The elections were overshadowed by the scandal known as “Partygate”.
(Photo: AP)
London There is a historic change of power in the regional parliament in Northern Ireland. The nationalist Sinn Fein party came out on top in the elections for the first time in the province of Northern Ireland. It is the first time in around 100 years that the Unionists, who are loyal to London, are no longer in the majority in Northern Ireland. According to calculations by the BBC, the political heir to the terrorist group IRA wins at least 27 of the 90 seats in Parliament in Belfast and will thus be the First Minister in the future. The unionists of the DUP only get 24 seats. The 45-year-old Sinn Fein politician Michell O’Neill is to become head of government in the province.
The transfer of power could thwart British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s confrontational course towards the EU. Johnson threatens to override the Northern Ireland Protocol to the Brexit deal. Sinn Fein is against it. A nationalist victory could also lead to a referendum on union with the Republic of Ireland. Scottish nationalists are also pushing for secession from the UK.
That’s not the only bad news for the politically troubled British PM. His Conservative Party suffered a painful defeat in Thursday’s local elections. Above all, the opposition Labor Party was able to expand its strong position in London and win over long-standing Tory strongholds.
After counting almost all constituencies in England, Scotland and Wales, the Conservatives lost around 400 seats nationwide. Labor gained 240 seats. The losses are larger than it looked after the first results on Thursday.
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The result is a hard blow for Johnson and will further weaken the prime minister politically. However, it is not a defeat that could force him to resign. Labor had not been able to win as many voters outside of London as it had hoped.
Liberal Democrats are the secret winners of the election
The secret winners of the local elections are the Liberal Democrats, who are celebrating a resurgence as the third political force in Great Britain with a gain of 188 seats and were able to take many local seats from the Tories, especially in southern England. LibDem boss Ed Davey spoke of a “historic election night”. The Greens also gained 82 seats. In Scotland, the Scottish National Party, which is pushing for independence, gained 62 seats.
The elections were overshadowed by the scandal known as “Partygate”. As a result, Johnson is said to have attended several parties at his government seat in Downing Street during the corona lockdown.
Some Tory councillors, such as John Mallinson of the northern English city of Carlisle, called for Johnson to be replaced after losing their majority. The prime minister spoke of a “tough” election night for his party. In the meantime, however, the police in the English city are also investigating opposition leader Keir Starmer for alleged violations of the lockdown regulations.
However, the main issue for voters was the sharp rise in the cost of living. Rising energy, petrol and food prices have pushed inflation up to 7 percent. The Bank of England has predicted inflation could rise to as much as 10 percent by October. At the same time, economic growth is declining and the central bank is anticipating a recession in the coming year.
Tories are losing their few strongholds in London
The loss of their Wandsworth stronghold is particularly sobering for Johnson’s Tories. The party has governed the constituency south of the Thames in London for 44 years. Wandsworth was once considered the favorite of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The losses in their former strongholds are particularly sobering for Johnson’s Tories.
(Photo: dpa)
Westminster, another Tory stronghold in the heart of the capital, will also have a Labor majority in future. In the north of the country, on the other hand, the main opposition party has not been able to make up as much ground on its poor result in the 2019 general election as it had hoped.
More: Johnson is fighting for his political survival.