Displaying items by tag: Politics

Two days after Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, he was formally adopted by the Republican party as its nominee for the US presidential election in November. He has chosen JD Vance, a 39-year-old former venture capitalist and Ohio senator, as his running mate. Vance, who came to prominence in 2016 when he published an autobiography entitled ‘Hillbilly Elegy’, at that time compared Trump to Hitler and called him an ‘idiot’. However, since then he has become a steadfast supporter, even attending court to support Trump at his hush money trial. He has blamed Joe Biden for the assassination attempt, citing Biden’s rhetoric against Trump as a contributing factor.

Sir Keir Starmer has declared a historic Labour victory in Britain’s general election, achieving a majority of at least 172 seats. Rishi Sunak acknowledged the Conservative party’s devastating defeat, which saw its worst-ever result. Despite Labour’s historic win, its public support remains shallow, securing power with about 34% of the national vote. Starmer, addressing activists, emphasised hope and progress. Labour’s victory mirrors Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide, but with a lower vote share. Its success was partly due to the rightwing vote being split by Nigel Farage’s Reform party. One pollster commented that it seemed more a Conservative loss than a Labour win. The Liberal Democrats won 71 seats (compared with only eight in 2019), and the other big losers were the Scottish National Party, which lost 38 seats in the Labour ‘tsunami’. Overall turnout was only 60%, almost the lowest-ever proportion in a general election.

The scale of the swing to Labour means that a significant number of prominent Conservatives have lost their seats. These include former prime minister Liz Truss, defence secretary Grant Shapps, justice secretary Alex Chalk, education secretary Gillian Keegan, leader of the house Penny Mordaunt, and influential back-bencher Jacob Rees-Mogg. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt held on to his seat by just 891 votes. The Tories also lost the seats formerly held by prime ministers David Cameron, Boris Johnson, and Teresa May. By contrast, nearly 50% of all MPs will be entering the House of Commons for the first time.

The Supreme Court has returned Donald Trump's claim of immunity from prosecution for his actions while president to a lower court. Trump faces charges related to alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election and the Capitol riots in January 2021. The court ruled 6-3 that former presidents have absolute immunity for official acts but not for unofficial acts. Lower courts must now decide if his actions were official or private. Trump celebrated the decision, while the three dissenting judges expressed dismay because it seems to undermine the principle that no one is above the law. One of them called the decision ‘absurd and dangerous’. The ruling delays Trump's trial, which had originally been scheduled for 4 March; it is now unlikely to conclude before the November election. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, still faces three other indictments.

Joe Biden, who is 81, has attributed his poor performance in his first presidential debate with Donald Trump to travel exhaustion, joking that he ‘nearly fell asleep’ on stage. He has admitted he wasn't very smart for travelling extensively, going ‘around the world a couple of times’ and crossing numerous time zones, not long before the debate in Atlanta. He acknowledged he didn't have his best night, despite spending six days at Camp David preparing. In contrast,Trump, 78, appeared vigorous, although he repeated a number of what critics have said are false claims. Some prominent Democrats, alarmed at Biden’s showing, are urging him to withdraw from the 2024 race in order to prevent a Trump victory. Although he has said, ‘I’m not leaving’, speculation is mounting that this is a possibility: see

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer engaged in a heated final debate before the general election on 4 July, clashing over tax, immigration, gender, and Brexit. Sunak accused Starmer of planning tax hikes and lacking a strategy for illegal immigration. Starmer countered by criticising Sunak's unfunded tax promises and alleged detachment from voters. Both faced tough questions from the audience, including doubts about their suitability as leaders. Starmer also accused Sunak of being 'bullied' into addressing the scandal involving a number of Tory candidates betting on the election date. Sunak defended his actions as necessary due to the seriousness of the matter. See This scandal has hit the Conservatives at a critical moment, potentially jeopardising their already shaky election prospects. Keir Starmer has called for accountability, emphasising that such actions are unacceptable.

Five years after Bougainville’s decisive vote for independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG), frustrations are growing due to the stalled political process. Over 97% of the autonomous region’s approximately 300,000 residents voted for independence in a 2019 referendum. However, the change requires ratification by PNG’s parliament, which has not yet occurred. Talks broke down last year over disagreements on the ratification process; Bougainville wants a simple majority vote, while PNG insists on a two-thirds majority. Both parties have agreed on an international moderator, but progress remains slow. Bougainville’s president Ishmael Toroama is pressing PNG to fulfil its promises, as residents express deep frustration over the delays. Bougainville has long sought independence, especially following protests against the environmental and social impacts of a copper mine and the subsequent civil war from 1989 to 1998. A 2001 peace agreement led to autonomous governance in 2005 and then to the referendum.

YouGov's latest election model projects the Conservative Party winning just 108 seats, marking the lowest total in its history, and a 32-seat drop from just two weeks ago. Labour is set to gain 425 seats, a significant increase of 125 from the 2019 election, positioning them for a substantial majority. The model predicts that the SNP will become the second-largest Scottish party with 42 seats, and the Liberal Democrats will achieve their best-ever result with 67 seats. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, is projected to secure five seats, while the Greens are set to win two seats. Labour's projected success extends across both urban and rural areas, notably becoming the largest party in traditionally Conservative regions such as the South East and South West. This dramatic shift potentially indicates a significant realignment in the political landscape, with the Conservatives facing unprecedented losses and Labour poised for a commanding parliamentary presence.

Trust and confidence in the UK’s political system have reached an all-time low, according to a report for the National Centre for Social Research. It reveals that a record number of voters almost never trust the Government to prioritise the country's interests over party politics or believe politicians to be truthful in challenging situations. Disillusionment, particularly among Brexit supporters, is cited as a significant factor, with Brexit not delivering the anticipated outcomes. Other contributors to this distrust include political scandals and the cost-of-living crisis, with those struggling financially expressing significant discontent. The report, entitled 'Damaged Politics’, shows that 45% of voters do not trust the Government to prioritise the country, 58% doubt politicians' honesty, and 79% believe the governance system requires substantial improvement. Additionally, 53% of respondents support a fairer voting system for smaller parties, highlighting dissatisfaction with the current first-past-the-post system. Public comments reflect a strong desire for truthful politicians and systemic reforms to restore trust and accountability.

A visit to New Zealand and Australia by China's PM Li Qiang, starting on 13 June, will be marked by regional security concerns overshadowing trade ties. China is Australia's largest trading partner, particularly for iron ore, while New Zealand's significant trade involves milk and agriculture. NZ prime minister Christopher Luxon views the visit as an opportunity for business deals, but acknowledges the need to address differences, especially since his country has taken a tougher stance on China in recent months due to security concerns. In Australia, Li will visit Adelaide, engaging in ‘panda diplomacy‘ and meeting wine exporters to ease political tensions which had previously led to a suspension in their exports. A recent poll shows significant public mistrust in Australia towards China, with many viewing Beijing as a security threat. Despite these concerns, prime minister Anthony Albanese believes Li's visit shows that ties had stabilised, even as the two nations compete for influence in the Pacific and defence force encounters are tense.