SHOULD THE NEW BRITISH PRIME MINISTER CALL A GENERAL ELECTION?

HMS Brexit 'Great Britain' about to leave the European Port, with Captain Theresa May in charge!

Politics and life in general, in Britain, has recently become very uncertain and apprehensive.  

Prior to June 23rd 2016, the British people and their government appeared to know exactly where they stood nationally and internationally.  Their Chancellor of the Exchequer knew what he was doing to manage the British economy and how he was attempting to balance and navigate it through the dangerous Straits of Austerity and  Economic Stimulus. Britain, as I said, knew where it stood in the world and in Europe. She was an integral and substantial member of the European Union, although there was and is much about the structure and functioning of it which she does not like and wanted to change.

And then, one shell-shocked morning after the Brexit Referendum in June, the British people awoke to find that the ground had shifted massively and, apparently, irrevocably from under their feet, and it had nothing to do with sex. Fifty-two percent of the British electorate who voted in the referendum, voted for Britain to leave the European Union. Seemingly, slow motion potential disaster has befallen the British people and their country. The 48 per cent who voted for the country to remain in the EU could not believe what had just happen; they could not have expected it, especially with a YouGov poll indicating that the Remainers would carry the day with a small margin of the votes - how often do the pollsters get it wrong?! 

Probably many of those who voted to leave, also could not have believed it. The Scots who voted by a large majority to remain in the EU found that they, live the 48 per cent of the British electorate who voted to remain, apparently have no option but to lump it and trail behind the 'will of the 52 per centers.'

The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, could not believe it and, as might have been expected, did the next 'most honourable thing' he could have done, next to falling on his sword, and resigned.

All of which gave rise to the on-going blood letting which we are still witnessing, as the country's people wait, probably not with baited breath, but with marked apprehension to see how their government will implement its declaration to divorce the country from the EU. Then negotiate and re-negotiate new trade, financial and other agreements and protocols with the rest of the world.

With David Cameron resigning, on the basis that the outcome of the Brexit referendum meant that the electorate had rejected his preference to remain in the EU, the opportunity was then open for other members of his government to compete for the vacant Party leadership and prime ministerial posts .

And now, after somewhat of a farcical leadership campaign which  saw the purported Conservative heir apparent, Boris Johnson, having unexpectedly removed himself from the fray, assisted by the perfidy his former colleague, Michael Gove, who then joined the contest, but only to fail miserably, we have now seen Theresa May, by virtue of her only competitor, Andrea Leadsom, also dropping out of the contest suddenly and unexpectedly, triumphing and becoming the new Prime Minister.

And so, Britain now has a new Prime Minister, one who, like David Cameron, had campaigned for the country to remain in the EU, but who, unlike DC, has professed her ability and commitment to prove herself to become a Brexiteer par excellence.

Now, the British electorate did not vote for Theresa May during the last general election, and they had no idea of what her policies will be, except that she has committed herself to Brexit, and to unite the nation and work to realise a fairer society. When the last general election was held in 2015, Brexit was not on the agenda as a certainty, and, with 48 per cent of the electorate voting to remain, it seems reasonable to think that the out come of the election might not have resulted in the Conservatives winning the large majority they won.

So, in light of the seismic changes which have taken and are taking place in Britain's political, economic and social life, is there a case for Theresa May to call another general election, and, if so, what is it?

Politics, as is often said, is a dirty business, which is bereft of  'morality' and motivated and sustained by the desire for power, opportunism and expediency. It is clear that, if there is a case for Mrs May to hold a general election, the 'it is the moral and right thing to do', is not going to carry any weight.  Politicians do not usually give up power because 'it is the moral or right thing to do'; irrespective of what David Cameron did in resigning as Prime Minister. He simply wanted out, probably because he wanted to do other things.

Legally, Theresa May does not have to call a general election, as the next one is not due until about 2020; nearly enough time for Brexited Britain to sink or start to swim in the uncharted 'go it alone' course she has set herself.

So, what about the 'democracy' argument; the one which would argue that, as the British electorate did not vote for the policies which Theresa May is now proposing, and the uncertainty about the cost and impact of Brexit on the British people's lives and economy, it would make good sense for her to seek 'a new mandate' from the electorate?

It would appear that it is the 'democracy' argument which has the most validity in arguing for another general election. But, it is undoubtedly the case that many who oppose having a general election, will invoke the 'political expediency argument' to rebuff it; that of arguing that, 'the British people have expressed their democratic right already, by voting to leave the European Union, and that Theresa May's proposed, though yet to be articulated policies are intended to give effect to their expressed will.'

That is not an argument I support, but, I can imagine that, politics being what it is, manipulative, opportunistic, expedient and dirty, people can always make the objective and the created facts support their case. 

It does not help that the British Labour Party, still preoccupied with its own very destructive Parliamentarians versus the Party's rank and file members war, lacks the ability to effectively push for another general election.

Of course, it is not out of the question that Theresa May, if, as seems likely, does not call a general election to get a mandate for her government, might still find herself off course and/or rudderless at some point in the stormy waters of Brexit, and having to call an election. But then, that would be as expected; with her doing so, only if she  finds that she has no other choice, or that it becomes expedient for her to do so.

No time to get sea-sick, as the Brexiteers prepare for their voyage into the 'known unknown.'