Millions of voters will go to the polls on Thursday (July 4) to elect a new House of Commons and government in the UK. Voters will elect 650 legislators from various constituencies and regions and the party with the highest number of legislators will be the head of the party as the Prime Minister of the country.
Current UK Prime Minister Rashid Soane’s Conservative Party is widely expected to lose to the main opposition party, the left-leaning moderate Labor Party. The Conservative Veto Party has been in power for 14 years under the leadership of five different prime ministers.
The Conservatives and Labor have traditionally dominated British politics under Britain’s ‘first-past-the-post’ electoral system, which makes it difficult for smaller parties to gain representation in Parliament.
But apart from that, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, Scottish National Party and Greens are also in the race.
Here we look at the political parties. Who is leading them and what promises are they making?
The Conservative Party
Who is the leader of the Conservatives? Prime Minister Rishi Sonik.
Sonic, 44, came to power in October 2022 after inheriting the Conservative Party leadership and a poor economy following Liz Truss’s short-lived prime ministership. An Oxford University graduate and Goldman Sachs hedge fund manager, Britain’s first non-white leader and the first Hindu Prime Minister.
Sonic has emphasized that he is the one to bring stability to the situation, but critics say he lacks political decision-making and is out of touch with the general electorate.
How many seats did the Conservative Party win in the last election? 365.
What are the Conservatives promising?
Stabilizing the economy and reducing taxes by around £17 billion a year. Increase public health spending above inflation and increase defense spending to 2.5 percent of gross national product by 2030. The party says the fund for this purpose will be achieved by reducing tax evasion and welfare spending. The party has also promised to limit the number of migrants and send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The Labor Party
Who are the leaders of the Labor Party? Keir Starmer
The 61-year-old lawyer, a former chief prosecutor of Great Britain and Wales, is the favorite to become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom. Stammer, a moderate and a believer in action, has worked hard to steer his party away from former leader Jeremy Corbyn’s more open socialist policies and to iron out internal divisions. Critics describe him as lacking in enthusiasm and ambition, but the Labor Party has grown in popularity under his leadership.
How many seats did the Labor Party win in the last election? 202.
What is Labor promising? Promoting ‘wealth creation’, encouraging investment and improving British infrastructure such as railways under the 10-year infrastructure strategy. Establishing a state-owned clean energy company to promote energy security, funded by taxes on windfall profits for oil and gas giants. Taxing private schools to pay thousands of new teachers in public schools. Reducing waiting time for treatment which is currently at a record high.
Liberal Democrats
Who are their leaders? Ed Davey
Dewey, 58, was first elected to Parliament in 1997. The former economics researcher served as energy and climate change minister in the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government from 2012 to 2015.
Davey became leader of the left-leaning Liberal Democrats in 2019 and was largely unknown until the current election, although he made headlines by performing various stunts, including bungee jumping. The action was aimed at encouraging voters to ‘take a bold step.’
How many seats did the Liberal Democrats win in the last election? 11.
What are the promises of the Liberal Democrats? Improving the health and social care system in the UK, including introducing free home nursing. Investing in renewable energy and home heating projects. Restrictions on water companies discharging waste into rivers. Lowering the voting age to 16 years. Rejoining the EU’s Single Market.
Reform UK
Who are the leaders of this party? Nigel Farage.
Shola Bayan Faraj, who prides himself on creating a stir in politics, has caused a serious headache for the Conservative Party by announcing his candidacy.
The 60-year-old populist has long divided opinion over his anti-immigrant rhetoric and ‘critical stance on the European Union’. A staunch Brexit supporter, Farage is attracting many disaffected Conservative voters with his promises to reduce immigration and focus on ‘British values’. Faraj has previously contested for parliament seven times but never won.
How many seats did he win in the last election? No one. However, Reform UK’s first candidate was elected as an MP this year when former Conservative deputy leader Lee Anders left the party to join Reform UK.
What is the promise of Reform UK? Freezing all ‘non-essential immigration’ and preventing foreign students from bringing dependents with them to the UK. Withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights so that asylum seekers can be deported without the intervention of human rights courts. Ending ‘net zero’ targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reduce energy costs.
Scottish National Party (SNP)
Who is its leader? John Sweeney.
Sweeney, 60, became the SNP’s third leader in just over a year in May. He is trying to bring stability to the party, which has been in crisis since Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s longest-serving first minister, abruptly resigned last year amid an investigation into campaign finance. As a result of the investigation, her husband was charged with involvement in the crimes.
Sweeney has been in the party for a long time. He joined the party at the age of 15 and previously led the party from 2000 to 2004.
How many seats did the Scottish National Party win in the last election? 48.
What is the party promising? Sweeney said that if his party wins a majority in Scotland, he will try to start negotiations for Scottish independence with the British government based in London.
They want to rejoin the European Union and the European Single Market. They have also called for increased funding for public health, an end to the UK’s nuclear program in Scotland and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The Green Party
Who are the leaders of the party? Carla Denier and Adrian Ramsey.
Denier is a mechanical engineer. Before joining the Green Party in 2011, he worked on wind power projects. Denyer, 38, has been in local politics for nine years in the southwestern British city of Bristol. He was elected co-leader of the Green Party with Ramsay in 2021. He was also active in local politics. He has experience working with environmental charities.
How many seats did the Green Party get in the last election? one
What is the promise of the Green Party? Phasing out nuclear power and ending greenhouse gas emissions in the UK by 2040. The Green Party has pledged to spend £24 billion a year on keeping homes warm and invest £40 billion a year in the green economy. Funding for this would be achieved through a carbon tax, a new wealth tax on the very rich and an income tax hike on millions of high-income earners.
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2024-07-03 15:03:48