Friday. "I still believe that we as a country can be warm and generous, inclusive and open and that by working together with our nearest neighbours we can achieve so much more," she said. "Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for these values that guide our liberal movement: openness, fairness, inclusivity. We will stand up for hope."

UK Liberal Democrat leader Swinson loses seat to Scottish National Party

Scotland must be allowed to hold another referendum on its place inside the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-general-election-a-look-at-possible-outcomes-of-the-uk-vote-267764">United Kingdom</a> following the crushing victory of the nationalists in the election, leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday.

The exit poll predicted that the Scottish National Party would win 55 of the 59 seats in Scotland.

"There is a mandate now to offer the people of Scotland the choice over our own future," Sturgeon told Sky News.

"There is a clear desire and endorsement for the notion that Scotland should not be landed with a Boris Johnson government and ripped out of Europe against our own will.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-beckons-as-uks-johnson-coasts-to-commanding-win-267999">Boris Johnson</a> may have the mandate to take England out of the European Union. He emphatically does not have the mandate to take Scotland out of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-leaders-welcome-brexit-clarity-from-conservative-victory-267987">European Union</a>. Scotland must have a choice over our own future."

Scotland must be allowed to hold another referendum on its place inside the United Kingdom following the crushing victory of the nationalists in the election, leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday.

Scotland must be allowed to hold another referendum on its place inside the United Kingdom following the crushing victory of the nationalists in the election, leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday. The exit poll predicted that the Scottish National Party would win 55 of the 59 seats in Scotland. "There is a mandate now to offer the people of Scotland the choice over our own future," Sturgeon told Sky News. "There is a clear desire and endorsement for the notion that Scotland should not be landed with a Boris Johnson government and ripped out of Europe against our own will. "Boris Johnson may have the mandate to take England out of the European Union. He emphatically does not have the mandate to take Scotland out of the European Union. Scotland must have a choice over our own future."

Scotland must be given new independence vote: Nicola Sturgeon

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that his government appeared to have won a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-beckons-as-uks-johnson-coasts-to-commanding-win-267999">powerful new mandate</a> to get Brexit done.

"At this stage it does look as though this one-nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate, to get Brexit done and not just to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-leaders-welcome-brexit-clarity-from-conservative-victory-267987">get Brexit done</a> but to unite this country and to take it forward," Johnson said after winning his seat of Uxbridge.

"I think this will turn out to be a historic election that gives us now, in this new government, the chance to respect the democratic will of the British people, to change this country for the better and to unleash the potential of the entire people of this country."

"That is what we will now do, and if we are lucky enough to be returned as the exit poll seems to suggest then that work will begin ... today."

Johnson increased his share of the ballot in his West London seat by 1.8 percentage points, winning 25,351 votes to give him an increased majority of 7,210.

His<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-reality-check-for-johnsons-brexit-its-just-the-beginning-267984"> Conservative Party </a>made gains in the Midlands and North of England that had been Labour strongholds for generations, putting it on course for its best result since 1987.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that his government appeared to have won a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done. "At this stage it does look as though this one-nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate, to get Brexit done and not just to get Brexit done but to unite this country and to take it forward," Johnson said after winning his seat of Uxbridge.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that his government appeared to have won a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done. "At this stage it does look as though this one-nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate, to get Brexit done and not just to get Brexit done but to unite this country and to take it forward," Johnson said after winning his seat of Uxbridge. "I think this will turn out to be a historic election that gives us now, in this new government, the chance to respect the democratic will of the British people, to change this country for the better and to unleash the potential of the entire people of this country." "That is what we will now do, and if we are lucky enough to be returned as the exit poll seems to suggest then that work will begin ... today." Johnson increased his share of the ballot in his West London seat by 1.8 percentage points, winning 25,351 votes to give him an increased majority of 7,210. His Conservative Party made gains in the Midlands and North of England that had been Labour strongholds for generations, putting it on course for its best result since 1987.

We have a powerful mandate for Brexit, says British Prime Minister Johnson

European leaders will charge EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday with negotiating a close trade deal with Britain, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's apparent <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-general-election-2019-young-voters-throng-polling-booths-as-brexit-dominates-267876">election </a>win set the stage for an orderly Brexit.

Some officials at the EU summit in Brussels expressed relief as exit polls arrived from across the Channel, predicting a workable parliamentary majority for the pro-Brexit premier.

"We will wait and we will see what will be the official results but there is a strong message we will give tomorrow," said summit host and new president of the European Council Charles Michel.

"We are ready for the next steps and we will see if it's possible for the British parliament to accept the Withdrawal Agreement and take a decision," he said.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen agreed, adding that Brussels would congratulate the winner and work quickly to draft a mandate for post-Brexit trade talks.&nbsp;

France's minister for European affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, said that -- if confirmed -- the results would comfort President Emmanuel Macron, who has long wanted to see London ratify the Brexit withdrawal agreement and leave the bloc on January 31 as planned.

"If the exit poll results are confirmed it should allow for a clear majority, something that has been missing in the United Kingdom for several years," she said.&nbsp;

"It's not for me to be relieved -- or worried -- but, along with the president, we've been saying for several months: 'We need clarity'."

The EU leaders have a Brexit text ready to adopt on Friday at the end of their two-day summit.

According to the latest draft, seen by AFP, the 27 other EU leaders will restate their support for Britain's "orderly withdrawal on the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement" signed by Johnson at a previous summit and call "for its timely ratification and effective implementation."

They will call for "as close as possible a future relationship with the UK" while warning that "the future relationship will have to be based on a balance of rights and obligations and ensure a level playing field" in terms of business and trade rules.

And they will ask the European Commission to submit "a draft comprehensive mandate for a future relationship with the UK immediately after its withdrawal."

While Barnier will direct trade negotiations, the leaders will follow closely "and provide further guidance as necessary fully consistent with the EU's best interest and with the aim of reaching a result that is fair and equitable for all Member States and in the interest of our citizens."

As he arrived at the summit on Thursday, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar did not endorse Johnson's vow to "Get Brexit Done", but stressed the need for a decisive verdict.

"I imagine most prime ministers and presidents will be staying up all night to watch the results, so we'll all be a bit bleary eyed in the morning," he told reporters ahead of the summit.

"Obviously, it's entirely a decision for the people of the UK to elect whatever government they want and I just hope the result is decisive so that we know where we're going over the next few months."

Enemies in Brussels&nbsp;

Johnson made a career as a journalist and later as a leader of the pro-Brexit movement by criticising the European Union, making several enemies in Brussels.

But, after three years of chaotic attempts to agree separation terms in the wake of the 2016 British exit referendum, many EU leaders are resigned to Johnson representing their best chance of an orderly divorce.

Ahead of the exit poll forecasts, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said the next British leader should have a majority "to fulfil the agreements we decided on both sides".

And he called for "a parliament in London that agrees on the future relationship, and all these things very quickly".

European leaders will charge EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday with negotiating a close trade deal with Britain, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's apparent election win set the stage for an orderly Brexit.

European leaders will charge EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday with negotiating a close trade deal with Britain, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's apparent election win set the stage for an orderly Brexit. Some officials at the EU summit in Brussels expressed relief as exit polls arrived from across the Channel, predicting a workable parliamentary majority for the pro-Brexit premier. "We will wait and we will see what will be the official results but there is a strong message we will give tomorrow," said summit host and new president of the European Council Charles Michel. "We are ready for the next steps and we will see if it's possible for the British parliament to accept the Withdrawal Agreement and take a decision," he said. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen agreed, adding that Brussels would congratulate the winner and work quickly to draft a mandate for post-Brexit trade talks. France's minister for European affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, said that -- if confirmed -- the results would comfort President Emmanuel Macron, who has long wanted to see London ratify the Brexit withdrawal agreement and leave the bloc on January 31 as planned. "If the exit poll results are confirmed it should allow for a clear majority, something that has been missing in the United Kingdom for several years," she said. "It's not for me to be relieved -- or worried -- but, along with the president, we've been saying for several months: 'We need clarity'." The EU leaders have a Brexit text ready to adopt on Friday at the end of their two-day summit. According to the latest draft, seen by AFP, the 27 other EU leaders will restate their support for Britain's "orderly withdrawal on the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement" signed by Johnson at a previous summit and call "for its timely ratification and effective implementation." They will call for "as close as possible a future relationship with the UK" while warning that "the future relationship will have to be based on a balance of rights and obligations and ensure a level playing field" in terms of business and trade rules. And they will ask the European Commission to submit "a draft comprehensive mandate for a future relationship with the UK immediately after its withdrawal." While Barnier will direct trade negotiations, the leaders will follow closely "and provide further guidance as necessary fully consistent with the EU's best interest and with the aim of reaching a result that is fair and equitable for all Member States and in the interest of our citizens." As he arrived at the summit on Thursday, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar did not endorse Johnson's vow to "Get Brexit Done", but stressed the need for a decisive verdict. "I imagine most prime ministers and presidents will be staying up all night to watch the results, so we'll all be a bit bleary eyed in the morning," he told reporters ahead of the summit. "Obviously, it's entirely a decision for the people of the UK to elect whatever government they want and I just hope the result is decisive so that we know where we're going over the next few months." Enemies in Brussels Johnson made a career as a journalist and later as a leader of the pro-Brexit movement by criticising the European Union, making several enemies in Brussels. But, after three years of chaotic attempts to agree separation terms in the wake of the 2016 British exit referendum, many EU leaders are resigned to Johnson representing their best chance of an orderly divorce. Ahead of the exit poll forecasts, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said the next British leader should have a majority "to fulfil the agreements we decided on both sides". And he called for "a parliament in London that agrees on the future relationship, and all these things very quickly".

EU leaders prepare for Brexit after Boris Johnson win

British business on Friday urged Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-beckons-as-uks-johnson-coasts-to-commanding-win-267999">Boris Johnson</a> to provide clarity and assurances on his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-will-leave-eu-on-january-31-no-ifs-no-buts-says-uk-prime-minister-johnson-amid-resounding-victory-268054">Brexit deal</a>, while stimulating the stalled UK economy, after his Conservative party's emphatic election victory.

"After three years of (political) gridlock, the prime minister has a clear mandate to govern," Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said in a statement.

"Businesses across the UK urge him to use it to rebuild confidence in our economy and break the cycle of uncertainty."

Fairbairn said "early reassurance on Brexit will be vital", noting that "firms will continue to do all they can to prepare for Brexit, but will want to know they won't face another 'no deal' cliff-edge next year".

Britain is set to depart the EU by a deadline of January 31 thanks to Johnson's decisive victory in Thursday's general election.

But he still has to negotiate a new economic partnership with the bloc that remains Britain's biggest trading partner.

Catherine McGuinness, policy chair at the City of London Corporation, a local government authority for the capital's powerful financial district, pointed to "a long road ahead" on Brexit with Britain having to negotiate trade deals also with non-EU nations.

"For the City, it is vital that the future framework agreement recognises the enormous contribution of the services sector, securing maximum market access and developing a structure for the UK economy to prosper in the years ahead," she added.

Johnson, whose general election campaign message was 'Get Brexit done', has promised to forge a Canada-style free trade agreement with the European Union, handing Britain greater freedom from EU rules but would involve more barriers and costs to trade.

Also Watch:&nbsp;UK Elections 2019: Boris Johnson wins, now onto Brexit

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"British companies... are eager for some clarity now," Jonathan Geldart, director-general of the Institute of Directors, said on Friday.

"For directors, 'Get Brexit done' will only have meaning once the details of our long-term future<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-ready-for-next-round-of-brexit-talks-council-president-michel-says-hope-we-will-have-loyal-negotiations-268092"> relationship with the EU</a> are clear."

Geldart added: "The prime minister must resist the urge for arbitrary negotiating deadlines, and should commit to a proper adjustment period that starts when businesses know the full detail of what changes they may be facing."

