UK political parties set for battle royale, two horse race dampens voter mood

Results on May 7 will be crucial for the future of the UK, but it is estimated that only 70 per cent of those eligible to vote will turn out, leaving 30 per cent unspoken for.

By Kelly Clarke/staff Reporter

• Follow us on
• 
• 
• 

Published: Fri 8 May 2015, 1:33 AM

Last updated: Thu 25 Jun 2015, 9:18 PM

Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband waves at a campaign event  in Colne, northern England. -Reuters

Dubai - Mayweather may have reigned victorious over Pacquiao in the ‘fight of the century’ on Sunday, but today, an altogether new battle is taking place. Who will come out on top: Labour or Conservatives?

As we countdown to the tightest UK general election in decades, David Cameron and Ed Milliband will take to the ‘political’ ring on Thursday to battle it out for top spot. But as voter trends continue to see a large majority opting out of the elections, is anyone really worthy of being called a winner?

Results on May 7 will be crucial for the future of the UK, but it is estimated that only 70 per cent of those eligible to vote will turn out, leaving 30 per cent unspoken for.

Of this 70 per cent, it is expected only a small percentage of voters will be under the age of 25 — a prediction which doesn’t surprise Dubai resident, Imogen Lillywhite.

“I think it is important for everyone to vote but I can see why people are put off, especially the younger generations. They were the ones who were most disturbed over by the ruling Conservative party this term, so I understand why they feel disenfranchised,” she told Khaleej Times.

Unofficial figures also suggest that just 3,000 of 120,000 British nationals living in the UAE will vote today.

All too predictable

Over the past few months the UK’s competing politicians — or tacticians as some may say — have personally taken to the streets to ‘get to know’ their voters. But with many of the view that MPs are ‘out of touch’ with the real world, instead of feeling engaged and energised by the election campaign, many can’t wait to see the back of them.

As the predictable ‘two-horse’ general election race looks set to result in the outright majority (either Labour or Conservative) or another coalition (Conservative-Lib-Dem), the two main parties will once again take precedence, forcing the smaller parties to sink deeper into the back seats they’ve been in for years.

As the little voters fight is once again set to end meekly, the feeling is one of disenfranchisement.

But it’s not the mood alone which suggests this, as a look back in history will prove the theory right.

Since 1940, the UK has been solely ruled by the Labour and Conservative parties, and recent polls from the election campaign suggest this trend will continue.

In a poll released by YouGov on Tuesday, the Conservatives and Labour tied on 33 per cent with only two days left to go in the campaign. UKIP remained third on 12 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats just behind on 10 per cent and the Green Party holding five per cent.

However, although 30 per cent of voters are expected to remain silent in this year’s election, voter turnout is on the rise.

In 2001, only 59.4 per cent of UK voters turned out on polling day, and in 2005 and 2010 this figure rose to 61.4 and 65.1 per cent, respectively.

So, with the 2015 general election set to see a five per cent increase in voter turnout this year, who is going to benefit from the extra voices: The people or the parties? Only time will tell. - kelly@khaleejtimes.com