Why are the dates of the British and US elections significant?
If you consider both British and American history the dates of both the British General Election and the US presidential elections are on prudent dates in the other countries history.
British General Election
Under the British constitution, a General Election must be held every five years, but the Prime Minister can decide to call an election earlier than this if they choose to do so. The current British Prime Minister has decided to do so, and a General Election will be held on 4th July.
The British House of Commons consists of over 600 seats, and each MP is elected to represent a specific constituency. I do not directly vote for the government; I can only elect the MP for my consistency. The party that wins the most seats will likely form the next government, but this isn’t guaranteed unless they achieve a majority.
The Prime Minister is often the leader of the largest party and remains so for the length of that parliament as long as he continues to have the support of parliament. Our parliament is sovereign, not the government.
As any American will know, the Fourth of July is the date the United States gained independence from the United Kingdom. Many of us who value our freedoms and good public services are considering this day our independence day.
The Conservative party, which has been in government for the last 14 years, has drifted to the right and is even suggesting that we, like Russia and Belrose, should leave the European Court of Human Rights set up after the Second World War to stop another Holocaust.
While in the UK the Conservative majority have passed legislation to make it more difficult for people to protest peacefully a key right in any democracy.
US Presidential Election
The US Presidential election will be held on 5th November 2024, a day many of us in England enjoy a firework display in memory of a failed plot to blow up the House of Lords during the state opening of parliament. Which failed due to barrels of gunpowder being found in the Palace of Westminster cellar during an inspection.
A threat to undermine Britain by terrorists was stopped, and Trump can be seen in the same way. After all, he sighted his supporters to storm Capital Hill in an attempt to undermine the US Constitution and the legal naming of Joe Biden as President.
As we in Britain celebrate the failure of terrorists to undermine the English constitution. Americans will be going to the polls and can either vote to defend the American constitution and the underlying democracy. Or you can vote for a man who tried to undermine your constitution and democracy.
Conclusion
As Ronald Reagon put it, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
You can do your bit by ensuring that you think about how you will use your voice and then use it on election day. I will be voting on July 4th; it's my sacred duty.