On the domestic front, business leaders on Friday urged the new government to be mindful of shaking up Britain's immigration, noting the need for skilled workers to help grow Britain's stalled economy.

"The UK's future success depends on attracting, retaining and developing high-quality talent," said McGuinness.

"A critical first step is creating an effective and efficient visa system to meet the demand for talented individuals. But the government also needs to look closer to home to supercharge our own skills agenda."

Concerns about mass immigration from the EU was one of the drivers of the Brexit referendum in 2016.

The Conservatives say that the free movement of people will end after Brexit, and want to introduce an "Australia-style" points-based system for both EU and non-EU citizens.

The CBI's Fairbairn on Friday said that "pro-enterprise policies on immigration, infrastructure, innovation and skills, will help relaunch the UK on the world stage".

Adam Marshall, director-general at the British Chambers of Commerce, meanwhile called on the government to push on with improvements to transport infrastructure, including more capacity at London's Heathrow airport and a new high-speed railway linking the capital in southern England with cities in the north.

"Restoring business, investor and consumer confidence -&nbsp;and firing up the economy -&nbsp;must now be the prime minister's top priority," he said.

British business on Friday urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to provide clarity and assurances on his Brexit deal, while stimulating the stalled UK economy, after his Conservative party's emphatic election victory.

British business on Friday urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to provide clarity and assurances on his Brexit deal, while stimulating the stalled UK economy, after his Conservative party's emphatic election victory. "After three years of (political) gridlock, the prime minister has a clear mandate to govern," Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said in a statement. "Businesses across the UK urge him to use it to rebuild confidence in our economy and break the cycle of uncertainty." Fairbairn said "early reassurance on Brexit will be vital", noting that "firms will continue to do all they can to prepare for Brexit, but will want to know they won't face another 'no deal' cliff-edge next year". Britain is set to depart the EU by a deadline of January 31 thanks to Johnson's decisive victory in Thursday's general election. But he still has to negotiate a new economic partnership with the bloc that remains Britain's biggest trading partner. Catherine McGuinness, policy chair at the City of London Corporation, a local government authority for the capital's powerful financial district, pointed to "a long road ahead" on Brexit with Britain having to negotiate trade deals also with non-EU nations. "For the City, it is vital that the future framework agreement recognises the enormous contribution of the services sector, securing maximum market access and developing a structure for the UK economy to prosper in the years ahead," she added. Johnson, whose general election campaign message was 'Get Brexit done', has promised to forge a Canada-style free trade agreement with the European Union, handing Britain greater freedom from EU rules but would involve more barriers and costs to trade. Also Watch: UK Elections 2019: Boris Johnson wins, now onto Brexit × "British companies... are eager for some clarity now," Jonathan Geldart, director-general of the Institute of Directors, said on Friday. "For directors, 'Get Brexit done' will only have meaning once the details of our long-term future relationship with the EU are clear." Geldart added: "The prime minister must resist the urge for arbitrary negotiating deadlines, and should commit to a proper adjustment period that starts when businesses know the full detail of what changes they may be facing." On the domestic front, business leaders on Friday urged the new government to be mindful of shaking up Britain's immigration, noting the need for skilled workers to help grow Britain's stalled economy. "The UK's future success depends on attracting, retaining and developing high-quality talent," said McGuinness. "A critical first step is creating an effective and efficient visa system to meet the demand for talented individuals. But the government also needs to look closer to home to supercharge our own skills agenda." Concerns about mass immigration from the EU was one of the drivers of the Brexit referendum in 2016. The Conservatives say that the free movement of people will end after Brexit, and want to introduce an "Australia-style" points-based system for both EU and non-EU citizens. The CBI's Fairbairn on Friday said that "pro-enterprise policies on immigration, infrastructure, innovation and skills, will help relaunch the UK on the world stage". Adam Marshall, director-general at the British Chambers of Commerce, meanwhile called on the government to push on with improvements to transport infrastructure, including more capacity at London's Heathrow airport and a new high-speed railway linking the capital in southern England with cities in the north. "Restoring business, investor and consumer confidence - and firing up the economy - must now be the prime minister's top priority," he said.

UK business seeks Brexit assurances after Johnson win

Brisk Polling In United Kingdom's Most Important Elections In A Generation. #WION #Gravitas #UKElections2019

Gravitas: United Kingdom: Make or break election

To decide the future of Brexit, voters across the United Kingdom went to the polls on Thursday to cast their vote in the third general election in less than five-years. #WION UKElections2019

Polling underway in UK General elections

The UK election comes against the background of one of the worst periods in Russian-British relations since the end of the Cold War. Badly shaken by the 2006 poisoning of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London, relations spiralled further down in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. The poisoning of another former spy, Sergei Skripal, in March 2018 in Salisbury then killed off any hopes of a recovery in bilateral relations.

Throw in the British government’s failure to publish an intelligence report by MPs on Russia’s alleged involvement in British politics before the election, and the poll is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for Russia’s relations with the UK.

But what result does Russia want from the 2019 elections, and why?

I have researched Russia and its relations with the wider world, and the Russian government sees the UK as one of the more hawkish of EU states on Russia. The UK has been a strong supporter of tough sanctions on Russia for its behaviour in Ukraine, and it opposed Moscow’s involvement in Syria.

In 2018, the UK led the largest ever expulsion of Russian diplomats by Western countries, much to the ire of the Kremlin. Moscow’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, even complained in 2018 that: “The country, which is leaving the European Union, is determining the EU policy on Russia.”

The UK is often allied with the so-called “anti-Russian fringe” of former Soviet bloc states. Chief among these are Poland and the three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are seen in Moscow, in Lavrov’s words, as the: “Main activists in NATO and the European Union, which are going all out to impose unbridled Russophobia.”

This Russian suspicion of Britain is reinforced by its “special relationship” with the US, with the British hardline stance towards Russia often perceived by Moscow as a proxy for American views in the EU.

Add to this London’s status as a safe haven for Putin’s critics fleeing Russia, who are in their turn targeted by the Russian security forces, to see why UK-Russian relations are in a “deep freeze”.

It’s all about EU 
 
Although Russian diplomats and officials are always careful to stress that Brexit is an internal matter for the UK, the logic of international relations as seen from Moscow shows that a loss of British influence over the EU will be beneficial to Russia. In that sense, a victory for the Conservative party, which is committed to removing Britain from the EU, should be welcomed by Russia.

Removing Britain from the EU kills two birds with one stone for Russia. It diminishes the UK’s influence in Russia’s largest neighbour and trading partner, and through it reduces US influence. Without Britain, the EU will be less powerful, too. Pitching the EU and the US against each in their approaches to Russia, especially over economic sanctions, has long been a target of Russian foreign policy.

Russia might even use its membership of the World Trade Organization as leverage over the UK, particularly if British negotiators fail to reach a deal on their future relationship with the EU by the end of the agreed transition period. The Russians have good, detailed knowledge of difficulties involved in Brexit, including how many British cows cross the Irish border for milking every day.

Russia’s dislike of the EU has two strands. One is a practical realpolitik calculation. Russia has always been more comfortable dealing with individual states, than with an organisation like the EU. The other level is ideological. Russia has long been a champion of nationalist right-wing political forces across Europe, from Marie Le Pen’s National Rally in France to Matteo Salvini’s The League in Italy. In the UK, key pro-Brexit donor Aaron Banks maintained close contact with the Russian ambassador in the UK around the time of the 2016 EU referendum.

Conservatives v Labour

The Conservatives could have plausibly campaigned to be tougher on Russia – something hinted at in their manifesto.

Yet there is substantial evidence of Conservative exposure to Russian money and connections going back years. The Conservative party has been the largest recipient of money from Russian donors, more than £3.5 million since 2010, according to an investigation by Open Democracy. Despite bad publicity, the Conservatives refused to return Russian-linked money even in the aftermath of the Skripal poisoning in March 2018.

Were it not for Brexit, Russia might favour a Labour party in Corbyn’s mould given his sceptical views on Nato, nuclear deterrent, or the UK relations with the US. Some of his past comments, for example, on the causes of the Ukraine crisis, or the disastrous consequences of Western interventions in Iraq, Libya or Afghanistan, chime with Russia’s foreign policy attitudes.

Still, it remains an open question how much Corbyn could change the fundamentals of British foreign policy. Labour’s 2019 manifesto confirms, for example, its commitment to Nato defence spending at 2% of GDP and the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent.

Yet on the fundamental issue of Brexit, it’s the Conservatives who are more in tune with Russia’s long-term foreign policy objectives than Labour, which is campaigning for a second referendum. Fundamentally, “getting Brexit done” is something that Russian foreign policy would stand most to gain from.

(Alexander Titov is Lecturer in Modern European History, Queen's University Belfast)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-would-russia-prefer-to-happen-in-the-uk-election-127074">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

The UK election comes against the background of one of the worst periods in Russian-British relations since the end of the Cold War. Badly shaken by the 2006 poisoning of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London, relations spiralled further down in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The UK election comes against the background of one of the worst periods in Russian-British relations since the end of the Cold War. Badly shaken by the 2006 poisoning of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London, relations spiralled further down in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. The poisoning of another former spy, Sergei Skripal, in March 2018 in Salisbury then killed off any hopes of a recovery in bilateral relations. Throw in the British government’s failure to publish an intelligence report by MPs on Russia’s alleged involvement in British politics before the election, and the poll is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for Russia’s relations with the UK. But what result does Russia want from the 2019 elections, and why? I have researched Russia and its relations with the wider world, and the Russian government sees the UK as one of the more hawkish of EU states on Russia. The UK has been a strong supporter of tough sanctions on Russia for its behaviour in Ukraine, and it opposed Moscow’s involvement in Syria. In 2018, the UK led the largest ever expulsion of Russian diplomats by Western countries, much to the ire of the Kremlin. Moscow’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, even complained in 2018 that: “The country, which is leaving the European Union, is determining the EU policy on Russia.” The UK is often allied with the so-called “anti-Russian fringe” of former Soviet bloc states. Chief among these are Poland and the three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are seen in Moscow, in Lavrov’s words, as the: “Main activists in NATO and the European Union, which are going all out to impose unbridled Russophobia.” This Russian suspicion of Britain is reinforced by its “special relationship” with the US, with the British hardline stance towards Russia often perceived by Moscow as a proxy for American views in the EU. Add to this London’s status as a safe haven for Putin’s critics fleeing Russia, who are in their turn targeted by the Russian security forces, to see why UK-Russian relations are in a “deep freeze”. It’s all about EU Although Russian diplomats and officials are always careful to stress that Brexit is an internal matter for the UK, the logic of international relations as seen from Moscow shows that a loss of British influence over the EU will be beneficial to Russia. In that sense, a victory for the Conservative party, which is committed to removing Britain from the EU, should be welcomed by Russia. Removing Britain from the EU kills two birds with one stone for Russia. It diminishes the UK’s influence in Russia’s largest neighbour and trading partner, and through it reduces US influence. Without Britain, the EU will be less powerful, too. Pitching the EU and the US against each in their approaches to Russia, especially over economic sanctions, has long been a target of Russian foreign policy. Russia might even use its membership of the World Trade Organization as leverage over the UK, particularly if British negotiators fail to reach a deal on their future relationship with the EU by the end of the agreed transition period. The Russians have good, detailed knowledge of difficulties involved in Brexit, including how many British cows cross the Irish border for milking every day. Russia’s dislike of the EU has two strands. One is a practical realpolitik calculation. Russia has always been more comfortable dealing with individual states, than with an organisation like the EU. The other level is ideological. Russia has long been a champion of nationalist right-wing political forces across Europe, from Marie Le Pen’s National Rally in France to Matteo Salvini’s The League in Italy. In the UK, key pro-Brexit donor Aaron Banks maintained close contact with the Russian ambassador in the UK around the time of the 2016 EU referendum. Conservatives v Labour The Conservatives could have plausibly campaigned to be tougher on Russia – something hinted at in their manifesto. Yet there is substantial evidence of Conservative exposure to Russian money and connections going back years. The Conservative party has been the largest recipient of money from Russian donors, more than £3.5 million since 2010, according to an investigation by Open Democracy. Despite bad publicity, the Conservatives refused to return Russian-linked money even in the aftermath of the Skripal poisoning in March 2018. Were it not for Brexit, Russia might favour a Labour party in Corbyn’s mould given his sceptical views on Nato, nuclear deterrent, or the UK relations with the US. Some of his past comments, for example, on the causes of the Ukraine crisis, or the disastrous consequences of Western interventions in Iraq, Libya or Afghanistan, chime with Russia’s foreign policy attitudes. Still, it remains an open question how much Corbyn could change the fundamentals of British foreign policy. Labour’s 2019 manifesto confirms, for example, its commitment to Nato defence spending at 2% of GDP and the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent. Yet on the fundamental issue of Brexit, it’s the Conservatives who are more in tune with Russia’s long-term foreign policy objectives than Labour, which is campaigning for a second referendum. Fundamentally, “getting Brexit done” is something that Russian foreign policy would stand most to gain from. (Alexander Titov is Lecturer in Modern European History, Queen's University Belfast) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What would Russia prefer to happen in the UK election?

