The United Kingdom’s politics have been undergoing a significant shift in recent years. In 2016, the UK decided to leave the European Union, going against the trend in continental Europe. Now, eight years later, the UK seems to be diverging from its neighbors once again. While right-wing parties are winning elections in other European countries, the British are indicating a shift to the left in the upcoming general elections on Thursday.
Recent polls show that Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has around 40% of voting intentions and is expected to return to number 10 Downing Street after a 14-year hiatus. The Conservatives, led by Rishi Sunak, have dominated UK politics since 2010 but have been in crisis since at least 2022 when Boris Johnson resigned over the Partygate scandal. Despite this recent polls suggesting a conservative recovery, Nigel Farage’s right-wing nationalist party Reform UK has gained traction and could be at risk of not even being the second force in Parliament.
The outcome of these elections will determine the future of historic two-party rivalry in Britain. From Johnson’s resignation to Sunak’s inauguration, the Conservatives faced embarrassment with three prime ministers in less than two months due to their poor performance of UK economy in 2023 which kept them under scrutiny. Sunak called for elections only after slight economic improvement and successful immigration reform. The upcoming election will reveal how far away or close we are from resolving those issues that have been plaguing our society for years now.