Laura Corin Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40049892 Please, no mention of US politics during the discussion - I don't want to make work for the moderators. In the past, talking about UK politics has not been seen as a violation of the rules, but I'm very happy for this thread to be taken down if it is in any way problematic. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Thank you, Laura! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Chuckled at this description, "Richard the III meets Scarface with a little godfather". Thanks for the article. Laura, since it looks like Brexit it will continue even if another party gains the majority, do you think another vote on Scottish independence in the future will be successful? If it were, how likely is it that England will get tough on Scots living/working in the remaining UK? I know that Scotland was pro EU at the time of Brexit vote, so wondered how this might play out. Interesting that one million new voters are 25 and under. That is a difficult age group in the U.S. to get motivated to register to vote. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 I am interested, and appreciated reading that simple breakdown of the UK election process. Thanks for sharing. Two things stood out--the fact that the PM can see an opportunity to gain more seats/power and call for another election, just like that, and the fact that three million people have registered to vote since she did. Sounds like things could get interesting . . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 Thanks for the article. Laura, since it looks like Brexit it will continue even if another party gains the majority, do you think another vote on Scottish independence in the future will be successful? If it were, how likely is it that England will get tough on Scots living/working in the remaining UK? I know that Scotland was pro EU at the time of Brexit vote, so wondered how this might play out. Interesting that one million new voters are 25 and under. That is a difficult age group in the U.S. to get motivated to register to vote. The majority of the people of Scotland currently do not want another independence referendum. The Westminster government can block a second referendum, and is likely to do that based on the popular will. That leaves it open as to what will happen if the popular will changes: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39264468 If Scotland becomes independent, it is likely Scots (including me - I'm English but resident in Scotland) would have dual nationality, in the same way that Northern Irish people can have dual UK/irish nationality if they wish. A lot of young people have been motivated by the policies espoused by Jeremy Corbin - I see a lot on Facebook about students etc. supporting him. This could get interesting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 (edited) Two things stood out--the fact that the PM can see an opportunity to gain more seats/power and call for another election, just like that, ... We used to have no set electoral period - there was an outside limit, I think of five years - but in every case, it was the Prime Minister's choice when to time it. More recently, fixed term parliaments have been introduced, but the PM can still call a snap election. This explains how it happens: [....] there are two ways under the [Fixed Term Parliament Act] that an election can be called ahead of schedule. The first is if two thirds of MPs vote to hold an election. This is a very high bar and would in practice require both Labour and Conservative support. The second is if there is a no confidence vote in the government of the day. After such a vote other parties are given 14 days to form another government. If none can be formed, a new election is held. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-2017-snap-vote-can-theresa-may-call-one-early-rules-parliament-a7132846.html ETA: calling a snap election can be a very risky procedure, as Theresa May has found. Edited June 1, 2017 by Laura Corin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauranc Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 My family has been watching with interest--- watched the debate last night (not live). My husband is British, and my in laws were just here visiting. So, there's been a lot of talk about what is going on! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 How does this all affect Brexit? Could Labour stop the Article 50 process if they did win? Would they just have to hope to negotiate a better deal and maintain free movement and free trade? What happens if the Tories win but lose a lot of seats? Will they back down on hard Brexit? Will the knives come out for Theresa May? Will Liar, Liar be #1? I just saw the clip this morning. It's pretty funny, but it's also a powerful political ad dressed up as ska: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 (edited) I've been watching it from a distance, as I have in-laws still living in Scotland who definitely have political opinions and aren't too shy to share them. Lol Edited June 1, 2017 by Kinsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 How does this all affect Brexit? Could Labour stop the Article 50 process if they did win? Would they just have to hope to negotiate a better deal and maintain free movement and free trade? What happens if the Tories win but lose a lot of seats? Will they back down on hard Brexit? Will the knives come out for Theresa May? Will Liar, Liar be #1? I just saw the clip this morning. It's pretty funny, but it's also a powerful political ad dressed up as ska: Labour could stop Brexit (the referendum was not legally binding) but I'd be astonished if they did - will of the people, and all that. It's really hard to tell what they would try to negotiate, as the Labour party is deeply divided. I doubt if the Tories will back down on hard Brexit. The knives could be out for Theresa May, but there's no obvious alternative: all those who were in favour of Brexit cut and ran after the referendum result (she was not in favour of Brexit but, will of the people, and all that). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Thanks Laura! I'm always interested in elections outside the U.S. but this one in particular as I was in London for the Brexit vote and all the brouhaha leading up to it and the the aftermath as well. I know that this is about more than that but reading all the papers and chatting with the locals got me more interested in UK politics in general. I'm leaving town so I'll be quiet for a few days but hope to catch up when I return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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