By Martin Farr

Foreign affairs rarely play a role in British elections. The exception, of course, is Europe: both Labour in 1974 and the Conservatives in 2015 won a narrow parliamentary majority after promising a referendum on UK membership.

For reasons of practicality and protocol, elections are usually scheduled to avoid summits, or the visits of foreign leaders. But nothing is normal any more and 2019’s rushed general election features the first visit of a US president to Watford, an unprepossessing commuter town north of London. Donald Trump flew into the UK on December 2 for a two-day visit to attend a meeting of NATO leaders marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance.

One of the many curiosities of our age is that this most unpopular US president for the British should come so often. Another is that Boris Johnson, a US-born, Atlanticist prime minister, earnestly wishes the leader of the free world was not in the UK. At the same time, Jeremy Corbyn, a very-far-from Atlanticist leader of the opposition, is delighted that he should be.

Using the special relationship 
 
The Foreign Office may be the second most prestigious office of state, but in elections, foreign secretaries or their shadows from the opposition seldom find themselves much called on. Defence has had an impact though, such as in 1983 and 1987 when Labour was portrayed as too pacifistic, and in 2005, when the party wished they had been so.

Those episodes revolved around the special relationship between the US and UK – and prime ministers have not been averse to the blandishments of presidents on pre-election visits to the US, such as Harold Macmillan in 1959, and David Cameron in 2015.

Presidents have been prepared to assist in other ways, as I’ve been examining in my research on the historical relationships between US presidents and British premiers. Ronald Reagan’s humiliation of Labour leader Neil Kinnock in 1987 calculatedly bolstered the then prime minister Margaret Thatcher. But there has never been a presidential visit during a general election before now.

Part of the appeal of the Leave campaign in the EU referendum was Britain going out into the world and making more of its historic ties with what Winston Churchill called “English-speaking peoples”. This overlooked the fact that every American president since Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s has wanted Britain to lead in Europe because it enhanced US interests to have its closest ally at the centre of what became the world’s largest trading bloc. The exception, as ever, is President Trump.

The special relationship has weakened in the topsy-turvy political world since 2015 – the year Corbyn became Labour leader, Trump announced his presidential candidacy and the British parliament passed legislation to hold a referendum on EU membership. In April 2016 Barack Obama – the most popular recent American president for the British public – visited the UK at the invitation of the prime minister, David Cameron, to assist with the increasingly panicked Remain campaign.

At the personal request of Cameron, Obama told the world that in the event of Brexit, Britain would be at “the back of the queue” for a trade deal. His intervention backfired, reinforcing the Leave narrative of a remote and condescending elite – and Remain never recovered.

Always keen to present himself in opposition to Obama, Trump has pushed his own anti-establishment narrative, which extended to condemnation of transnational institutions including NATO and the EU. In offering the promise of a free trade agreement to the UK, Trump has presented himself as a champion of self-government and so of Brexit, responsibility for which he characteristically ascribed to himself.

As if that were not a sufficient transgression of diplomatic norms, Trump also suggested in 2016 that Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage, should be appointed British ambassador to the US.

More seriously, his relationship with Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, was quite unlike that of any other president and prime minister, as I’ve examined in forthcoming research. Standing alongside May in 2018 and 2019, Trump embarrassed her, and breaking with any sense of protocol or propriety, also praised the person clearly positioning himself to replace her – who, shortly thereafter, did just that.

US presidents have attended NATO summits in the UK before – Jimmy Carter in 1977, George HW Bush in 1990, and Obama in 2014. But Trump’s attitudes towards NATO were originally the principal source of British consternation at his election.

It wasn’t known then that he wasn’t a man of settled policies. In three years he has moved from being NATO’s most prominent critic, to its staunchest defender in the face of criticism of the alliance by the French president, Emmanuel Macron.

A liability for Johnson

It would never have been necessary with any other president, but on this December visit Trump has done as requested – he has observed convention and said he would “stay out of the election”. Except that, insofar as he flagrantly contradicted something he said the last time he was in the UK in the express interest of the prime minister, he has not stayed out of British politics.

Significantly, the impact of Trump’s visit to the UK is on a domestic policy area that is, by contrast, always central to elections: the National Health Service. In a campaign characterised on all sides by millions of this, billions of that, and trillions of the other, Labour has persistently claimed there will be a US-imposed increase in the NHS drugs bill of £500m a week. NHS staff duly joined the now-traditional public protests that mark a Trump visit.

If Trump was ever an asset for Johnson, he’s now deemed a liability. The president sees something of himself in man he’s called “Britain Trump”, not least perhaps their at times disarming physical resemblance. But given British public attitudes to Trump, it’s prudent for Johnson to maintain distance during the last week of a tight election. Trump’s toxicity has the potential to poison Johnson’s hitherto effective campaign.

So after much speculation as to whether they would meet – itself extraordinary – Johnson and Trump did, but, equally extraordinarily, there were no photographs of the host and his guest at that meeting at Number 10 or at a Buckingham Palace reception. The two were eventually photographed together arriving at The Grove, the venue for the NATO leaders summit in Watford.

By contrast, Corbyn has wanted nothing more than the chance to be photographed challenging Trump on the NHS – though it emerged they did not meet at the palace. But not on NATO. On which they agree. A voter could be forgiven for being confused. 
 
(Martin Farr is Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary British History, Newcastle University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-goes-to-watford-what-happens-when-us-presidents-enter-british-elections-127651">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

By Martin Farr Foreign affairs rarely play a role in British elections. The exception, of course, is Europe: both Labour in 1974 and the Conservatives in 2015 won a narrow parliamentary majority after promising a referendum on UK membership.

By Martin Farr Foreign affairs rarely play a role in British elections. The exception, of course, is Europe: both Labour in 1974 and the Conservatives in 2015 won a narrow parliamentary majority after promising a referendum on UK membership. For reasons of practicality and protocol, elections are usually scheduled to avoid summits, or the visits of foreign leaders. But nothing is normal any more and 2019’s rushed general election features the first visit of a US president to Watford, an unprepossessing commuter town north of London. Donald Trump flew into the UK on December 2 for a two-day visit to attend a meeting of NATO leaders marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance. One of the many curiosities of our age is that this most unpopular US president for the British should come so often. Another is that Boris Johnson, a US-born, Atlanticist prime minister, earnestly wishes the leader of the free world was not in the UK. At the same time, Jeremy Corbyn, a very-far-from Atlanticist leader of the opposition, is delighted that he should be. Using the special relationship The Foreign Office may be the second most prestigious office of state, but in elections, foreign secretaries or their shadows from the opposition seldom find themselves much called on. Defence has had an impact though, such as in 1983 and 1987 when Labour was portrayed as too pacifistic, and in 2005, when the party wished they had been so. Those episodes revolved around the special relationship between the US and UK – and prime ministers have not been averse to the blandishments of presidents on pre-election visits to the US, such as Harold Macmillan in 1959, and David Cameron in 2015. Presidents have been prepared to assist in other ways, as I’ve been examining in my research on the historical relationships between US presidents and British premiers. Ronald Reagan’s humiliation of Labour leader Neil Kinnock in 1987 calculatedly bolstered the then prime minister Margaret Thatcher. But there has never been a presidential visit during a general election before now. Part of the appeal of the Leave campaign in the EU referendum was Britain going out into the world and making more of its historic ties with what Winston Churchill called “English-speaking peoples”. This overlooked the fact that every American president since Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s has wanted Britain to lead in Europe because it enhanced US interests to have its closest ally at the centre of what became the world’s largest trading bloc. The exception, as ever, is President Trump. The special relationship has weakened in the topsy-turvy political world since 2015 – the year Corbyn became Labour leader, Trump announced his presidential candidacy and the British parliament passed legislation to hold a referendum on EU membership. In April 2016 Barack Obama – the most popular recent American president for the British public – visited the UK at the invitation of the prime minister, David Cameron, to assist with the increasingly panicked Remain campaign. At the personal request of Cameron, Obama told the world that in the event of Brexit, Britain would be at “the back of the queue” for a trade deal. His intervention backfired, reinforcing the Leave narrative of a remote and condescending elite – and Remain never recovered. Always keen to present himself in opposition to Obama, Trump has pushed his own anti-establishment narrative, which extended to condemnation of transnational institutions including NATO and the EU. In offering the promise of a free trade agreement to the UK, Trump has presented himself as a champion of self-government and so of Brexit, responsibility for which he characteristically ascribed to himself. As if that were not a sufficient transgression of diplomatic norms, Trump also suggested in 2016 that Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage, should be appointed British ambassador to the US. More seriously, his relationship with Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, was quite unlike that of any other president and prime minister, as I’ve examined in forthcoming research. Standing alongside May in 2018 and 2019, Trump embarrassed her, and breaking with any sense of protocol or propriety, also praised the person clearly positioning himself to replace her – who, shortly thereafter, did just that. US presidents have attended NATO summits in the UK before – Jimmy Carter in 1977, George HW Bush in 1990, and Obama in 2014. But Trump’s attitudes towards NATO were originally the principal source of British consternation at his election. It wasn’t known then that he wasn’t a man of settled policies. In three years he has moved from being NATO’s most prominent critic, to its staunchest defender in the face of criticism of the alliance by the French president, Emmanuel Macron. A liability for Johnson It would never have been necessary with any other president, but on this December visit Trump has done as requested – he has observed convention and said he would “stay out of the election”. Except that, insofar as he flagrantly contradicted something he said the last time he was in the UK in the express interest of the prime minister, he has not stayed out of British politics. Significantly, the impact of Trump’s visit to the UK is on a domestic policy area that is, by contrast, always central to elections: the National Health Service. In a campaign characterised on all sides by millions of this, billions of that, and trillions of the other, Labour has persistently claimed there will be a US-imposed increase in the NHS drugs bill of £500m a week. NHS staff duly joined the now-traditional public protests that mark a Trump visit. If Trump was ever an asset for Johnson, he’s now deemed a liability. The president sees something of himself in man he’s called “Britain Trump”, not least perhaps their at times disarming physical resemblance. But given British public attitudes to Trump, it’s prudent for Johnson to maintain distance during the last week of a tight election. Trump’s toxicity has the potential to poison Johnson’s hitherto effective campaign. So after much speculation as to whether they would meet – itself extraordinary – Johnson and Trump did, but, equally extraordinarily, there were no photographs of the host and his guest at that meeting at Number 10 or at a Buckingham Palace reception. The two were eventually photographed together arriving at The Grove, the venue for the NATO leaders summit in Watford. By contrast, Corbyn has wanted nothing more than the chance to be photographed challenging Trump on the NHS – though it emerged they did not meet at the palace. But not on NATO. On which they agree. A voter could be forgiven for being confused. (Martin Farr is Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary British History, Newcastle University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What happens when US presidents enter British elections

Actor Hugh Grant is going door-to-door in London to convince people to not vote for Conservative <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-or-jeremy-corbyn-who-will-be-the-next-uk-prime-minister-265670">Prime Minister&nbsp;Boris Johnson</a>. Grant is reportedly against the "terrifying prospect"&nbsp;of five more years of Johnson's government.&nbsp; 
 
On Monday, the actor campaigned at Westminster for Liberal Democrat candidate Chuka Umunna and branded the PM a 'Pinnochio'.&nbsp; 
 
The actor is a vocal supporter of keeping the United Kingdom within the European Union and plans to campaign for it within the Labour party as well as in the Liberal Democrats.

