British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday called an election earlier than most expected—for July 4—and the gallows humor in his party is that there is no benefit in prolonging the agony of defeat. After 14 years in office, the ruling Tories will need a miracle to pull off a victory this time.
The PM seems to be betting that an election campaign will finally cause Britons to listen to his agenda for the next five years. He also hopes debates will help him remind voters that Labour is a party of the left rather than the inoffensive centrists that Mr. Starmer wants Britons to believe they are.
Mr. Sunak will try to offer a tax contrast with Labour, which always raises taxes. But voters may not believe the Conservatives after their recent record. Foreign policy won’t work as Mr. Starmer has been stalwart in support of Ukraine and surprisingly good in support of Israel.
Britain could use a vigorous debate addressing its many serious challenges and economic decline. Immigration ranks as a top concern as voters worry about the cost of providing housing and social services to illegal migrants and the humanitarian disaster of crossing the English Channel in small boats.
Fiscal crises loom, especially for a socialized healthcare system that will struggle to cope with an aging population. This and other entitlements impinge on security spending in a more dangerous world, as both parties struggle to explain how they’ll fund their pledges to devote 2.5% of GDP to defense.
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What qualities do you think are most important in a Prime Minister facing the challenges of economic decline and political division?
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Do you believe a government's priority should be to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP even if it means cuts in other areas, and why?
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Considering the aging population and the financial strain on the healthcare system, how should resources be allocated to meet both immediate and future needs?
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In terms of immigration, what measures do you think the government should take to ensure both the welfare of new arrivals and the economic stability of the country?
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How would your ideal Prime Minister address the challenge of balancing the budget without compromising on essential social services like healthcare?