Snap General Election Called

barrymcerlea

Thoughts? Iain Duncan Smith said that the Conservatives "called the other parties' bluff" and are giving the public an opportunity to actually elect the PM. If that was true it should've been called last July.

Northern Ireland went to the polls just last month, and it looks likely we could be going again. It's a good thing we have zero representation in Westminster anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

juliet603

Yeah they're a sneaky bunch doing this aren't they

wilki1999

It's an almost underhand tactic by Theresa May. I think the only reason she is doing it is because she doesn't want to give Scotland another independence referendum, and with her being so far ahead in the polls it's almost guaranteed for her to get straight back in. This way, she will have a mandate to argue with against Nicola Sturgeon

I agree, must be annoying for you in Northern Ireland, it seems ridiculous going to the polls straight after a vote.

4junk3000

It's nice to see you can talk about it civilly. In the US, we can't, because partisanship has overruled patriotism. People have abandoned historically established American principles, simply to oppose the party they don't identify with.

I hope all of UK works toward socially and economically beneficial policies and infrastructure!

stephtog

She needs a bigger majority to properly negotiate with the EU - all the other parties are threatening to derail negotiations, forgetting that the majority voted for leaving (yes I know except for NI and Scotland)

I think she's done the right thing and I like her - she rocks!!

**edit to say, apparently the two letter abbreviation for Northern Ireland is a swear?!?!?

**except now it's fine!!!!! Aaaargh!!!

KrustyBrand

,,,,,

barrymcerlea

It's really a kick in the teeth for us in the north. Our political institutions are a shambles at the best of times, but right now we have zero government. The two biggest political parties are in a deadlock, but now they're supposed to go out and campaign for Westminster seats (which N.I literally makes up 2% of) instead of negotiating? Secretary of State pushed the deadline for the talks from early May till the end of June.

The decision to call a general election on its most basic level shows a complete disregard for the people of the north of Ireland and shows how important the "union" she keeps blathering on about is to May (especially when she blocked another Scottish independence referendum, saying that "if we put energies into that" it would take away from the issues at hand).