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Fantastic to welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HackedOffHugh</a> in Marlow today. Thank you for your support! <a href="https://t.co/uAdETX6YPF">pic.twitter.com/uAdETX6YPF</a>
— Dominic Grieve for Beaconsfield (@DominicGrieve1) <a href="https://twitter.com/DominicGrieve1/status/1201575577943236609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Speaking to the press, Grant said, "I don't think that what's left of the Conservative party - once they've now expelled anyone who is responsible or decent or sane - is something that I could contemplate as the government for the country I love."

On Sunday he campaigned for Liberal Democrat Luciana Berger and is set to appear alongside Labour party candidate Faisa Shaheen on Wednesday.&nbsp; 
 
The actor has expressed concern that a victory at next week's election will give Johnson the impetus to push Brexit further.&nbsp; 
 
"The very fact that it can be contemplated by Boris Johnson and his gang is a demonstration of just how irresponsible and narcissistic they are and they have to be stopped," the actor was quoted as saying to Business Insider.&nbsp; 
 
When the actor was asked would he leave the UK if Johnson came to power, the actor said, "I would never want to leave if I can possibly help it unless I am arrested by Boris government for sedition."

The UK general election is set to take place on December 12.

Actor Hugh Grant is going door-to-door in London to convince people to not vote for Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Grant is reportedly against the "terrifying prospect" of five more years of Johnson's government.

Actor Hugh Grant is going door-to-door in London to convince people to not vote for Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Grant is reportedly against the "terrifying prospect" of five more years of Johnson's government. On Monday, the actor campaigned at Westminster for Liberal Democrat candidate Chuka Umunna and branded the PM a 'Pinnochio'. The actor is a vocal supporter of keeping the United Kingdom within the European Union and plans to campaign for it within the Labour party as well as in the Liberal Democrats. Fantastic to welcome @HackedOffHugh in Marlow today. Thank you for your support! pic.twitter.com/uAdETX6YPF — Dominic Grieve for Beaconsfield (@DominicGrieve1) December 2, 2019 × Speaking to the press, Grant said, "I don't think that what's left of the Conservative party - once they've now expelled anyone who is responsible or decent or sane - is something that I could contemplate as the government for the country I love." On Sunday he campaigned for Liberal Democrat Luciana Berger and is set to appear alongside Labour party candidate Faisa Shaheen on Wednesday. The actor has expressed concern that a victory at next week's election will give Johnson the impetus to push Brexit further. "The very fact that it can be contemplated by Boris Johnson and his gang is a demonstration of just how irresponsible and narcissistic they are and they have to be stopped," the actor was quoted as saying to Business Insider. When the actor was asked would he leave the UK if Johnson came to power, the actor said, "I would never want to leave if I can possibly help it unless I am arrested by Boris government for sedition." The UK general election is set to take place on December 12.

Hugh Grant is convincing voters in UK to not vote for Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson's Conservative Party would win a comfortable majority in Britain's parliament if the upcoming election were held this week, according to a poll by respected research firm YouGov.

Boris Johnson's Conservative Party would win a comfortable majority in Britain's parliament if the upcoming election were held this week, according to a poll by respected research firm YouGov. Britain votes on December 12, with Prime Minister Johnson hoping to secure a majority to be able to push through his Brexit deal to take the country out of the European Union. YouGov's poll, published Wednesday, said if the elections were held on Thursday the Conservatives would grab 44 seats from the main opposition Labour party to win a 68-seat majority. The data showed larger swings from Labour to the Conservatives in areas that are more pro-Brexit, especially in England's northern and central regions. "As expected, the key thing deciding the extent to which each of these seats is moving against Labour (is) how that seat voted in the European Union referendum" in 2016, said Chris Curtis, YouGov's political research manager. The poll -- the first in this campaign to predict election results seat-by-seat -- uses a model that correctly forecast 93 percent of seats in the last general election in 2017, according to YouGov. It said the Conservatives' total seat count would climb to 359, compared to 211 for Labour -- predicting that the left-wing party would lose 51 seats overall. "In terms of seats won, this would be the Conservatives' best performance since 1987," said the pollster, who analysed data including interviews with around 100,000 people about their voting intentions. Johnson, who took over a minority administration in July and been unable to speed his EU divorce deal through parliament, has pledged to take Britain out of the bloc by January 31. If the centre-right Conservatives are returned to power in the third general election in four years, he is promising to bring back his Brexit deal to parliament before Christmas. Among the smaller parties in the House of Commons, the poll said the Scottish National Party (SNP) would gain eight seats to a total of 43, while the Liberal Democrats were predicted a total of 13 seats, Welsh party Plaid Cymru four and the Green Party one. It came as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused Johnson of plotting a "toxic" deal with Donald Trump to allow US pharmaceutical companies access to Britain's state health service. Labour is currently being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) following a number of complaints about alleged anti-Semitism in the party. mpa/roc/kaf/hg © Agence France-Presse

UK election poll predicts Boris Johnson's Conservative Party majority

By Rainbow Murray and Robin Pettitt

If you live in a safe seat, don’t feel inspired by the choices on offer, and/or would rather spend December 12 doing your Christmas shopping, you might be considering not voting in the 2019 general election – then here are five reasons to change your mind.

1. Your vote does matter

The first and by far and away the most important reason to vote is that, regardless of what anyone might tell you, it matters. The ongoing saga of Brexit is very much a case in point. The way people voted in 2015 resulted in a majority Conservative Party government, which paved the way for the 2016 Brexit referendum. Regardless of whether you think that was a good thing or not, voting mattered.

In the referendum of 2016, a majority of those who voted, voted for Leave. Regardless of whether you think that was a good thing or not, voting mattered.

The way people voted in 2017 deprived Theresa May of a parliamentary majority – which meant the then prime minister was unable to get her deal through parliament, a problem inherited by her successor, Boris Johnson. Regardless of whether you think that was a good thing or not, voting mattered.

It is true that in many parts of the UK some parties utterly dominate. There are areas of the UK that have been represented by MPs from the same party since the 1800s. In areas where one party has a massive majority it may seem that voting will make little difference, which can be deeply frustrating. However, not voting is the one thing guaranteed to make no difference.

Even if voting will not affect the outcome of the result in an individual constituency, it will affect national vote shares for the parties. Parties that cannot win can still get their agendas taken seriously by the other parties if their vote share is strong. Part of the reason why the former prime minister, David Cameron, decided to call a referendum in the first place was the rise of UKIP as a political force. The newer party had no significant presence in parliament but had Cameron’s Conservatives running scared every time it increased its vote share.

In addition, national vote share is increasingly part of the political debate after elections and your vote can be part of that story, even if it doesn’t swing your constituency result. Again, voting matters.

2. Turn up to change the system

Even if you have no hope of your vote making a difference in your constituency, at least consider going to your local polling station and spoiling your ballot paper. This is not a pointless exercise. If thousands of voters in safe constituencies spoiled their ballot papers it would give ammunition to those who are campaigning to replace the UK’s antiquated electoral system with something that gives votes everywhere more weight. The number of spoiled ballots is recorded in each constituency.

3. Defending democracy

Having the right to vote cannot be taken for granted. Just as the right to vote can be obtained, so it can be lost. There are numerous examples of countries where democratic standards were undermined, sometimes fatally so.

The UK’s democracy is still seen as being in good health. However, the Windrush scandal, the government’s attempt to prorogue parliament to avoid debate, and the potential impact of Brexit on human rights shows that the freedoms we have now are not immutable. The most simple and basic thing anyone can do to keep democracy strong is to vote. Arguably, voting is not enough in itself to protect freedoms, but it is a necessary minimum.

4. Don’t vote, can’t moan 
 
Any complaints you may have about anything related to politics (and everything is related to politics) will ring rather hollow after December 12 if you do not do the absolute minimum to make a difference by voting. Quite apart from Brexit, the plans presented by the main parties in their manifestos offer radically different futures for the country.

Voting is the most fundamental way of expressing an opinion on what the parties are planning on doing if elected. Failing to do so makes any subsequent complaints about what the government is doing fairly hypocritical. Don’t vote? Can’t moan! Want to moan? Got to vote!

5. Paying respects 
 
Having a system of government where ordinary people have a say in how they are governed is not automatic. Indeed, it was not always so in the United Kingdom.

The extension of the right to vote in the UK was a long and hard struggle with very real human costs – as exemplified by the 18 killed and hundreds injured during the Peterloo Massacre just over 200 years when cavalry (yes, men, on horses, wielding swords) attacked protesters demanding a greater say in how parliament was put together. This atrocity, and the brutality experienced by those who fought for the right of women to vote remind us how controversial the right to vote really is. Voting is a way of paying respect to those who suffered and died to secure that vote.

And finally, one last reason to vote, if the above still aren’t good enough, is that if people didn’t turn out on election day, we would not have #dogsatpollingstations.

 
(Rainbow Murray is Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London; Robin Pettitt is Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Kingston University) 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-reasons-to-vote-in-this-election-127666">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By Rainbow Murray and Robin Pettitt If you live in a safe seat, don’t feel inspired by the choices on offer, and/or would rather spend December 12 doing your Christmas shopping, you might be considering not voting in the 2019 general election – then here are five reasons to change your mind.

