This isn’t like a normal general election because the result is already known in my opinion, and it represents a stepping stone to something else. The conservatives will win and with an increased majority. What this election (and the council one before it) is, is one of many adjustments taking place to reflect the civil war caused by the referendum. In itself the election will not serve to change the partisan nature of society in the slightest but I think it is a necessary step.
The LDs will not return to Cleggmania days instantly, but as the unashamedly and only UK wide voice of “the 48%” and the only centre ground in UK politics they will gain seats, and more importantly continue to give a voice to a vast swathe of the population who feel ignored or even vilified (Daily Mail headlines of example).
The election will also help develop a meaningful opposition to fill in the vacuum caused by the present lack of one. On June 9th Corbyn will either resign enabling the Party to pursue a centre-left agenda, or if he refuses, the party formally fractures with MPs choosing to form a centre-left party, or to join with the LDs. Either way, the strength of the moderate political centre will increase, from the level it is at now.
The demographics of EU support suggest that time is on the side of the political liberal or centre ground. I have the perhaps optimistic aspiration that by the time I’m 50 in 10 years time, we will have re-joined the EU. By then some of the silvertops will have buggered off to the little-England in the sky, enabling young people to pursue a less misty-eyed batshit crazy agenda.
