The General Election – a few explanations plus the shocking event in the US

When I was planning to look closely at the results of our recent General Election and at the first few days of the new Labour Government, one of the aspects I was going to look at was the graciousness of Rishi Sunak (the Conservative leader and Prime Minister) as he conceded defeat and handed over to Kier Starmer, the Labour leader.

This would have come at the end, but instead I am starting with the handover, and sending some thoughts to readers across the pond because of the shocking events in Butler, USA, on Saturday. Indeed, first and foremost I feel I should offer my heartfelt sorrow to US citizens that once again there has been an assassination attempt on a prominent political figure in the States. That kind of act is a tragedy for democracy and never ever acceptable.

There are many stark differences between the countries of the US and the UK, some of which I have already written about, and the fact that we speak the same language masks these differences, one of which is the gun violence that seems to permeate the very fabric of US society.  However, British society is not without its violence, including against politicians. Our Speaker is increasingly worried at the hounding, mainly via social media, of our Members of Parliament. Indeed, two MPs have been murdered by deranged constituents: Joe Cox, in 2016 and Sir David Amess in 2021. And for those of you who are overseas, did you know that in 1812 one of our Prime Ministers, Spencer Percival, was assassinated?

In this election thankfully there were no deaths. I mean, we don’t ever expect that to happen as part of a British election but there was some very mean-spirited electioneering by some (I hesitate to call them politicians) in this election, especially against Jess Phillips.

As I said I am starting with the handover, instead of an analysis of the British election results, because of the horrific event on Saturday with Trump narrowly escaping death from a young assassin who managed to clamber up to a roof under the noses of security and fire off a series of shots with a viciously awful rifle. That’s me describing the rifle, because while I can just about understand handguns – tbh, not really – but a rifle that no ordinary person should possess? No. That is beyond me.

The 20-yr-old assassin’s attempt failed and is now dead. Trump survived by a hair’s breadth and is a very lucky man.  But the consequences for the election will be profound, and the world holds its breath at that now very probable outcome.

So, I will touch on the speed of the handover of government that happens in the UK and the peaceful manner with which it was done. The voting took place on Thursday 4^th July with polling stations open at 7.0am and closing at 10pm. The first results come in soon after 11.0pm (there’s a race between certain constituencies to see who can be the first) and the majority come in between 2.0am and 5.0am. By 4.0am the changeover of government is confirmed, and defeat conceded by the outgoing government.

Early in the morning of the 5^th speeches were given in-house by leaders of the two parties. And then around 10.40am Sunak, having flown down from Yorkshire in the early hours, gave a speech to the press outside his home No 10 Downing Street. It included these words:

“Whilst he has been my political opponent, Sir Kier Starmer will shortly become our prime minister. In this job, his successes will be all of our successes and I wish him and his family well. Whatever our disagreements in this campaign, he is a decent public-spirited man who I respect…..”

Not that I ever agreed with what he was doing as PM but thank you so much Rishi for that tone of conciliation and yes, decency, in your speech.

Meanwhile the speed of the transition is astonishing with packers arriving at the crack of dawn and not only packing up but entirely moving all the furniture and possessions of both No 11 (traditionally the Chancellor of Exchequer’s family home but often given to the PM if they have a bigger family) and No 10 the Prime Minister’s home.

On the same morning King Charles asked Keir Starmer, the leader of the winning party to form a new government and at 12.25 pm, the new Prime Minister gave an equally nice and pleasant sounding speech – read it in full here.

And there you have it – a new government in place with the old one out in less than a day including moving out of ministerial homes in a couple of hours. Note also the new government is welcomed by the permanent Civil Servants, so there are no sackings of what might be thought to be partisan people, instead the fabric of our governing system remains the same with Civil Servants serving the party in power no matter who they are.

I have gone into the handover in some detail because we consider the rapid changeover normal, but this was also a very polite handover.  Sir Kier was and probably still is considered boring, but boring is good after the shenanigans of the past few years in the UK and it does feel as though the grown-ups are back in the room and Captain Sensible is in charge. In fact, I have heard the US politician Bernie Sanders say that boring is good, and that boring should be the temperature of American politics instead of the febrile discourse and division that is the norm in the US. Readers from the States tell me if you think differently – I’m just an outsider observing US politics, I can’t really know what is going on.

However, the results in this British election are more complex than they appear. Yes, Labour has won a stupendous landslide victory with 412 seats. Meanwhile the Conservatives, who have been in power for 14 years, only won 121 seats, which means of course, that Labour is now safely in power for the next 5 years.