By Rainbow Murray and Robin Pettitt If you live in a safe seat, don’t feel inspired by the choices on offer, and/or would rather spend December 12 doing your Christmas shopping, you might be considering not voting in the 2019 general election – then here are five reasons to change your mind. 1. Your vote does matter The first and by far and away the most important reason to vote is that, regardless of what anyone might tell you, it matters. The ongoing saga of Brexit is very much a case in point. The way people voted in 2015 resulted in a majority Conservative Party government, which paved the way for the 2016 Brexit referendum. Regardless of whether you think that was a good thing or not, voting mattered. In the referendum of 2016, a majority of those who voted, voted for Leave. Regardless of whether you think that was a good thing or not, voting mattered. The way people voted in 2017 deprived Theresa May of a parliamentary majority – which meant the then prime minister was unable to get her deal through parliament, a problem inherited by her successor, Boris Johnson. Regardless of whether you think that was a good thing or not, voting mattered. It is true that in many parts of the UK some parties utterly dominate. There are areas of the UK that have been represented by MPs from the same party since the 1800s. In areas where one party has a massive majority it may seem that voting will make little difference, which can be deeply frustrating. However, not voting is the one thing guaranteed to make no difference. Even if voting will not affect the outcome of the result in an individual constituency, it will affect national vote shares for the parties. Parties that cannot win can still get their agendas taken seriously by the other parties if their vote share is strong. Part of the reason why the former prime minister, David Cameron, decided to call a referendum in the first place was the rise of UKIP as a political force. The newer party had no significant presence in parliament but had Cameron’s Conservatives running scared every time it increased its vote share. In addition, national vote share is increasingly part of the political debate after elections and your vote can be part of that story, even if it doesn’t swing your constituency result. Again, voting matters. 2. Turn up to change the system Even if you have no hope of your vote making a difference in your constituency, at least consider going to your local polling station and spoiling your ballot paper. This is not a pointless exercise. If thousands of voters in safe constituencies spoiled their ballot papers it would give ammunition to those who are campaigning to replace the UK’s antiquated electoral system with something that gives votes everywhere more weight. The number of spoiled ballots is recorded in each constituency. 3. Defending democracy Having the right to vote cannot be taken for granted. Just as the right to vote can be obtained, so it can be lost. There are numerous examples of countries where democratic standards were undermined, sometimes fatally so. The UK’s democracy is still seen as being in good health. However, the Windrush scandal, the government’s attempt to prorogue parliament to avoid debate, and the potential impact of Brexit on human rights shows that the freedoms we have now are not immutable. The most simple and basic thing anyone can do to keep democracy strong is to vote. Arguably, voting is not enough in itself to protect freedoms, but it is a necessary minimum. 4. Don’t vote, can’t moan Any complaints you may have about anything related to politics (and everything is related to politics) will ring rather hollow after December 12 if you do not do the absolute minimum to make a difference by voting. Quite apart from Brexit, the plans presented by the main parties in their manifestos offer radically different futures for the country. Voting is the most fundamental way of expressing an opinion on what the parties are planning on doing if elected. Failing to do so makes any subsequent complaints about what the government is doing fairly hypocritical. Don’t vote? Can’t moan! Want to moan? Got to vote! 5. Paying respects Having a system of government where ordinary people have a say in how they are governed is not automatic. Indeed, it was not always so in the United Kingdom. The extension of the right to vote in the UK was a long and hard struggle with very real human costs – as exemplified by the 18 killed and hundreds injured during the Peterloo Massacre just over 200 years when cavalry (yes, men, on horses, wielding swords) attacked protesters demanding a greater say in how parliament was put together. This atrocity, and the brutality experienced by those who fought for the right of women to vote remind us how controversial the right to vote really is. Voting is a way of paying respect to those who suffered and died to secure that vote. And finally, one last reason to vote, if the above still aren’t good enough, is that if people didn’t turn out on election day, we would not have #dogsatpollingstations. (Rainbow Murray is Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London; Robin Pettitt is Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Kingston University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

UK elections 2019: Five reasons to vote

In Indian politics, Chanakya is the flavour of the season, anybody with half a strategy is labelled Chanakya.

Chanakya said, "Learn from the mistakes of others, you can't live long enough to make them all yourself."

Now as we see Jeremy Corbyn's list of blunders, what can politicians around the world learn from him?

Lesson number one - do your homework and do not venture into interviews without preparation.

Rahul Gandhi's infamous TV interview from 2014 made him a standing joke. His image hasn't quite recovered since then.

Jeremy Corbyn made the same mistake. He should have known that anti-semitism in the labour party would be raised. He looked ill-prepared and ill at ease.

Lesson number 2: Say sorry when you must. Politics is the game of perception. Appear too rigid and you've lost the plot. Anti-Semitism is a serious issue. Denying the holocaust is neither logical nor right.

There is no excuse for a political party to do so and there is no option for its leader but to apologise. Yet, Corbyn refused, he's already paying for it.&nbsp;

Lesson number 3 and this is interesting. Know your manifesto.

In a recent interview, Jeremy Corbyn was at odds with his party on a tax hike. The Labour Party manifesto says that tax allowance of married couples will be scrapped. This will affect 2 million people in the country.

When you plan such tax hikes, you must know the income tax bracket. It's the least minimum, but Corbyn was clueless about all this.

Lesson number 4 - stick to relevant issues. don't grandstand for votes. You might crash land.

The labour party's misadventure and many u-turns on Kashmir are a good example. A completely unnecessary controversy that has upset British Indians.

Lesson number 5 - keep your flock together.

Earlier this year, seven influential labour party leaders quit - the reason - Jeremy Corbyn and his inability to address antisemitism in the party.

How do you lead a country when you cannot even lead your own party?

Lesson number 6 - practice what you preach.

Promising welfare spending is fine, but that doesn't sit pretty with the plans to raise taxes for the poor.

And the final lesson, political economy is not a zero-sum game.

Taking on the big tech and branding them evil is neither good economics nor sound politics. If and when Brexit happens, the United Kingdom will need the support of the corporate community to prevent an economic doom and gloom.

Castigating companies as evil will hurt business sentiment and sour public sentiment. Capitalism does not mean the ill-treatment of labour, and socialism does not mean a war against capitalists.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

 
&nbsp;

In Indian politics, Chanakya is the flavour of the season, anybody with half a strategy is labelled Chanakya. Chanakya said, "Learn from the mistakes of others, you can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

In Indian politics, Chanakya is the flavour of the season, anybody with half a strategy is labelled Chanakya. Chanakya said, "Learn from the mistakes of others, you can't live long enough to make them all yourself." Now as we see Jeremy Corbyn's list of blunders, what can politicians around the world learn from him? Lesson number one - do your homework and do not venture into interviews without preparation. Rahul Gandhi's infamous TV interview from 2014 made him a standing joke. His image hasn't quite recovered since then. Jeremy Corbyn made the same mistake. He should have known that anti-semitism in the labour party would be raised. He looked ill-prepared and ill at ease. Lesson number 2: Say sorry when you must. Politics is the game of perception. Appear too rigid and you've lost the plot. Anti-Semitism is a serious issue. Denying the holocaust is neither logical nor right. There is no excuse for a political party to do so and there is no option for its leader but to apologise. Yet, Corbyn refused, he's already paying for it. Lesson number 3 and this is interesting. Know your manifesto. In a recent interview, Jeremy Corbyn was at odds with his party on a tax hike. The Labour Party manifesto says that tax allowance of married couples will be scrapped. This will affect 2 million people in the country. When you plan such tax hikes, you must know the income tax bracket. It's the least minimum, but Corbyn was clueless about all this. Lesson number 4 - stick to relevant issues. don't grandstand for votes. You might crash land. The labour party's misadventure and many u-turns on Kashmir are a good example. A completely unnecessary controversy that has upset British Indians. Lesson number 5 - keep your flock together. Earlier this year, seven influential labour party leaders quit - the reason - Jeremy Corbyn and his inability to address antisemitism in the party. How do you lead a country when you cannot even lead your own party? Lesson number 6 - practice what you preach. Promising welfare spending is fine, but that doesn't sit pretty with the plans to raise taxes for the poor. And the final lesson, political economy is not a zero-sum game. Taking on the big tech and branding them evil is neither good economics nor sound politics. If and when Brexit happens, the United Kingdom will need the support of the corporate community to prevent an economic doom and gloom. Castigating companies as evil will hurt business sentiment and sour public sentiment. Capitalism does not mean the ill-treatment of labour, and socialism does not mean a war against capitalists. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Lessons to learn from Jeremy Corbyn's blunders

WION Dispatch: Who will British-Indians vote for?

UK PM Boris Johnson leaving no stone unturned to woo voters during the election campaign. Watch this video to find out more in details.

UK PM leaving no stone unturned to woo voters during election campaign

5-week election campaign begins in United Kingdom. Watch video to know more.

5-week election campaign begins in United Kingdom

British PM Boris Johnson has been demanded the elections amid the Brexit chaos. He said that 'Brexit now or new Parliament later'. Watch this video to know more.

UK PM Boris Johnson calls for the elections on 12th December

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-lawmakers-vote-to-block-no-deal-brexit-in-fresh-blow-to-pm-johnson-247639"> left in limbo </a>on Wednesday after MPs voted to derail his Brexit plan and rejected his call for an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-am-absolutely-ready-to-fight-elections-british-labour-leader-jeremy-corbyn-247444">early election to break the political deadlock</a>.

Just six weeks after taking office, Johnson lost his majority in the House of Commons as his own MPs joined opposition parties to stop him taking Britain out of the EU next month without a deal.

On Wednesday evening, they approved a bill that could force Johnson to delay Brexit to January or even later if he cannot agree exit terms with Brussels in time.

Johnson says he does not want a "no-deal" exit on October 31 but says he must keep that option open in order to get an agreement.

Watch: 'No deal' Brexit would cost at least $16 billion in UK sales to the EU, says UN

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He said the bill, which was being debated in the upper House of Lords into the night, "destroys the ability of government to negotiate" -- and said he had no option to call an election to win a new mandate.

"If I'm still prime minister after (the vote on) Tuesday, October 15 then we will leave on October 31 with, I hope, a much better deal," he told MPs.

Labour rejects 'cynical' move

But in yet another twist in the tortuous Brexit process, the opposition Labour Party refused to vote for the election, which requires the backing of two-thirds of MPs.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that while he wanted an election, he would not support the prime minister's "cynical" call until the law blocking "no deal" was implemented.

The default legal position is that Britain will leave the EU on October 31 unless it delays or asks to stay in the bloc.

Corbyn said: "Let this bill pass, then gain royal assent, then we will back an election so we do not crash out with a no-deal exit from the European Union."

Johnson accused Corbyn of being frightened of losing but urged the opposition to reconsider over the next few days.

For now, he is unable to pursue his Brexit plan -- the central focus of his leadership -- or call an election that might change the situation.

Across the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump earlier offered his support, telling reporters: "Boris knows how to win. Don't worry about him. He's going to be OK."

'Sham' negotiations

Johnson took office in July, three years after the 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU, promising to deliver Brexit whatever happens.

He says he wants to renegotiate the divorce deal his predecessor Theresa May agreed with Brussels, while at the same time stepping up preparations for a disorderly exit.

Johnson insisted his team was making "substantial progress".

But the bloc has so far refused to reopen the text, and a senior EU source poured cold water on the idea that a deal could be struck at next month's Brussels summit.

The European Commission says Britain has yet to come up with any alternative for the most controversial element of the current deal, the so-called "backstop" plan for the Irish border.

Corbyn said the negotiations Johnson talked about "are a sham -- all he's doing is running down the clock".

The European Commission also said the risk of a "no-deal" exit has increased, a prospect many fear because of the economic damage risked by severing 46 years of UK-EU ties overnight.

'Hand power to the EU'

MPs only returned from their summer holiday on Tuesday but had to move fast as Johnson has controversially decided to suspend parliament next week until October 14.

They first had to vote to make time in the Commons to debate their legislation, which they then forced through on Wednesday afternoon in only five hours with the support of rebel Conservatives.

The bill would require the government to delay Brexit until January 31 unless it has agreed an exit deal or secured MPs' approval for "no-deal" by October 19.

Johnson said it would "take away the right of this country to decide how long it must remain in the EU and hand that power to the EU".

