Brexit and Boris Johnson’s dramatic victory

CONTRARY to all predictions by book makers and political pundits, the flamboyant and charismatic British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party achieved what could be described as a historic and astonishing victory in the just concluded snap election in Britain.
The Conservative Party against all odds achieved a spectacular victory by securing a comfortable majority of eighty seats in the 630 seats Parliament (House of Commons) which was a huge success and by no means a rare feat since the past 30 years in the recent history of British general elections.
The opposition Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn, suffered what could be described as a crushing defeat, the worst since the 1930s in the hands of the Conservative Party largely due to “Brexit Fatigue” according to Corbyn in his post election press release.
In a press statement, the Labour Party leader, Corbyn after expressing his total disappointment and frustration also announced that he would no longer lead the party in any future election, although members of the Labour Party had already called for his immediate resignation for leading the party to its disastrous and shameful defeat.
The third party in the British politics, the Liberal Democrats lost out completely in the election with its leader having been defeated in her own constituency.
The margin of victory by Johnson and his Conservative Party was simply phenomenal and beyond the imagination and prediction of book makers and political watchers in the run up to the election.
Nevertheless, the outcome of the election obviously could be described as a reaffirmation by the British people on the 2016 Brexit referendum, even as the Brexit turmoil and uncertainty had dominated the campaign issues by the various parties in the run up to the election.
The highly elated Boris Johnson, in his characteristic grandeur and exuberance and basking in the euphoria of his landslide victory enthused that the election had finally broken the lingering “Brexit dead lock” and Britain  would now get on with her final exit or departure from the European Union (EU) on the rescheduled date which is 31st January, 2020.
The outcome of the election had also finally put to rest any future consideration for yet another “Brexit referendum” as was demanded by the Labour Party as well as other Political gladiators in British Politics.
It is instructive to observe that Boris Johnson seemed to have succeeded in his political gamble where his predecessor, Theresa May, failed woefully in 2017 and which later caused her down fall.
It would be noted also that not many people gave Johnson any chance of survival as British Premier at the time he assumed office few months ago largely due to his unorthodox leadership style and vociferous rhetoric similar to that of his counterpart  across the Atlantic; President Trump of the United States.
The Conservative Party members had openly expressed their skeptism and reservations over Johnson’s leadership qualities as exemplified by his rather notorious inconsistencies and policy somersault as well as his penchant for controversies and seriously lacking in public trust.
A clear case in point was Johnson’s policy somersault after he had made an irrevocable commitment to the effect that Britain must exit from the E.U “with or without a deal” and not “ifs or buts” by the new departure date or deadline of 31st Oct. 2019, and which later turned out not to be.
Boris Johnson’s dramatic and decisive victory had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he was indeed a master in political brinkmanship and sagacity by capturing the general mood of the British people and placing Brexit saga on the front burner
which he tactically used with great ingenuity as his trump card during the campaign while his opposition Labour Party opponent, Jeremy Corbyn focused his campaign issues mainly on the British domestic policies.
The British people had long been sick and tired of the “Brexit debate” and uncertainty which had taken a great toll on their daily lives and as such, desired to quickly get rid of the “political monster” called “Brexit” and the election offered them that rare opportunity to take a decisive action on the rather embarrassing and utterly disgusting situation and to get on with their normal lives once again.
However, the aftermath of the election has again thrown up rather new challenges and complexities which would soon be staring the victorious Johnson and his Conservative Party in the face. To begin with, the powerful Scottish Nationalist Party or SNP which is championing the cause of independence for Scotland from the U.K won a decisive victory in the election.
The party won a total of 48 seats out of 59 seats reserved for Scotland in British Parliament (House of Commons) which was clearly a fresh mandate to call for yet another referendum for Scottish independence from the UK. It would be recalled that Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the E.U during the 2016 referendum.
Furthermore, another potential political setback for Johnson is that the nationalists for the first time in recent history won more seats in Northern Ireland than the unionists who were pro-Brexit.
The Northern Ireland Party or DUP which was in coalition government with the Conservative Party at West Minster became bitterly disillusioned due to what the party described as a complete sell out or monumental betrayal by the British Government given the terms of the “Brexit deal”
with the European Union (EU) on the highly contentious issue of back stop on the Irish border which the people of Northern Ireland considered inimical to their collective interest as an integral part of the United Kingdom.
All in all, as Boris Johnson begins in earnest to settle down to business, he is likely to face an uphill task of balancing the political equation in his avowed commitment to deliver “Brexit deal” to the British people and at the same time trying to maintain the corporate existence of the United Kingdom as one nation.
The cracks in the United Kingdom are obviously widening by the day as a fall out from the “Brexit deal” even as the renewed nationalist agitations by the Scottish SNP for the independence of Scotland as well as the “Marginalised”
people of Northern Ireland seeking to re-unite with their kith and kin across the border in Irish Republic is likely to intensify in the coming months and years.