And yet, one has to remember there were some other parties involved in this election. Indeed, instead of having a straightforward two-party system, with the Lib Dems as a very small third-party runner-up to Labour and the Conservatives, we now have a melange, a smorgasborg of parties. And  the Lib Dems, the third largest party, won a surprisingly large number of seats, 71 in fact and their best effort for many years. Ed Davey must be pleased that his antics for the press somehow seemed to work. But and here’s an important point, these Lib Dem seats were won with just under 3,500,000 votes which is 12% of the vote.  Meanwhile Reform, the hard-right, anti-migration vehicle for Nigel Farage only won 5 seats with over 4,000,000 votes which is 14% of the overall vote.

Interesting.  Let’s see what might have happened if we had a Proportional Representation voting system instead of the 1st-past-the-post system we currently have.

Source: The Electoral Reform Society

Quite obviously Proportional Representation is the more democratic way of voting and a means for people to feel that their vote counts for something, and that they are represented in Parliament. However, if PR was brought in the winning party always loses out so I can’t see Labour pushing for PR any time throughout the next five years. And forget the instant change of government that we Brits are so used to as there would have to be many negotiations to form coalitions, and these coalitions, as we know from our European neighbours, can take weeks and sometimes months to come together.

Also note the Reform results in bold. Along with better democracy and the many voices that would be heard, PR would increase the unwelcome (to most of us but not all) voice of the hard-right. I say not all as Reform is the most underrepresented party in Parliament having come second in 98 constituencies.

This General Election also had a low turnout with only 52% of the adult population voting (Should there be compulsory voting?  I think yes) and while Labour won with 412 seats, the highest since 1997 it was with a percentage of 34%. I’ve heard mutterings that, ‘well, Jeremy Corbyn got a higher percentage of votes in the 2017 election at around 40%, and what a poor show it is that Labour only got that small percentage of the vote’.

And yes, it could be said that the Conservatives lost the election through their antics over the last few years, rather than Labour winning it with the country enthusiastically voting for a new day and a new dawn with Labour in charge of our destiny. But the point is, Starmer and the Labour party won this time and with a better than good-enough majority of over 170. So let us who voted Labour not exactly rejoice but instead celebrate a little.

It is very early days and Labour is still in the honeymoon stage but there are some positive signs that while in government Labour will aim to be, at the very least, competent. The Cabinet appointments are interesting as it is apparently the most state-educated and female ever, and there are some non-politicians that have been brought in including the businessman John Timpson to run the prisons. Timpson employs many ex-cons in his shoe repair, dry cleaning and key cutting outlets that are everywhere in the UK. He knows the prison system and its faults well. Then there’s Sir Patrick Vallance the former chief scientific adviser who will now be the Minister of State for Science. There is also Richard Hermer KC who will serve as Attorney General.

How original to put in experts who know what they’re doing into these key posts.

And yet it will be tricky for Labour to govern for two-terms. It is not a given that will happen. We do not know what the rise of Reform will mean, we do not know the fate of the Conservative party, we do not know if more and more people will vote for the Greens. People in the UK are exhausted, wary and cynical about politics and politicians and Labour is on trial. Starmer spoke thoughtfully on the morning of the 5^th July pledging to serve everyone including those who did not vote for Labour but on very little money he will have to deliver – something.

So, we have ended up with a man who many see as boring and without charisma in charge of a government that aims to be competent. I think I prefer that to roaring mass rallies and shots fired at incumbents.

We all worry about the US and its coming election and what that shocking event will mean to America. I worry even more with the new VP and his frightening right-wing views on life, Europe, and his exceedingly odd and wrong view of the UK. No, charisma is Ok for the likes of pop stars, but give me boring and sensible and a swift civilised handover every time.

Penny Kocher 17 July 2024

P.S. Btw, I shall not be treating the new Labour government with kid gloves, and I fully intend to critique their policies and the context within which they have to work. More of that anon.

Further reading:

Electoral Reform Society. 2024 General Election Results

Jonathan Freedland, After a historic victory Starmer now hopes to win over the people. The Guardian, General Election 2024 Souvenir Issue, 6 July 2024

David Remnick. A Nation Inflamed. The New Yorker, Daily Comment. 14 July 2024

Paula Surridge. Labour wins big but the  UK’s electoral system is creaking. The Guardian. 5 July 2024