The Guardian View on Boris Johnson’s Election Demand: MPs Should Call His Bluff

THE GUARDIAN: There is no good reason to commit to an early general election when parliament has not yet considered the withdrawal agreement bill in detail. First things first

Boris Johnson is the playground bully of British politics. He acts as if he is prime minister with a majority in parliament when in fact he has no majority. Because he cannot govern in that way with parliament, he has tried instead to govern against parliament. The delusion that he can do as he pleases led him to try to prorogue parliament this autumn – a bluff that was called by the supreme court. It then led him to concoct a fantasy legislative agenda by commissioning a Queen’s speech, though none of its measures will ever become law. Now he is trying to make his Brexit withdrawal bill conditional on the Commons agreeing to a general election in December. This proposal, like all the others before it, is merely another bluff, and parliament should duly call it. » | Editorial | Thursday, October 24, 2019

Brexit: Is a General Election Likely? - BBC Newsnight

Could the Brexit deadlock lead to a general election?

The Immigration Question and the Italian Election – BBC Newsnight (March 1, 2018)

As Italians head to the polls on 4 March 2018, discontent over immigration and persistent economic problems dominate the agenda. Mark Urban reports on an unpredictable election.

Europe’s Newest Face: Kurz’s Election Win Indicates Rightward Shift for Austria

French President Emmanuel Macron no longer holds the bragging rights to the title "Europe's fresh face". Sebastian Kurz, the 31-year-old leader of Austria's Christian Democrats and the winner of Sunday's snap election now holds that distinction. So what can we expect from this new leader whose ideas were supported by one quarter of the vote? The issues of immigration dominated his campaign and he openly embraced the prospect of forming a coalition with the far-right.

Inside Story - What Is behind Austria's Sharp Turn to the Right?

Sebastian Kurz has declared victory in Austria's national elections. He is on track to become the world's youngest leader.

Austria: Sebastian Kurz Election Victory Signals Rightward Shift

Merkel’s Struggle for Re-election | DW Documentary

Angela Merkel wants to remain chancellor. She continues to defend her decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany despite significant criticism from all sides, including that of her SPD challenger Martin Schulz.

Angela Merkel changed Germany with her refugee policy and over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of people have arrived in the country. The chancellor has been praised but also heavily criticized, especially by right-wing populist AfD party. She’s currently touring Germany and campaigning for her CDU party, all the while meeting vocal opponents but also new supporters, for example many Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans.

Four More Years for Angela Merkel?

Tony Blair on Corbyn and the Lessons of the 2017 General Election (Full Interview) - BBC Newsnight

Newsnight's editor Ian Katz speaks to former Prime Minister Tony Blair about Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the future of the Labour party and the lessons of the 2017 general election.

'May's Election Gamble': What Happened? - BBC Newsnight

Newsnight's Political Editor Nick Watt looks back at what happened during the Conservative election campaign.

Lord Heseltine Talks Theresa May and Brexit

BBC Panorama - Election 2017: What Just Happened? | June 12, 2017

Theresa May's election gamble has resulted in a catastrophic outcome for the Conservatives, whilst Jeremy Corbyn has defied many expectations. Following the election that's changed the face of British politics, Nick Robinson asks how and why it happened.

May's Mess: UK PM Struggles to Form Government after Losing Majority

British Prime Minister Theresa May has apologized to Conservative MPs for losing the party's majority in the general election. Amid much media speculation over her political future, the Tory leader is now trying to form a coalition government. But there are hurdles, as Polly Boiko explains.

General Election: Britain Post-Brexit – May's Misjudgment

MARK ALEXANDER: Brexit is tearing the UK apart. It was a very bad idea from the start.

Prior to the referendum, there was no good, rational debate on the subject. Debate was governed by emotion and misinformation. So people ended up voting without knowing the facts.

As a result, the country is divided: younger people tend to be Remainers; older people tend to be Brexiters. Many young people feel they have had their future taken away from them; old people feel that Britain now has a chance to regain sovereignty and take back control.

We are living, however, in an increasingly globalized world; so how much true sovereignty can we expect to regain by leaving the EU? Moreover, what is it going to cost us?

The problem for the Tories is simple to understand. Ever since the UK entered the EU, the Party has been split – split between Europhobes and Europhiles. It seems that no leader has been able to heal the rift between these two groups. Thatcher couldn’t do it; and nor could Cameron. That’s why Cameron called the Brexit referendum: to try and bring his Party together. The mess we have now is the result. So now, instead of just the Tories being divided, the nation is divided too.

May had been herself a Remainer. She’d have been better off sticking to her principles.

© Mark Alexander

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Inside Story - How Long Can Britain's May Cling to Power?

Theresa May, British prime minister, is fighting to save her political career after Thursday's election setback. May addressed the nation on Friday - saying she has struck a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to form a minority government. She says what the UK needs now more than ever - is stability, and not division.

Despite Theresa May's enthusiasm to go forward, the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party, Nicola Sturgeon, says it is time for May to move on. Sturgeon says she has lost all "authority and credibility". She says the conservatives were "reckless", and Sturgeon is promising to form alliances with any party willing to keep them out of power. So, did Theresa May's call for a snap elections backfire? | Presenter: Jane Dutton | Guests: Alex Deane - former chief of staff to David Cameron, former UK prime minister, and now heads up the public-affairs firm, FTI Consulting; Matthew Goodwin - senior fellow at the Brexit think tank, UK in a Changing Europe; Matt Zarb-Cousin - former spokesman for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn | Source: Al Jazeera News

What Do the British Want? Unexpected Campaign, Unpredictable Outcome (Parts 1 & 2)

Election Gamble: Tight Race before UK Vote, Polls Suggest Drop in Theresa May’s Ratings

A number of polls in the UK are showing a large drop in support for Prime Minister Theresa May, just days before the country votes. It paints a very different picture to when she called the snap election two months ago, amid predictions she was on course for an overwhelming victory. And while there's a chance they are just rogue polls, RT's Polly Boiko has been looking at what might happen if they turn out to be true.

UK: What Does Theresa May Stand For?

Yanis Varoufakis On Brexit: 'How Can These Smart People Be So Deluded' - BBC Newsnight

Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek finance minister, resigned back in 2015 at the height of the crisis there. He has now written a book about the whole experience, Adults in the Room - and he spoke to Evan Davis about Brexit and the UK's general election.

The Way to Fight the Tories in June’s Election Is to Turn Brexit against Them

THE GUARDIAN: Labour’s only chance lies in convincing voters that it will hold the government to account on any deal with the EU

There is a unique element to this election as a result of Brexit. The Tories believe this is to their advantage. But it could be turned against them.

First off – for the avoidance of doubt – I have not urged tactical voting. It is up to each voter to make up their mind on how they will vote. I only want people to make an informed choice. Of course, I hope people will vote Labour, as I will. » | Tony Blair | Monday, April 24, 2017