UK’s programmatic politics and elections

FOR decades, British elections were largely a showpiece of a two-party electoral contest between the Conservative Party (“Tories”) and the Labour Party. This political landscape changed in the 2010 general elections when the Tories did not win a majority and faced a hung parliament, the first in the UK since 1974. As a consequence, the Tories leader, David Cameron, cobbled together a coalition government with a third party, the Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems).

The new coalition government adopted an economic recovery program, which is a mix of increasing revenues and pruning expenses, which proved to be a more successful plan than Europe’s austerity program.

But to reach that consensus, the coalition partner, Lib Dems had to abandon its campaign pledge to abolish tuition fees, citing that the UK lacked the fiscal space to fund such a significant expense. In effect, the Lib Dems turned its back on its campaign pledge.

The Lib Dems paid a high price, losing several of its seats. The farright UK Independence Party’s own leader lost his seat.

But the biggest loser of all was Labour. The Labour Party had been unable to gain Westminster from the Tories in part because the Scottish National Party (SNP) took all but three constituencies in Scotland—a historical Labour stronghold. The rout arises from an outburst of Scottish nationalism, stoked by last year’s botched referendum on Scotland’s independence.

The British electorate appears to favor continuing the current economic policies of the incumbent Tories, which won an effective majority allowing David Cameron to retain #10 Downing Street.

David Cameron, immediately after public notice of his victory, pledged in his acceptance speech to unite the country, “reclaim the mantle of One Nation” and implement further devolution as soon as possible.

We definitely can learn from the UK elections a lesson or two. The election results were a complete surprise. The pre-election polls were proven all wrong. Three major leaders of the losing parties without hesitation took full responsibility for their respective party’s loss and resigned from their leadership positions.

British politics and their electoral contest appear so honest and straightforward. The main reason for that I believe is because the contesting political parties have their own programmes and ideologies, rather than anchored on personalities. Each party publishes a manifesto during every electoral campaign and voters hold them accountable at the polls for any deviation.

Indeed, UK political party system and electoral contests are an exemplar of good governance and democracy.