Newsweek (December 13)
In calling an election, Prime Minister Boris Johnson “hit the jackpot. The Conservative government, which promised to ‘get Brexit done’ and lavish cash on public services, was returned triumphantly with 365 seats, its largest Westminster majority since 1987.” The result “bears many of the signs of a once-in-a-lifetime phenomena—a critical realignment redefining the basis of British politics.”
Tags: Brexit, Conservative, Election, Jackpot, Johnson, Majority, Once-in-a-lifetime, Public services, Realignment, Westminster
The Economist (September 28)
“This was the worst week in Mr Johnson’s extraordinarily bad two months in office. The unelected prime minister has lost every vote he has faced, squandered his majority and fired a score of MPs from his Conservative Party. Following the court’s ruling, he was dragged back from a UN summit in New York to face the music in Westminster, where MPs now have ample time to grill him”
Tags: Bad, Conservative Party, Court, Johnson, Majority, MPs, PM, Squandered, UN summit, Unelected, Vote, Westminster, Worst
Reuters (December 18)
“British business has issued a stark warning to MPs that they risk plunging an ill-prepared economy into chaos unless they stop playing politics at Westminster…. As ministers agreed to a dramatic escalation of preparations for a no-deal Brexit, including putting 3,500 armed forces personnel on standby, the leaders of the UK’s five leading employers’ groups said the country was nowhere near ready.”
The Economist (July 22)
“Despite the frantic political activity in Westminster…the country has made remarkably little progress since the referendum in deciding what form Brexit should take. All versions, however “hard” or “soft”, have drawbacks…. Yet Britain’s leaders have scarcely acknowledged that exit will involve compromises, let alone how damaging they are likely to be. The longer they fail to face up to Brexit’s painful trade-offs, the more brutal will be the eventual reckoning with reality.”
Tags: Brexit, Brutal, Compromises, Drawbacks, Frantic, Hard, Painful, Progress, Reality, Reckoning, Referendum, Soft, Trade-offs, Westminster
The Economist (March 18)
“Westminster is unlikely to refuse the request” for another Scottish referendum. Refusal “would add to the already-damaging perception of an English-dominated government that ignores Scotland. Once again a Conservative prime minister faces the prospect of presiding over the break-up of the union. And this time it is against the backdrop of perhaps the most complex international negotiations Britain has ever undertaken, as it leaves the European Union.”
Tags: Break-up, Conservative, EU, Government, Perception, Referendum, Scotland, Westminster
