By On the 12th of December, 2019, Britain faced one of its most important elections in history. Given the devastating result, it was apparent this general election was heavily based on Brexit, Britain’s racist tantrum and their equivalent of “Make America Great Again,” rather than any emphasis on the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), education, or public services. The Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, was campaigning for a fairer, more equitable, and overall better society for everyone. On the other hand, the Conservative Party led by Boris Johnson focused on increasing austerity and ignoring racism.
The results of the polls showed that this was the largest Conservative majority Britain had seen since Margaret Thatcher was in power in the 80’s. THIS is what shocked people. The fact that the Conservatives won with such a large majority. It was a dream for Corbyn to win, but most of us knew that this would not happen, especially with the British media consistently de-humanising and mistreating him. It further proved that the British public are undeniably bigoted by electing a leader who is openly Islamophobic.
The Effects Were Immediate
Already, we have seen the effects of Johnson’s leadership and it has only been a week. The NHS is said to become privatised, which will condemn those who cannot afford private healthcare to potential death. Workers’ rights will be scrapped. Funding for schools will decrease, and homelessness will be on the rise. This is what the British public voted for — themselves — rather than putting those who are in worse-off conditions before their own needs.
Many constituencies that have had Labour-held seats for decades will now be lead by a Conservative MP, such as Kensington, where the Grenfell fires took place. This will have a knock-on effect on both the people who live there, and the policies in Parliament.
What message does it send to the rest of the world that Johnson is a PM endorsed by Tommy Robinson, Katie Hopkins, and Trump, some of the most racist political figures in history?
What’s more is that before the final results of the election were even announced, Johnson’s father was on national television debating whether or not Muslim women have the right to wear a burqa. We have seen hate crimes increase since this election as the people on the streets believe it is acceptable for them to be openly racist, After all, they see it being brushed aside by political figures. What message does it send to the rest of the world that Johnson is a PM endorsed by Tommy Robinson, Katie Hopkins, and Trump, some of the most racist political figures in history?
We Must Resist
If anything, we know that the results of this election are grim, but we cannot let that stop us from resisting. Remember, do not integrate; recreate. So where do we go from here? The news has had enough time to sink in. Yes, we are getting a new Labour leader, which is upsetting. But now is not the time to give up. If anything, we must be more vocal than before. Here’s what we can do as individuals.
- Stand up against all forms of hate crimes. Whether you’re facing it yourself, or you see someone else being subjected to it. Do not let the perpetuator carry on.
- Educate yourself on issues that might not affect you directly, such as homelessness or Islamophobia.
- Find ways to help. Donate to your local food bank or volunteer at your community centre. Any little act of kindness can go a long way, especially when our politicians have made it clear that they wish to honour profits ahead of people.