By Tim Murgatroyd

ON June 8, like a bolt from the blue, we’ll be back queuing at the ballot box. Certainly the announcement of a snap election caught many of us by surprise. Since being appointed as leader of the nation by Conservative MPs following David Cameron’s resignation, Theresa May has stated publicly, clearly and unequivocally on several occasions that she will NOT seek an early election.

Is it just me who is more than a mite curious what has inspired this dramatic change of heart?

Of course, lots of theories are out there. One states that the Government are frightened of losing their small majority because several Conservative MPs are under investigation over election fraud in the last General Election of 2015. An announcement on any charges is said to be imminent.

Mrs May herself has stated that the reason she has performed a 360-degree twirl is to strengthen her hand in the upcoming Brexit negotiations. She points to the fact that some people in Parliament (and presumably all over the country) are being “damaging” by disagreeing with her on a whole range of issues.

She therefore believes a new mandate would mean those disagreements would have to stop. As a result Britain would be “stronger” in its Brexit negotiations.

Is it just me who finds that line of reasoning odd? Debate and disagreement are not negative but hugely positive. You might even call them the essence of democracy. It’s how you make sure all interests in the country are taken into account.

Let’s not forget 48 per cent of the population, and a large majority of people in York, didn’t vote to leave the EU. There is no unequivocal mandate for a hard Brexit that ditches EU-guaranteed workers’ rights, environmental protection, leaving the European Court of Justice, flexible movement of labour or tariff-free access to the Single Market.

York Press:

Poser: what has persuaded Theresa May to go to the polls?

Whoever wins on June 8 will not legitimise a damaging, hard Brexit that could trigger Scotland leaving the Union via another independence referendum.

Other pundits point to negative opinion polls for the opposition parties, especially Labour, as a justification for a snap election. Personally, that makes me uneasy. Political tactics are not political principles. I’m hoping the coming election debate will be dominated by costed, road-mapped policy offers and clearly-articulated principles. In short, not some theoretical approach to Brexit negotiations, but a vision for Britain over the next five years and beyond.

Because let’s face it, Thursday, June 8 will dawn on a deeply dis-United Kingdom. A million families have come to rely on food banks. According to official figures 30 per cent of children in the UK (that is four million children) are officially classed as “poor”. Alarmingly, 67 per cent of the UK’s poor children are from working families, an indication of how endemic low pay and zero hours contracts have become. Too many in Britain are struggling to get by, whether they are self-employed or work directly for an employer.

In addition, treasured public services like the NHS are at breaking point. I’m hoping the debate during the election campaign will address that issue head-on. Because under-funding and expensive, inefficient privatisation have not just affected the NHS. Real cuts in education are damaging young people’s life prospects. Millions face the reality of over-priced, insecure housing, often of an unacceptable quality.

There are so many elephants in the room of British politics you could re-populate the African plains with herds of that endangered species.

I don’t want to sound depressing. But is it just me who wants bread and butter issues addressed in a calm, constructive way during this election campaign? Political parties and the media have to take on board that people are fed up with a ludicrous focus on the personalities of leaders. We’re sick of a culture of yah-boo politics.

On June 8, 2017, I hope to be able to stroll out to the ballot box having made up my mind based on detailed policy commitments rather than waffle and sound bites about “strong” leadership. We deserve nothing less.