To take effect, the bill must now be approved by the Lords, who were braced for a rare overnight sitting on Wednesday, with some bringing sleeping bags into the chamber.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was left in limbo on Wednesday after MPs voted to derail his Brexit plan and rejected his call for an early election to break the political deadlock.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was left in limbo on Wednesday after MPs voted to derail his Brexit plan and rejected his call for an early election to break the political deadlock. Just six weeks after taking office, Johnson lost his majority in the House of Commons as his own MPs joined opposition parties to stop him taking Britain out of the EU next month without a deal. On Wednesday evening, they approved a bill that could force Johnson to delay Brexit to January or even later if he cannot agree exit terms with Brussels in time. Johnson says he does not want a "no-deal" exit on October 31 but says he must keep that option open in order to get an agreement. Watch: 'No deal' Brexit would cost at least $16 billion in UK sales to the EU, says UN × He said the bill, which was being debated in the upper House of Lords into the night, "destroys the ability of government to negotiate" -- and said he had no option to call an election to win a new mandate. "If I'm still prime minister after (the vote on) Tuesday, October 15 then we will leave on October 31 with, I hope, a much better deal," he told MPs. Labour rejects 'cynical' move But in yet another twist in the tortuous Brexit process, the opposition Labour Party refused to vote for the election, which requires the backing of two-thirds of MPs. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that while he wanted an election, he would not support the prime minister's "cynical" call until the law blocking "no deal" was implemented. The default legal position is that Britain will leave the EU on October 31 unless it delays or asks to stay in the bloc. Corbyn said: "Let this bill pass, then gain royal assent, then we will back an election so we do not crash out with a no-deal exit from the European Union." Johnson accused Corbyn of being frightened of losing but urged the opposition to reconsider over the next few days. For now, he is unable to pursue his Brexit plan -- the central focus of his leadership -- or call an election that might change the situation. Across the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump earlier offered his support, telling reporters: "Boris knows how to win. Don't worry about him. He's going to be OK." 'Sham' negotiations Johnson took office in July, three years after the 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU, promising to deliver Brexit whatever happens. He says he wants to renegotiate the divorce deal his predecessor Theresa May agreed with Brussels, while at the same time stepping up preparations for a disorderly exit. Johnson insisted his team was making "substantial progress". But the bloc has so far refused to reopen the text, and a senior EU source poured cold water on the idea that a deal could be struck at next month's Brussels summit. The European Commission says Britain has yet to come up with any alternative for the most controversial element of the current deal, the so-called "backstop" plan for the Irish border. Corbyn said the negotiations Johnson talked about "are a sham -- all he's doing is running down the clock". The European Commission also said the risk of a "no-deal" exit has increased, a prospect many fear because of the economic damage risked by severing 46 years of UK-EU ties overnight. 'Hand power to the EU' MPs only returned from their summer holiday on Tuesday but had to move fast as Johnson has controversially decided to suspend parliament next week until October 14. They first had to vote to make time in the Commons to debate their legislation, which they then forced through on Wednesday afternoon in only five hours with the support of rebel Conservatives. The bill would require the government to delay Brexit until January 31 unless it has agreed an exit deal or secured MPs' approval for "no-deal" by October 19. Johnson said it would "take away the right of this country to decide how long it must remain in the EU and hand that power to the EU". To take effect, the bill must now be approved by the Lords, who were braced for a rare overnight sitting on Wednesday, with some bringing sleeping bags into the chamber.

British PM Boris Johnson in limbo after MPs reject his Brexit plan, elections

British <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/is-anyone-really-going-to-buy-boris-johnsons-people-vs-politicians-election-campaign-242607">Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> came under pressure Sunday to immediately recall lawmakers from their summer holiday so parliament can debate Brexit.

More than 100 MPs have written to Johnson to urge him to reconvene and let them sit permanently until October 31, the date Britain is due to leave the European Union.

MPs are not due to return until September 3.

"Our country is on the brink of an economic crisis, as we career towards a no-deal Brexit," said the letter, signed by MPs and opposition party leaders who want to halt Britain's departure from the EU.

"We face a national emergency, and parliament must be recalled now."&nbsp;

Parliament is set to break up again shortly after it returns, with the main parties holding their annual conferences during the September break.

Johnson,&nbsp; whose government commands a one-seat majority, insists Britain must leave the EU on October 31, with or without a divorce deal with Brussels.

&nbsp;No-deal over Corbyn: poll&nbsp;

Labour main opposition leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../uk-opposition-leader-jeremy-corbyn-seeks-to- oust-pm-boris-johnson-to-avoid-no-deal-brexit-243201">Jeremy Corbyn</a> wants to call a vote of no confidence in Johnson's government after parliament returns.

He hopes to take over as a temporary prime minister, seek an extension to Britain's EU departure date to stop a no-deal <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../anti-brexit-party-reveals-candidates-for- emergency-uk-government-243338">Brexit</a>, and then call a general election.&nbsp;

"What we need is a government that is prepared to negotiate with the European Union so we don't have a crash-out on the 31st," Corbyn said Saturday.

"This government clearly doesn't want to do that."

However, a YouGov survey found that a majority would rather see a no-deal Brexit than the veteran leftist taking over and staging another referendum.

Some 48 per cent said they would rather Britain left the EU without a Brexit deal, with Jeremy Corbyn remaining in opposition.&nbsp;

Some 35 per cent said they would prefer Corbyn became prime minister and held a second referendum on Britain's EU membership.

Asked about leaving the EU without a deal, 49 per cent said they would consider it an unacceptable outcome, while 38 per cent said it would be acceptable.

Brexit shortages: report&nbsp;

Britain could face food, fuel and medicine shortages and chaos at its ports in a no-deal Brexit, The Sunday Times newspaper reported, citing a leaked government planning document.

There would likely be some form of hard border imposed on the island of Ireland, the document implied.

Rather than worst-case scenarios, the leaked document, compiled this month by the Cabinet Office ministry, spells out the likely ramifications of a no-deal Brexit, the broadsheet claimed.

The document said logjams could affect fuel distribution, while up to 85 per cent of trucks using the main ports to continental Europe might not be ready for French customs.

The availability of fresh food would be diminished and prices would go up, said the newspaper.

&nbsp;Balmoral trip&nbsp;

Meanwhile Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds will accompany him when he goes to stay with Queen Elizabeth II at her private Scottish retreat.

The public relations expert will join Johnson at Balmoral next month, the domestic Press Association news agency reported, citing sources.

The monarch traditionally hosts the prime minister for a weekend in September.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under pressure Sunday to immediately recall lawmakers from their summer holiday so parliament can debate Brexit. More than 100 MPs have written to Johnson to urge him to reconvene and let them sit permanently until October 31, the date Britain is due to leave the European Union.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under pressure Sunday to immediately recall lawmakers from their summer holiday so parliament can debate Brexit. More than 100 MPs have written to Johnson to urge him to reconvene and let them sit permanently until October 31, the date Britain is due to leave the European Union. MPs are not due to return until September 3. "Our country is on the brink of an economic crisis, as we career towards a no-deal Brexit," said the letter, signed by MPs and opposition party leaders who want to halt Britain's departure from the EU. "We face a national emergency, and parliament must be recalled now." Parliament is set to break up again shortly after it returns, with the main parties holding their annual conferences during the September break. Johnson, whose government commands a one-seat majority, insists Britain must leave the EU on October 31, with or without a divorce deal with Brussels. No-deal over Corbyn: poll Labour main opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to call a vote of no confidence in Johnson's government after parliament returns. He hopes to take over as a temporary prime minister, seek an extension to Britain's EU departure date to stop a no-deal Brexit, and then call a general election. "What we need is a government that is prepared to negotiate with the European Union so we don't have a crash-out on the 31st," Corbyn said Saturday. "This government clearly doesn't want to do that." However, a YouGov survey found that a majority would rather see a no-deal Brexit than the veteran leftist taking over and staging another referendum. Some 48 per cent said they would rather Britain left the EU without a Brexit deal, with Jeremy Corbyn remaining in opposition. Some 35 per cent said they would prefer Corbyn became prime minister and held a second referendum on Britain's EU membership. Asked about leaving the EU without a deal, 49 per cent said they would consider it an unacceptable outcome, while 38 per cent said it would be acceptable. Brexit shortages: report Britain could face food, fuel and medicine shortages and chaos at its ports in a no-deal Brexit, The Sunday Times newspaper reported, citing a leaked government planning document. There would likely be some form of hard border imposed on the island of Ireland, the document implied. Rather than worst-case scenarios, the leaked document, compiled this month by the Cabinet Office ministry, spells out the likely ramifications of a no-deal Brexit, the broadsheet claimed. The document said logjams could affect fuel distribution, while up to 85 per cent of trucks using the main ports to continental Europe might not be ready for French customs. The availability of fresh food would be diminished and prices would go up, said the newspaper. Balmoral trip Meanwhile Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds will accompany him when he goes to stay with Queen Elizabeth II at her private Scottish retreat. The public relations expert will join Johnson at Balmoral next month, the domestic Press Association news agency reported, citing sources. The monarch traditionally hosts the prime minister for a weekend in September.

British MPs press Johnson to recall parliament over Brexit

&nbsp;A Conservative lawmaker at the centre of efforts to block a no-deal Brexit said on Saturday he was pessimistic about his chances because he and other party colleagues could not support a caretaker government led by opposition leader<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-opposition-leader-jeremy-corbyn-seeks-to-oust-pm-boris-johnson-to-avoid-no-deal-brexit-243201"> Jeremy Corbyn</a>.

With<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/is-anyone-really-going-to-buy-boris-johnsons-people-vs-politicians-election-campaign-242607"> Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> vowing to take Britain out of the European Union with or without a deal by Oct. 31, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-it-comes-to-a-hard-brexit-british-would-be-the-big-losers-european-unions-jean-claude-juncker-tells-britain-242089">anti-Brexit</a> politicians from all sides have been trying, and so far failing, to agree on a plan to stop it from happening.

Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, wants a caretaker government with himself as head, and then an election.

But other opponents of a no-deal Brexit worry that Corbyn, a staunch leftist, would not win enough support, prompting leaders of smaller parties to put forward their own suggestions as to who could lead a government long enough to delay Brexit.

Oliver Letwin, a lawmaker from Johnson's ruling Conservatives, was asked to lend his support to Corbyn this week, but he told BBC Radio on Saturday: "I don't think it's at all likely that a majority would be formed for that and I wouldn't be able to support that, no."

Asked to explain why, he said even an interim Corbyn-led government could do more damage than a disorderly exit from the world's biggest trading bloc.

Conservative opponents of a no-deal Brexit are deeply suspicious of Corbyn, whom they see as a dangerous Marxist intent on nationalising swathes of British industry and hiking state spending and taxes.

AGREEMENT ELUSIVE

"It's well worth having discussions with everybody across the House because there's probably a majority of MPs (Members of Parliament) who don't want to have a no-deal exit but the issue is can we get all of those MPs on some alternative proposition?

"I'm not terribly optimistic about all this because I don't see yet emerging an agreement on that," he said.

To form a new parliamentary majority with cross-party backing, Letwin said lawmakers would first have to agree on a strategy for Brexit, revealing the divisions that have hampered pro-EU politicians since they lost the 2016 referendum.

While some accept the result and want a negotiated withdrawal from the bloc to soften the economic impact, others are pushing for a second referendum in the hope of reversing the 2016 vote to leave the EU.

"There is a high likelihood, alas, that this country is going to leave without a deal on the 31st of October," Letwin said.

A Conservative lawmaker at the centre of efforts to block a no-deal Brexit said on Saturday he was pessimistic about his chances because he and other party colleagues could not support a caretaker government led by opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn.

A Conservative lawmaker at the centre of efforts to block a no-deal Brexit said on Saturday he was pessimistic about his chances because he and other party colleagues could not support a caretaker government led by opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn. With Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowing to take Britain out of the European Union with or without a deal by Oct. 31, anti-Brexit politicians from all sides have been trying, and so far failing, to agree on a plan to stop it from happening. Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, wants a caretaker government with himself as head, and then an election. But other opponents of a no-deal Brexit worry that Corbyn, a staunch leftist, would not win enough support, prompting leaders of smaller parties to put forward their own suggestions as to who could lead a government long enough to delay Brexit. Oliver Letwin, a lawmaker from Johnson's ruling Conservatives, was asked to lend his support to Corbyn this week, but he told BBC Radio on Saturday: "I don't think it's at all likely that a majority would be formed for that and I wouldn't be able to support that, no." Asked to explain why, he said even an interim Corbyn-led government could do more damage than a disorderly exit from the world's biggest trading bloc. Conservative opponents of a no-deal Brexit are deeply suspicious of Corbyn, whom they see as a dangerous Marxist intent on nationalising swathes of British industry and hiking state spending and taxes. AGREEMENT ELUSIVE "It's well worth having discussions with everybody across the House because there's probably a majority of MPs (Members of Parliament) who don't want to have a no-deal exit but the issue is can we get all of those MPs on some alternative proposition? "I'm not terribly optimistic about all this because I don't see yet emerging an agreement on that," he said. To form a new parliamentary majority with cross-party backing, Letwin said lawmakers would first have to agree on a strategy for Brexit, revealing the divisions that have hampered pro-EU politicians since they lost the 2016 referendum. While some accept the result and want a negotiated withdrawal from the bloc to soften the economic impact, others are pushing for a second referendum in the hope of reversing the 2016 vote to leave the EU. "There is a high likelihood, alas, that this country is going to leave without a deal on the 31st of October," Letwin said.

