So, the Conservative party leadership contest will be between former cabinet members Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. Two people who backed current prime minister Boris Johnson while in office. Just as things couldn’t get any worse...
At the moment, the UK is run by what many commentators say, “a caretaker government”, one still headed by Boris, one which in theory cannot make too many major decisions until the new leader is elected on 5th September. We’re going to have nearly two months of this nonsense, with both candidates instead of putting forward big ideas on how they will improve society, they will openly bitch about each other. When will we finally see any real action on issues such as:
- properly implementing brexit,
- tackling climate change,
- continuing the fight against the deadly coronavirus,
- improving public services,
- and more immediately, deal with the ever growing threat of war across Europe?
In spite of all these problems, this contest could play to the Conservatives’ advantage. There were a high number of both female and ethnic minority candidates standing, and as a result, the UK could see either the first non-white or a third ever female prime minister which could attract voters away from Labour, who have never elected either a female or non-white leader. Labour leader Keir Starmer has been seriously wrongfooted, and that could cause them a lot of problems come the next general election, which won’t be for another two years.
Despite their poor record in the last twelve years governing the UK, The Conservatives will rally behind whoever becomes the next leader because their sole plan, above all else, is to retain political power at the expense of the future of the country.