The British Conservative Party has created enormous political and administrative chaos in four years, with grave consequences for the population. But the same party is again in charge of the new British Prime Minister. That is unlikely in almost any other democratic country, but sadly this is a sad political reality in London.
Monday afternoon, the British people will know who will replace Liz Truss. Truss decided last week to step down after just 45 days as prime minister. It became unbelievable after earlier announcing significant tax cuts and financial markets reacting with rising interest rates and a sharp fall in the value of the British pound. He sacked the finance minister of Kwasi Kwarteng, but his successor Jeremy Hunt immediately overturned the tax cuts. As a result, his position became untenable.
But the fact that Truss was elected by a majority of conservatives also says something about the party’s remoteness. They wanted to believe him, despite the many warnings that he made reckless promises. His opponent, Rishi Sunak, was more realistic but lost to Truss.
Brexit brings nothing to the country
The Conservative Party is a party that traces the past of the once powerful global empire, United Kingdom, but can not forget. The reflex was very strong in the decision, despite the narrow referendum result, to leave the European Union on a ‘hard Brexit’. The UK would be better off without the European Union, more prosperous and without the ‘unbridled’ influx of workers from Eastern Europe.
The Brexit process itself was a drama, due to internal political divisions in the House of Commons, but the so-called independence brought nothing to the population. The country has experienced an economic downturn, with empty shelves in shops and a severe shortage of staff. The biggest drama was the post of prime minister Boris Johnson, a populist, who lied and cheated, handing out jobs and giving tenders to party members.
In four years, the party has passed four leaders (David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss) who all failed in their prime. Nonetheless, the party managed to win the last election, partly because the Labor Party did not have a good alternative. But what about now that Brexit remains the issue of the biggest division within the Conservative party.
Hence, a new election is preferred for the future of the UK, but that will not be the case for now. The Conservatives are in very bad shape in the polls and the new prime minister is unlikely to hold an election. We’ll find out who will replace Truss at the end of the week, as long as his name isn’t Boris Johnson.
Comment is Trouw’s opinion, expressed by members of the editorial board and senior editors.
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