UK Conservatives and the alternatives

[mtbc]

Theresa May, the Prime Minister and leader of the UK's Conservative Party, seems keen on selling June's general election as an opportunity to vote in plenty of Conservative MPs such that she can have weight behind her in negotiating with the European Union the terms of the UK's departure and trade deals with other countries.

Electorally, the choice is an interesting one. The Conservatives actually give me more pause on other issues such as civil liberties, renewable energy and welfare funding. It's that first issue that has me keep half an eye on the Liberal Democrats except they don't seem to care a lot either given how little they mention it; in any case they have paled into insignificance since their disastrous coalition. I like how Labour seem in favor of spending on healthcare and schools rather than pursuing more privatization and tax cuts but the party is a divided shambles whose leader Jeremy Corbyn was recently even doubting the committing of British forces to NATO's deployment in the Baltic. Regular readers already know in what little esteem I hold the Scottish National Party.

I do always vote. It does however seem usual that the choice requires research and often a little nose-holding. I still have to read through the campaign materials for next month's local elections too. When I can't stomach any of the main parties I have been known to cast an encouraging vote for one of the others but quite rarely.

Comments

[emperor]

IMO, the result of this election (probably a Tory landslide) will be taken as support for the government's ultra-hard Brexit stance. So vote for someone who is anti-Brexit :)

[mtbc]

Alas I fear that at this point aiming for a softer Brexit is akin to tilting at windmills: I don't think that exit, but softly was ever on offer due to EU politics. (Though also I've no idea to what extent HMG's stance is held somewhat dishonestly as a tactic in boldly facing the EU negotiators.) Indeed, many other parties do seem anti-Brexit, even the Scottish Greens.

[emperor]

It may be that the only alternative to ultra-hard-Brexit is "remain in the EU". It's not clear to me that that would be the wrong outcome. It does seem likely, though, that a large Conservative majority would eliminate any possibility of someone going "hang on, maybe this isn't a good idea" when the shape of the final deal becomes clear. That's why I think it's worth opposing Brixeteers at this election - it may not make much difference, but it might also be the last chance we get.

[mindstalk]

The EU has outright said that they'd let a new government walk back the Article 50 invocation.

Of course, I don't know from the US if there *are* solid anti-Brexit options to vote for.

[mtbc]

Well, ha, there's the SNP; this is a safe seat for them anyway, we have their leader in the Commons. The Liberal Democrats would be a more comfortable vote from my perspective though locally I would not expect them to get more than a few percent of the vote.

[mtbc]

for someone might be an issue if the anti-Brexit vote splits across parties!