Foreign Correspondence, Vol 101
Labour delivered a decisive victory in Britain. Now comes the hard part
Hello, and happy Friday!
The U.K. election is over—and what an election it was. As predicted by pretty much every poll in the run-up to the vote, the opposition Labour Party secured a landslide victory, shunting the ruling Conservatives back into opposition after 14 long years in power. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer (remember him?) will become the country’s next prime minister.
I’ve been up all night watching the results come in, and it’s been surreal to observe all of the upsets—from former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s insurgent victory as an independent candidate in Islington North to the ousting of former Conservative leader Liz Truss, of 49-day premiership fame. Britain’s next Parliament will feature hundreds of new faces, though not all of them unfamiliar. After seven failed attempts, the arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage will be taking a seat on the green House of Commons benches as a lawmaker for his anti-immigration Reform U.K. party.
Unlike American elections, which take far too long to run and implement, the British process is delightfully expedient. In a matter of hours, Keir Starmer will be invited by King Charles III to form a new government. Rishi Sunak, who conceded the election in a gracious speech, called Starmer in the early hours of the morning to congratulate him.
I’ve written about the result and what comes next (more on that below). But never fear, for the election madness continues elsewhere. This weekend, French voters return to the polls to cast their ballot in a legislative election runoff that could result in the formation of the country’s first far-right government since World War II. Watch this space 👀
In podcast news: I made my debut on the new Quiet Riot podcast to discuss the U.K. election, the first Biden-Trump presidential debate, and more. You can tune in here, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do, you’ll find out what inspired one listener to create this rather niche bit of merch.
What I’ve written
Oppositions don’t win elections, received Westminster wisdom tells us. Governments lose them. And in Britain’s July 4 election, the ruling Conservatives lost big. I wrote about the result and the challenges that lie ahead:
As tempted as some observers will be to declare this election result a new dawn in British politics, the reality is that Labour’s challenges in government have only just begun. “You’re going to have a Labour coalition that is incredibly broad but also incredibly shallow, and elected on a platform that doesn’t really address some of the massive problems the country faces,” says Anand Menon, the director of the U.K. in a Changing Europe think tank in London. If there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing, it’ll be this for Labour: The party is on track to claim a base that spans north and south, urban and rural, deprived and affluent. Balancing the needs of all these constituencies, and maintaining their support, will be a challenge.
Keep reading: Labour Delivered a Decisive Victory in Britain. Now Comes the Hard Part
This was perhaps the most seismic election Britain has had in decades. And yet, it felt so boring. I wrote about why that is—and what it tells us about the state of British politics:
There’s an argument to be made that boring politics is just what Britain needs, particularly after the years of instability brought on by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and all of the economic volatility that has followed. But unless that boredom is complemented with meaningful change, it could easily give way to disillusionment—and more of the shambolic politics that Britons are so keen to get away from.
Keep reading: Britain Is Facing Its Most Seismic Election in Decades. So Why Does It Feel So Boring?
Plus:
Macron Called an Election to Thwart the Far Right. He Resuscitated the Left Instead
More Than 20,000 Children Are Missing in Gaza, New Report Finds
What I’ve read
Time to Roll the Dice • By Anne Applebaum in The Atlantic
The Republicans have already shown us that they do not care and will not stop Trump. Until now, the Democrats have supported Joe Biden, a successful, transformative, and even heroic president, while a coterie of people around him concealed his true condition. Doubts about the 81-year-old president’s ability to continue governing were already widespread and are partly responsible for his low approval rating. Since last week’s debate, they have been front and center, and there is no reason to believe they will dissipate. On the contrary, the doubts are very likely to grow worse. Every stumble, every forgotten word will reinforce the impression created by the debate. Biden is polling behind Trump now. If he remains the candidate, he is likely to lose.
A weekend with Gareth Southgate and friends • From The Economist
English exceptionalism comes in two forms. One is the idea that England is uniquely brilliant; the other that it is uniquely embarrassing. On a train to Dortmund, a well-refreshed Danish fan puts paid to this second myth. “Why can’t England fans sing ‘Ten German Bombers’?” asked the Dane. “I dunno, I don’t make the rules,” replied one England fan. “But why?” asked the Dane. “Because loads of people died,” muttered another England fan, staring at his shoes. Why skip a chance to goad the Germans, wondered the Dane: “They know what they did.”
What Have Fourteen Years of Conservative Rule Done to Britain? • By Sam Knight in The New Yorker
In 2010, the Party returned to government in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. Since 2015, it has held power alone. Last May, the Tories surpassed the thirteen years and nine days that New Labour had held office. But the third political era of my lifetime has been nothing like the previous two. There has been no dominant figure or overt political project, no Thatcherism, no Blairism. Instead, there has been a quickening, lowering churn: five Prime Ministers, three general elections, two financial emergencies, a once-in-a-century constitutional crisis, and an atmosphere of tired, almost constant drama.
What I’m thinking about
I’m headed back to the U.S. soon for a brief holiday, in what will be my first-ever visit to the American Midwest. If you have recommendations for Chicago that isn’t the architectural boat tour (this is all anyone talks about!), please hit ‘reply’ and let me know.
Until next time,
Yasmeen