Opinion / Andrew Tuck
No good outcome
The UK goes to the polls today and a victory for Boris Johnson’s Conservative party seems inevitable. It’s just the scale of the triumph that remains unclear. How many traditional working-class neighbourhoods will turn Tory blue on the election map? Will the Tories hold on to the Scottish seats they gained in 2017 or will a resurgent Scottish National party crush them?
One thing is clear: it’s been pitiful watching the party leaders in action. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has failed to settle the anti-Semitism issue in his party, looks worn out and his outlandish spending promises have failed to resonate with the public. Johnson (pictured), meanwhile, has shown himself to be a man uncomfortable with answering a straight question and the party’s campaign only has one big idea: “get Brexit done”. And the Liberal Democrats leader, Jo Swinson, has frittered away her popularity because of her complicated take on Brexit and a manifesto that failed to inspire debate.
That’s why this election is one where voter loyalty is set to fray; many at the centre of politics will look at the ballot paper and decide none of the above. The only good thing is that failure at the polls will force the losers to get their houses in order.