Dec 13, 2019 03:32 AM
A catastrophic defeat is projected for the Labour Party. Scottish independence push may come roaring back. Official results are expected early on Friday. There were long lines in London and beyond.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/12/world...hnson.html
INTRO: Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party appeared on course Thursday to win a commanding majority in the British Parliament, a striking victory that redraws the lines in British politics and paves the way for the country’s exit from the European Union early next year. The Conservatives were projected to win 368 seats in the House of Commons, versus 191 for the Labour Party, according to an official exit poll. That would give the Conservatives an 86-seat majority, their largest since that amassed by Margaret Thatcher in 1987.
As the results began flowing in from individual districts, they pointed to a radical reconfiguration of Britain’s political map. The Conservative Party was projected to win dozens of Labour seats in the industrial north and Midlands, shattering the so-called red wall that has undergirded the Labour Party for generations.
For Mr. Johnson, whose brief tenure has been marked by serial defeats in Parliament, legal reversals and ceaseless upheaval, it was a resounding vindication. Defying predictions that he would be tossed out of his job, the prime minister now seems assured of leading Britain through its most momentous transition since World War II.
For Britain, which has lurched from crisis to crisis since the 2016 Brexit referendum, its future seemingly shrouded in perpetual uncertainty, the election provided a rare moment of piercing clarity. “It’s a remarkable victory,” said Tony Travers, a professor of politics at the London School of Economics. “Boris Johnson now has five years in power. Brexit will happen. Labour faces an existential question about its future — yet again.”
As news of the Conservative victory began to circulate, the pound surged in trading against the dollar and euro, reflecting relief that British politics is likely to stabilize and Britain is more likely to have an orderly departure from the European Union. The exit poll, conducted for three major British broadcasters, is not a definitive result; the numbers could shift, particularly in closely fought districts. But it has proved generally reliable, predicting, for example, that Mr. Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, would fail to win a majority in 2017.
The news for Conservatives on Thursday was far better, with the party projected to gain 50 seats, in excess of what most polls predicted. The Labour Party lost 71 seats, its worst showing since 1983, and one that seemed likely to lead to the resignation of the party’s leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
The results, with their seismic shift in the parliamentary power balance, indicated that Mr. Johnson had won his bet that by calling another general election and throwing the question of Brexit back to the British public, he could break the stalemate in Parliament and win a mandate for his policy of a swift withdrawal from the European Union.
There were, however, some red flags for Mr. Johnson, who will lead a Britain still deeply divided over Brexit... (MORE)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/12/world...hnson.html
INTRO: Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party appeared on course Thursday to win a commanding majority in the British Parliament, a striking victory that redraws the lines in British politics and paves the way for the country’s exit from the European Union early next year. The Conservatives were projected to win 368 seats in the House of Commons, versus 191 for the Labour Party, according to an official exit poll. That would give the Conservatives an 86-seat majority, their largest since that amassed by Margaret Thatcher in 1987.
As the results began flowing in from individual districts, they pointed to a radical reconfiguration of Britain’s political map. The Conservative Party was projected to win dozens of Labour seats in the industrial north and Midlands, shattering the so-called red wall that has undergirded the Labour Party for generations.
For Mr. Johnson, whose brief tenure has been marked by serial defeats in Parliament, legal reversals and ceaseless upheaval, it was a resounding vindication. Defying predictions that he would be tossed out of his job, the prime minister now seems assured of leading Britain through its most momentous transition since World War II.
For Britain, which has lurched from crisis to crisis since the 2016 Brexit referendum, its future seemingly shrouded in perpetual uncertainty, the election provided a rare moment of piercing clarity. “It’s a remarkable victory,” said Tony Travers, a professor of politics at the London School of Economics. “Boris Johnson now has five years in power. Brexit will happen. Labour faces an existential question about its future — yet again.”
As news of the Conservative victory began to circulate, the pound surged in trading against the dollar and euro, reflecting relief that British politics is likely to stabilize and Britain is more likely to have an orderly departure from the European Union. The exit poll, conducted for three major British broadcasters, is not a definitive result; the numbers could shift, particularly in closely fought districts. But it has proved generally reliable, predicting, for example, that Mr. Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, would fail to win a majority in 2017.
The news for Conservatives on Thursday was far better, with the party projected to gain 50 seats, in excess of what most polls predicted. The Labour Party lost 71 seats, its worst showing since 1983, and one that seemed likely to lead to the resignation of the party’s leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
The results, with their seismic shift in the parliamentary power balance, indicated that Mr. Johnson had won his bet that by calling another general election and throwing the question of Brexit back to the British public, he could break the stalemate in Parliament and win a mandate for his policy of a swift withdrawal from the European Union.
There were, however, some red flags for Mr. Johnson, who will lead a Britain still deeply divided over Brexit... (MORE)