Senior UK Conservative lawmaker says he could not back Jeremy Corbyn-led government

The leader of the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats party said on Friday two senior lawmakers from the ruling party and opposition have indicated willingness to lead an emergency government to prevent a no-deal divorce with the European Union.

Given Prime Minister<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uks-johnson-tells-civil-servants-their-top-priority-is-preparing-for-no-deal-brexit-sky-241873"> Boris Johnson</a> wants to take Britain out of the EU on October&nbsp;31, with or without a negotiated transition, foes are plotting how to bring him down and stop a no-deal Brexit they say would be disastrous for the economy.

The main opposition party Labour's leader<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-opposition-leader-jeremy-corbyn-seeks-to-oust-pm-boris-johnson-to-avoid-no-deal-brexit-243201"> Jeremy Corbyn wants a no-confidence vote</a>, caretaker government with him as head, then an election, while the Liberal Democrats prefer to find alternative leaders for a unity government.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson told BBC radio on Friday that former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman and ruling Conservative party veteran Ken Clarke had both told her they would be prepared to assume that role.

"They put public duty first and they don't want to see a no-deal Brexit," Swinson said.

"If the House of Commons asks them to lead an emergency government to get our country out of this Brexit mess and to stop us driving off that cliff to a <a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/food-sector-is-absolutely-clear-that-a-no-deal-exit-is-a-disastrous-outcometrade-body-241342">no-deal</a>, then yes they are prepared to do that."

With Johnson staking his premiership on Brexit, the EU refusing to re-open a previously-negotiated withdrawal deal and a majority of lawmakers opposed to a no-deal divorce, Britain is heading for a parliamentary showdown and constitutional crisis.

Opponents of no deal say it would be a nightmare for what was once one of the West’s most stable democracies. A disorderly divorce, they say, would hurt global growth, send shockwaves through financial markets and weaken London’s claim to be the world’s preeminent financial centre.

Brexit supporters say there may be short-term disruption from a no-deal exit but that the economy will eventually thrive if cut free from what they cast as a doomed experiment in integration that has led to Europe falling behind China and the United States.

Labour wants a vote of no-confidence in the government shortly after parliament returns from its summer break on September&nbsp;3. Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News the government would win such a vote.

"I don't see Jeremy Corbyn being able to come together with the numbers, nor do I see any prospect of him leading a so-called national unity government," he said.

"He's the most unpopular leader of the opposition we've ever had and the idea that he's going to lead a unity government I think is ridiculous," he said.

The leader of the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats party said on Friday two senior lawmakers from the ruling party and opposition have indicated willingness to lead an emergency government to prevent a no-deal divorce with the European Union.

The leader of the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats party said on Friday two senior lawmakers from the ruling party and opposition have indicated willingness to lead an emergency government to prevent a no-deal divorce with the European Union. Given Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to take Britain out of the EU on October 31, with or without a negotiated transition, foes are plotting how to bring him down and stop a no-deal Brexit they say would be disastrous for the economy. The main opposition party Labour's leader Jeremy Corbyn wants a no-confidence vote, caretaker government with him as head, then an election, while the Liberal Democrats prefer to find alternative leaders for a unity government. Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson told BBC radio on Friday that former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman and ruling Conservative party veteran Ken Clarke had both told her they would be prepared to assume that role. "They put public duty first and they don't want to see a no-deal Brexit," Swinson said. "If the House of Commons asks them to lead an emergency government to get our country out of this Brexit mess and to stop us driving off that cliff to a no-deal, then yes they are prepared to do that." With Johnson staking his premiership on Brexit, the EU refusing to re-open a previously-negotiated withdrawal deal and a majority of lawmakers opposed to a no-deal divorce, Britain is heading for a parliamentary showdown and constitutional crisis. Opponents of no deal say it would be a nightmare for what was once one of the West’s most stable democracies. A disorderly divorce, they say, would hurt global growth, send shockwaves through financial markets and weaken London’s claim to be the world’s preeminent financial centre. Brexit supporters say there may be short-term disruption from a no-deal exit but that the economy will eventually thrive if cut free from what they cast as a doomed experiment in integration that has led to Europe falling behind China and the United States. Labour wants a vote of no-confidence in the government shortly after parliament returns from its summer break on September 3. Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News the government would win such a vote. "I don't see Jeremy Corbyn being able to come together with the numbers, nor do I see any prospect of him leading a so-called national unity government," he said. "He's the most unpopular leader of the opposition we've ever had and the idea that he's going to lead a unity government I think is ridiculous," he said.

Anti-Brexit party reveals candidates for emergency UK government

British Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s two closest aides announced their resignations Saturday after a crushing electoral setback that left her authority in tatters.

Senior members of the ruling Conservative party had reportedly made the departure of Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill a condition of allowing May to stay on after losing her parliamentary majority in Thursday&#39;s vote.

But it will be another blow to the prime minister, who has been heavily reliant on their advice and support since her previous job at the interior ministry.

Timothy said he had resigned on Friday after the result was confirmed, and took responsibility for the Conservative manifesto, including a botched plan for elderly social care that caused a major backlash.

But he wrote on the ConservativeHome website: &quot;The reason for the disappointing result was not the absence of support for Theresa May and the Conservatives but an unexpected surge in support for Labour.&quot;

A party spokesman confirmed Hill had also resigned.

Timothy and Hill have been accused of creating a &quot;toxic&quot; atmosphere in Downing Street.

May&#39;s former director of communications, Katie Perrior, had earlier recounted the &quot;terrible&quot; atmosphere at meetings attended by the pair, whom she said showed no respect for other staff or even ministers.

&quot;I felt what the prime minister needs when you&#39;re going through a tough time like negotiating Brexit is diplomats, not street fighters,&quot; Perrior, who quit before the election, told BBC radio.&nbsp;

&quot;They really only know one way to operate and that&#39;s to have enemies and I&#39;m sure I&#39;m one of those this morning.&quot;

&#39;Furtive&#39;&nbsp;

The Conservative-backing Daily Telegraph newspaper had earlier warned: &quot;Mrs May must accept that the result is an indictment of the furtive way she does business.

&quot;She needs to be more collegiate, seeking the advice of the cabinet and backbench MPs while reducing her almost total reliance on a tiny cadre of advisors.&quot;

Timothy had been widely blamed for the social care plan, over which May was forced to backtrack in the middle of the election campaign following signs it was hitting the party&#39;s core support.

Hill has also made enemies with her combative style, confronting anyone -- including staff, ministers and journalists -- who seemed less than loyal to her boss.

Sky News anchor Adam Bolton read out a text message she had sent to him live on air after he mentioned the health of the prime minister, who has diabetes.

&quot;Tell Bunter (Bolton) that he should watch what he says about my boss&#39;s health. Utterly unfounded and untrue. We will be making a formal complaint,&quot; she wrote.

Last December, Hill also told senior Conservative lawmaker Nicky Morgan to keep away from Downing Street after criticising the premier for her expensive leather trousers.

(AFP)

Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill resigned as their presence in May's coterie was viewed by many party insiders as toxic

British Prime Minister Theresa May's two closest aides announced their resignations Saturday after a crushing electoral setback that left her authority in tatters. Senior members of the ruling Conservative party had reportedly made the departure of Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill a condition of allowing May to stay on after losing her parliamentary majority in Thursday's vote. But it will be another blow to the prime minister, who has been heavily reliant on their advice and support since her previous job at the interior ministry. Timothy said he had resigned on Friday after the result was confirmed, and took responsibility for the Conservative manifesto, including a botched plan for elderly social care that caused a major backlash. But he wrote on the ConservativeHome website: "The reason for the disappointing result was not the absence of support for Theresa May and the Conservatives but an unexpected surge in support for Labour." A party spokesman confirmed Hill had also resigned. Timothy and Hill have been accused of creating a "toxic" atmosphere in Downing Street. May's former director of communications, Katie Perrior, had earlier recounted the "terrible" atmosphere at meetings attended by the pair, whom she said showed no respect for other staff or even ministers. "I felt what the prime minister needs when you're going through a tough time like negotiating Brexit is diplomats, not street fighters," Perrior, who quit before the election, told BBC radio. "They really only know one way to operate and that's to have enemies and I'm sure I'm one of those this morning." 'Furtive' The Conservative-backing Daily Telegraph newspaper had earlier warned: "Mrs May must accept that the result is an indictment of the furtive way she does business. "She needs to be more collegiate, seeking the advice of the cabinet and backbench MPs while reducing her almost total reliance on a tiny cadre of advisors." Timothy had been widely blamed for the social care plan, over which May was forced to backtrack in the middle of the election campaign following signs it was hitting the party's core support. Hill has also made enemies with her combative style, confronting anyone -- including staff, ministers and journalists -- who seemed less than loyal to her boss. Sky News anchor Adam Bolton read out a text message she had sent to him live on air after he mentioned the health of the prime minister, who has diabetes. "Tell Bunter (Bolton) that he should watch what he says about my boss's health. Utterly unfounded and untrue. We will be making a formal complaint," she wrote. Last December, Hill also told senior Conservative lawmaker Nicky Morgan to keep away from Downing Street after criticising the premier for her expensive leather trousers. (AFP)

Theresa May's two closest aides step down amid poll setback

UK Elections 2017 has been a tight race between the Conservatives and Labour party candidates. While PM Theresa May was sure of making it to the finished line with a majority, Jeremy Corbyn has managed to pull a masterstroke.&nbsp;

Jeremy Bernard Corbyn, 68, the grand old man of British politics had a different game plan from the beginning. His policies and the Labour party&#39;s manifesto stood its ground on local and domestic issues that made a connect with the British citizens. Corbyn was able to shave off Theresa May&#39;s lead in the popularity polls in the last two weeks. His focus on education, security, income tax and importantly his stance on Brexit clearly touched a chord while May and her party did not have a solid post-Brexit roadmap for UK citizens.&nbsp;

Corbyn has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 12 September 2015. He was born in Chippenham and is the youngest of the four sons in the family.&nbsp;

Always a crusader, while still in&nbsp;school, he became active in The Wrekin constituency Young Socialists, his local Labour Party, and the League Against Cruel Sports.&nbsp; 
He joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in 1966 whilst at school and later became one of its three vice-chairs.

