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COLUMN

Tough roads ahead

for Boris Johnson

HARD Pressures on the British economy and post-Brexit fiscal strains could hamper his
LINE enthusiasm of implementing his electoral promises in the immediate near future

ANIL SINGH he resounding victory scripted by new House has also gone up to 15 from 12 in
the Conservatives in the elections the outgoing House.
held on December 12 by securing Many experts feel that Boris Johnson will
The columnist is 365 seats in the House of Com- be leading Britain through its “most momen-
Executive Editor of T mons under the leadership of Boris tous transition” since the Second World War.
News24 news Johnson is a historic victory for the Conserva- Soon after leading his party to a thumping
channel. The views tives and a great morale booster for Prime victory, Boris Johnson laid bare the challenge
here expressed are the Minister Johnson whose brief past tenure of that lies ahead for his party, especially when
author’s own few months had been marked by legal set- he attempted to assure his voters by saying:
backs, ‘scorched-earth politics and unrelent- “I will make it my mission to work night and
ing chaos’, as one critic has pointed out. day, flat out to prove that you were right in
While going in for the polls, Boris Johnson voting for me this time, and to earn your sup-
had gambled and he came out with flying port in the future.”
colours. It is almost after a hiatus of 32 years The biggest challenge for Boris govern-
that the Conservatives have cruised to such a ment is Brexit along with toning up the health
resounding victory reminiscent of 1987 when of ailing economy and meet post-Brexit chal-
the Conservatives had scored such a victory lenges of maintaining trade relations with
under Margaret Thatcher. At that juncture the European Union (EU), fostering politico-
Prime Minister Thatcher had asked the EU, economic relations with the United States
“We want our money back”, and this time and other developed economies along with
Boris Johnson’s demand boiled down to just addressing domestic challenges.
three words, “Get Brexit done.”
Defying pre-poll surveys and predictions, CHALLENGE OF BREXIT
some of which had even gone to the extent of Undoubtedly, even before going for the gen-
predicting his being tossed out of office, Boris eral election Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Johnson has catapulted his party at the helm had set the date for Brexit for January 31, 2020
with a thumping majority. Electoral drubbing when the UK would leave the EU; neverthe-
faced by the Labour Party that has won 203 less, he still needs to go through Parliament.
seats has brought its leadership under politi- According to some experts, the default posi-
cal eclipse. tion, if no deal is passed, is that the UK would
Nevertheless, the stunning victory re- leave without one.
corded by the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nevertheless, given the fact that premier
which has secured 48 seats and is likely to ask Johnson commands majority in the House, it
for a referendum for the independence of would be easy for the Conservative govern-
Scotland, may spell some trouble for the Con- ment to get the Withdrawal Agreement Bill
servatives in near future. A defining feature that lays the framework of Brexit happening,
of this election, apart from the resounding is likely to be tabled in the House of Commons
victory of the Conservatives and the SNP, is next week with the avowed objective of get-
the increase in number of representation of ting it passed in time for Brexit to happen on
women in the new House. January 31, 2020.
Representing just over a third of all MPs, Many experts opine that Brexit is a com-
women have won 220 seats in a House of 650 plicated and protracted process; and the UK
seats compared with 208 in the 2017 election. leaving the EU on January 31, 2010 will be just
Representation of Indian-origin MPs in the one step in that direction. While eager to have

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