It was a historic win for the Conservative party in U.K.’s general election. In fact, it is by far the strongest outright majority for any party in U.K.’s elections since Tony Blair left premiership. (Editorial, “The day of Boris,” and “Britain votes for Brexit,” Dec. 14). Significantly, Boris Johnson was the first leader to campaign on leaving the European Union (EU). Now, he is in a position to deliver on the central promise of his campaign. The country’s resources will be tied up on Brexit for the foreseeable future. It will also be a fallacy to think that the U.K. will be free to do whatever it wants the moment the Withdrawal Bill passes. In fact, the U.K.’s freedom will depend on what kind of future relationship it wants with the EU and other partners.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
Post U.K. election, it is a moot question whether it is a turn for the better for the nation and the region. Since the days of Margaret Thatcher,the spectre of a more powerful and unified Germany has rendered the British sensitive and paranoid. It was natural for a restless Britain to anguish over the European Union (EU) in general and a perceived German hegemony,in particular. Under influence of internal pressure politics and eternal Labour-Tory wrangle for one-upmanship, the U.K. went for Brexit more in haste than by design. This exacerbated cynical inter/intra party politics that spared neither the people nor, later, the courts. Post-election, with an effervescent Boris Johnson, the road ahead could be as misty as before. While the Irish problem over inward flow of goods needs to be resolved comprehensively, the sweep of the Scottish National Party (SNP) adds to the collage of issues. The U.K. will now have to settle one way or the other with the EU, its bargaining power mostly staying unchanged.
R. Narayanan,
Navi Mumbai