&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Whatever the final result, our positive campaign has changed politics for the better. <a href="https://t.co/EHLta2rnIW">pic.twitter.com/EHLta2rnIW</a>
&mdash; Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/872975310249230336">June 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Brexit:

Corbyn has consistently spoken for Britain to remain as an EU member but after the referendum result, Corbyn over the last two weeks of campaigning has maintained that the &ldquo;result must be respected&rdquo; and a &quot;close new relationship with the EU&quot; should be targeted. He said that one of his first acts as Britain&#39;s prime minister would be to call German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to chalk out a plan for Brexit. He also promised to guarantee the rights of EU citizens based in the UK while&nbsp;rejecting the idea of &#39;no deal&#39; in EU negotiations.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Education:

What also added&nbsp;to his popularity&nbsp;is his commitment to education and providing for the youth by announcing the scrapping of tuition fees for universities. He also announced&nbsp;the scrapping of upfront costs for colleges and further education courses while reintroducing maintenance grants for students. He also wooed&nbsp;new mothers by plugging the gap in childcare after maternity leave helping them to come back to work with the aid of National Education Service.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Terrorism:

In the wake of London Bridge terror attacks, both May and Corbyn differ on opinions. Corbyn chose to not support counter-terrorism legislation as a parliamentarian. He promised to reverse the cutting of around 20,000 police officers since 2010. He also vowed his support for Trident, that is&nbsp;UK&rsquo;s Vanguard fleet of submarines carrying nuclear missiles. Corbyn has however been a strong opponent of&nbsp;nuclear weapons.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Income Tax:

Motivated to ensure that the national debt is reduced, Corbyn in his party&rsquo;s manifesto looked&nbsp;to raise tax revenues from the top earners in the country. For those earning above &pound;80,000 ($103,544), income tax rate would increase 45 per cent for earnings above the amount and then to 50 pence in each pound for people with an income of more than &pound;123,000.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Trump:

Before Trump had withdrawn from the Paris climate accord and talks were still on, Corbyn spoke about calling US President Donald Trump and urging him to not withdraw from the accord. He continuously criticised May&rsquo;s approach in dealing with Trump calling it &quot;dereliction of duty&quot; when she failed to sign a joint statement with other EU leaders condemning the US administration.&nbsp;

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Iraq War:

Corbyn identifies himself as an anti-war activist. In October 2001, Corbyn was elected to the steering committee of the Stop the War Coalition, which was formed to oppose the Afghanistan War. He also opposed the Iraq War in 2003 and spoke at anti-war rallies in Britain and overseas. He helped organise the February anti-Iraq War protest which was claimed to be the largest such protest in British political history. In 2006, Corbyn was one of 12 Labour MPs to support Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party&#39;s call for a parliamentary inquiry into the Iraq War.&nbsp; 
 
(WION) 
&nbsp;

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn almost singlehandedly chipped PM Theresa May's political capital

UK Elections 2017 has been a tight race between the Conservatives and Labour party candidates. While PM Theresa May was sure of making it to the finished line with a majority, Jeremy Corbyn has managed to pull a masterstroke. Jeremy Bernard Corbyn, 68, the grand old man of British politics had a different game plan from the beginning. His policies and the Labour party's manifesto stood its ground on local and domestic issues that made a connect with the British citizens. Corbyn was able to shave off Theresa May's lead in the popularity polls in the last two weeks. His focus on education, security, income tax and importantly his stance on Brexit clearly touched a chord while May and her party did not have a solid post-Brexit roadmap for UK citizens. Corbyn has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 12 September 2015. He was born in Chippenham and is the youngest of the four sons in the family. Always a crusader, while still in school, he became active in The Wrekin constituency Young Socialists, his local Labour Party, and the League Against Cruel Sports. He joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in 1966 whilst at school and later became one of its three vice-chairs. Whatever the final result, our positive campaign has changed politics for the better. pic.twitter.com/EHLta2rnIW — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 9, 2017 × Brexit: Corbyn has consistently spoken for Britain to remain as an EU member but after the referendum result, Corbyn over the last two weeks of campaigning has maintained that the “result must be respected” and a "close new relationship with the EU" should be targeted. He said that one of his first acts as Britain's prime minister would be to call German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to chalk out a plan for Brexit. He also promised to guarantee the rights of EU citizens based in the UK while rejecting the idea of 'no deal' in EU negotiations. Education: What also added to his popularity is his commitment to education and providing for the youth by announcing the scrapping of tuition fees for universities. He also announced the scrapping of upfront costs for colleges and further education courses while reintroducing maintenance grants for students. He also wooed new mothers by plugging the gap in childcare after maternity leave helping them to come back to work with the aid of National Education Service. Terrorism: In the wake of London Bridge terror attacks, both May and Corbyn differ on opinions. Corbyn chose to not support counter-terrorism legislation as a parliamentarian. He promised to reverse the cutting of around 20,000 police officers since 2010. He also vowed his support for Trident, that is UK’s Vanguard fleet of submarines carrying nuclear missiles. Corbyn has however been a strong opponent of nuclear weapons. Income Tax: Motivated to ensure that the national debt is reduced, Corbyn in his party’s manifesto looked to raise tax revenues from the top earners in the country. For those earning above £80,000 ($103,544), income tax rate would increase 45 per cent for earnings above the amount and then to 50 pence in each pound for people with an income of more than £123,000. Trump: Before Trump had withdrawn from the Paris climate accord and talks were still on, Corbyn spoke about calling US President Donald Trump and urging him to not withdraw from the accord. He continuously criticised May’s approach in dealing with Trump calling it "dereliction of duty" when she failed to sign a joint statement with other EU leaders condemning the US administration. Iraq War: Corbyn identifies himself as an anti-war activist. In October 2001, Corbyn was elected to the steering committee of the Stop the War Coalition, which was formed to oppose the Afghanistan War. He also opposed the Iraq War in 2003 and spoke at anti-war rallies in Britain and overseas. He helped organise the February anti-Iraq War protest which was claimed to be the largest such protest in British political history. In 2006, Corbyn was one of 12 Labour MPs to support Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party's call for a parliamentary inquiry into the Iraq War. (WION)

How ?Corbyn strategy? stumped PM May

By Ankit Saproo

British PM Theresa May&#39;s decision to call for early snap elections in April was guided mainly by polls which pointed to a huge victory. However, as early results poured in it clearly revealed&nbsp;Britain was a different country two months ago.

Her political instinct was clearly out of sync with reality. A majority&nbsp;would have given her an entire five-year term to negotiate the Brexit process on her own terms.&nbsp;

In her speech announcing the early elections, May had said, &quot;It was with reluctance that I decided the country needs this election, but it is with strong conviction that I say it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond.&quot;

A confident May even suggested to&nbsp;the British people that they should vote for the Conservative party&nbsp;if they want Brexit to be a success.&nbsp;Unfortunately, the election results out today prove&nbsp;her political instincts were&nbsp;clearly out of sync with reality.

What led to the failure?

Just like her predecessor ex-prime minister David Cameron, May was against Brexit but remained silent during the entire campaign leading up to the referendum on June 23, 2016.

David Cameron resigned as the Prime Minister&nbsp;after Britain voted in favour of Brexit.&nbsp;Theresa May, who was home secretary in the Cameron government, took over as the next Prime Minister and quickly became a votary of Brexit saying that it is what the people wanted. In the end, it was her &#39;Great Switch&#39; which was rejected by the British people.&nbsp;

On March 29, 2016, she won a major victory in the UK Parliament when the European Union Bill was passed by a huge majority with the support of the Labour party. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats had opposed the bill.

With the bipartisan support for the bill to initiate the process of UK&#39;s exit, Theresa May activated Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. This was a major victory for the Theresa May-led government and gave her the confidence to go for what has been described as &quot;Hard Brexit&quot;.

In a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-theresa-may-signs-letter-that-will-start-brexit-13913">letter to the European Council President Donald Tusk</a>, Theresa May said that the Brexit referendum &quot;was a vote to restore, as we see it, our national self-determination&quot;.

Donald Tusk urged Theresa May not to let &quot;emotions&quot;&nbsp;get in the way of the negotiating process as it would lead to talks collapsing even before they start.

The appeal from the European Council President came after Theresa May accused Brussels of meddling in the election process and undermining British stance on the terms of negotiations governing Brexit.&nbsp;With her allegedly hard position on Brexit negotiations, she alienated most of UK&#39;s allies in the European Union.&nbsp;

What next?

With&nbsp;the Conservative party losing the majority in the House of Commons&nbsp;Theresa May is clearly handicapped, almost a lame duck when she leads the Brexit talks.

In fact, analysts are already hinting at the possibility of a new referendum on Brexit. The House is clearly divided after this historic verdict. Is this the beginning of the end of Brexit or end of a&nbsp;new beginning? &nbsp; &nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

May even went to the extent of suggesting that the British people should vote the Conservatives to power if they want Brexit to be a success, a report in The Guardian said

By Ankit Saproo British PM Theresa May's decision to call for early snap elections in April was guided mainly by polls which pointed to a huge victory. However, as early results poured in it clearly revealed Britain was a different country two months ago. Her political instinct was clearly out of sync with reality. A majority would have given her an entire five-year term to negotiate the Brexit process on her own terms. In her speech announcing the early elections, May had said, "It was with reluctance that I decided the country needs this election, but it is with strong conviction that I say it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond." A confident May even suggested to the British people that they should vote for the Conservative party if they want Brexit to be a success. Unfortunately, the election results out today prove her political instincts were clearly out of sync with reality. What led to the failure? Just like her predecessor ex-prime minister David Cameron, May was against Brexit but remained silent during the entire campaign leading up to the referendum on June 23, 2016. David Cameron resigned as the Prime Minister after Britain voted in favour of Brexit. Theresa May, who was home secretary in the Cameron government, took over as the next Prime Minister and quickly became a votary of Brexit saying that it is what the people wanted. In the end, it was her 'Great Switch' which was rejected by the British people. On March 29, 2016, she won a major victory in the UK Parliament when the European Union Bill was passed by a huge majority with the support of the Labour party. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats had opposed the bill. With the bipartisan support for the bill to initiate the process of UK's exit, Theresa May activated Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. This was a major victory for the Theresa May-led government and gave her the confidence to go for what has been described as "Hard Brexit". In a letter to the European Council President Donald Tusk, Theresa May said that the Brexit referendum "was a vote to restore, as we see it, our national self-determination". Donald Tusk urged Theresa May not to let "emotions" get in the way of the negotiating process as it would lead to talks collapsing even before they start. The appeal from the European Council President came after Theresa May accused Brussels of meddling in the election process and undermining British stance on the terms of negotiations governing Brexit. With her allegedly hard position on Brexit negotiations, she alienated most of UK's allies in the European Union. What next? With the Conservative party losing the majority in the House of Commons Theresa May is clearly handicapped, almost a lame duck when she leads the Brexit talks. In fact, analysts are already hinting at the possibility of a new referendum on Brexit. The House is clearly divided after this historic verdict. Is this the beginning of the end of Brexit or end of a new beginning? (WION)

Theresa May's gamble and why it failed

Theresa May said on Friday she will form a new British government with backing from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) after losing the majority in the UK general elections. 
&nbsp; 
May says she will form a government that will provide certainty. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;I have just been to see Her Majesty the Queen and I will now form a government -- a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country,&quot; she said after returning from Buckingham Palace to her Downing Street office in London.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-election-preet-gill-first-female-sikh-mp-tanmanjeet-singh-first-turbaned-lawmaker-16628">UK election: Preet Gill first female Sikh MP, Tanmanjeet Singh first turbaned lawmaker</a> 
&nbsp; 
She also said she&#39;ll stick to the timetable for Britain to leave the European Union. 
&nbsp; 
May&rsquo;s Conservative party won most seats in Thursday&#39;s general election but lost its parliamentary majority. 
&nbsp; 
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who was expected to lose badly has made a huge comeback strengthening his claim over his party.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Earlier, May visited the Buckingham Palace to seek permission from Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-elections-corbyn-led-labour-ensures-hung-parliament-theresa-may-loses-majority-16604">Corbyn-led Labour ensures hung Parliament, Theresa May loses majority</a>.

 
&nbsp;

May said on Friday she will form a new British government with backing from the Democratic Unionist Party after losing majority in the UK general elections

Theresa May said on Friday she will form a new British government with backing from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) after losing the majority in the UK general elections. May says she will form a government that will provide certainty. "I have just been to see Her Majesty the Queen and I will now form a government -- a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country," she said after returning from Buckingham Palace to her Downing Street office in London. Also Read: UK election: Preet Gill first female Sikh MP, Tanmanjeet Singh first turbaned lawmaker She also said she'll stick to the timetable for Britain to leave the European Union. May’s Conservative party won most seats in Thursday's general election but lost its parliamentary majority. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who was expected to lose badly has made a huge comeback strengthening his claim over his party. Earlier, May visited the Buckingham Palace to seek permission from Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government. Also Read: Corbyn-led Labour ensures hung Parliament, Theresa May loses majority.

Theresa May says she will form new UK government

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