Come on now, you didn’t really think I’d pass up on the General Election without doing my own poll did you?
Yes, we’re about to have another vote. Last week Theresa May called a hasty press conference outside Number 10 to announce that she was going to hold a snap General Election, to be held on June 7th. That is less than seven weeks away, and will be the fourth vote in four years to be held in the UK. Anyone got voter fatigue yet?
The explanation she gave was that she wanted to make sure she had the strongest mandate possible, and so wanted to increase her majority in Parliament. She will be looking to take advantage of the lowly opinion polls for Labour, with some predictions giving her a majority in Parliament at the 150 seats mark. The news of the General Election sent Sterling vs the Dollar to multiple month highs, and has hovered at the $1.28 level since.
Brexit is if course going to be the main issue in the election campaigning, but there will be other sideline issues as well. But when it comes to the UK glazing industry, leaving the European Union is going to be the biggest single issue for us all.
So I have created my own poll. Nothing scientific of course, but it may help to gauge how our industry and those who read this site will intend to vote on June 7th.
Below is a poll showing all the main parties in the UK. I have decided to include some of the more regional parties, the SNP, DUP, UUP and other for example, even though these parties won’t be fielding candidates in other parts of the UK. I have readers from all over the UK, so although it may dilute the final figures, it would be inappropriate to exclude them from the list overall.
Please take a second to click on the party you are most likely to vote for come June 7th. If you don’t yet know, come back and vote when you have come to your decision. This will be the new featured article on the DGB home page and will remain there until the election is over and we know who the winner will be.
Poll
How big a majority?
Right now, most polls put the Tories a good 20 points ahead of Labour. If that translated into seats right now, that would decimate much of Labour across England. They’ve already been wiped out in Scotland, where the Tories are now second to the SNP. Earlier on Monday evening there was a new poll out in Wales that put the Tories comfortably ahead. To put some perspective on that, the Tories haven’t won the General Election in Wales since the 1850’s. That is how bad the situation is at the moment for Labour.
However, as the campaigns get going and the manifestos and pledges start to be rolled out, we might see that gap narrow. I would be highly surprised if the Tories kept this 20+ point lead right up until polling day. And of course we do have to take every poll with a pinch of salt. Although I don’t think pollsters could get it that wrong. Either way, even if polls tighten as we get close to June 7th, I think it’s inevitable that May is going to increase her majority, get an elected mandate and return to EU negotiations with more influence.
The single biggest issue I believe that will drive voters and perhaps many in the world of windows and doors is who we believe would be best to negotiate our way out of the European Union. Brexit is the single biggest campaigning issue, and is the driver behind May’s decision to consolidate her opinion poll lead.
Can we imagine Jeremy Corbyn going to the EU27 and having the gaul, resolve and backbone to get the best possible deal for the UK? The left wing of politics is being wiped out around the world, what influence would he have in negotiations? What about Tim Farron of the Liberal Democrats? He already seems to be mired in ethical issues before the campaign has even got going. With little sign in the opinion polls so far of any sort of Lib Dem revival, his party looks set to limp to just a few more seats.
For me, the person most likely to get the best possible deal for the UK with the EU is Theresa May. That’s not to say she’s guaranteed to get one, but I believe her the most likely person to get something from the two year talks. Domestically she still has issues surrounding social care and the NHS, as well as public sector funding. But Brexit is absolutely at the top of the priority list, and I will be voting blue based on that. I just cannot vote for a party with someone like Corbyn in charge. I admire his resolve on issues such as free school meals, social care and the like. But his policies for real world, immediate issues like Brexit, like ISIS, like the armed forces and on Trident mean I cannot vote for him.
There will be no doubt voter fatigue, and I don’t expect this election campaign will have the same levels of energy and discussion as the EU Referendum had. There has been four votes in four years, I like many are tired of voting and want the business of Government to just continue. But we are where we are, and our industry once again has to decide on a Prime Minister and a party who we believe will work in the window industry’s best interest.
Please take a second to vote on the above poll before you get on with more important things ;-)
To get weekly updates from DGB sent to your inbox, enter your email address in the space below to subscribe:
