As Britain gears up for the December 12 general election more opinion polls show that the lead between the Conservative (Tories) and Labour Party is narrowing, reducing the continuing lead of the Tories led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
At the start of the campaign the Tories were odds-on to win. But the 2017 general election saw Labour surge back to cut down a huge Tory lead with days to spare, so strategists believe anything is possible.
The Labour Party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn faces considerable opposition over allegations of anti-Semitism with the Labour Party, and his refusal to apologize for it at key TV interviews. Similarly, the Tories are also facing much criticism over anti-Muslim prejudice and Islamophobia.
The issue of Brexit, where the PM Boris Johnson and the Tories seek to move out of the European Union in January next year, if they win a majority at the polls, the Labour party position of further negotiations with the EU and a referendum on any final agreement reached with the EU on Brexit, and the Liberal Democrats call to remain in the EU are the key issues before the UK voters.
There are also other issues such as the future of the National Health Service (NHS), where Labour opposes the Tory moves to have closer relations with the US on drugs and services for the NHS. The Labour Party has also presented economic policies that offer much benefits to the working people, as well as housing and wider education, while the Tories ensure great investment in the NHS and in overall national development.
Boris Johnson's lead over Labour has now slipped under 10 points, with the latest opinion polls revealing that Jeremy Corbyn is slowly starting to narrow the gap with the Conservatives as election day approaches.
Opinion polls so far show the Conservative Party still in front, with a nine-point lead over Labour. However, with less than a week until election day there is still ample time for public opinion to shift - just as it did away from Theresa May in 2017.
Labour have been steadily narrowing the gap with the Tories, in-part thanks to a relatively popular manifesto, but continue to suffer from the on-going accusations of anti-Semitism which are plaguing both party and leader.
Here is what the key opinion polls show about what is likely to happen in the general election.
A poll on UK adults online show that Labour is up 8 points compared to November, with more Londoners who voted for Brexit are also supporting Labour, which could worry the Tories.
Another poll for Good Morning Britain shows Labour continues to gain on the Tories. Its results show Labour doing significantly better among those who voted Remain in EU in 2016 over the past two weeks. Almost half of respondents who voted Remain now say they will vote Labour which is +10.
However, the Tories held their 7-pont lead over Labour in the first opinion poll conducted after the recent London Bridge terrorist attack.
Meanwhile, Labour continues to gain on the Torie in most polls, now doing significantly better among those who voted remain in 2016.
Another poll showed the Tory lead shrinking - but much more dramatically than the others, with Labour up by five points while the Tories were down by two on just a week earlier. The head of a leading poll organisation said: “While the margin of error – a feature of all polls – means this shift may not be as large as the headline suggests, it does add weight to other existing polling evidence which shows the Labour Party starting to build momentum.”
NATO Summit
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) held the Summit of its 70th anniversary in London this week. NATO is the world's most powerful defence alliance, was set up in 1949, after World War Two, amid anxiety over Soviet expansion. It was founded on the principle of collective defence between allies. Originally had 12 members, but now has 29.
The Summit in London took place amidst increasing differences among the NATO members, particularly regarding US President Donald Trump’s call for more contributions to NATO from other members, and the increasing concerns about the position of its member Turkey, with regard to dealings with Russia, and its dealings with pro-Western ethnic in the Middle East such as the Kurds.
The presence of President Trump in London for the Summit was also an opportunity for anti-Trump protestors to be active. Hundreds of protesters marched to Buckingham Palace to protest Donald Trump's presence in London, especially amid fears for the future of the NHS. Demonstrators, including some NHS staff, joined anti-war activists on the march as NATO leaders were hosted by the Queen.
The NATO Summit related meetings saw an open clash of views between President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. There was criticism by Trump over Macron’s earlier statement that NATO was “brain dead” in its current dealings over continuing trade and that US commitment to the alliance was fading.
Mr. Trump hit back on Macron by saying the French leader had been “very disrespectful”, adding that France had “a very high unemployment rate” and “nobody needs NATO more than France “Although Trump described Mr. Macron's comments about NATO as “nasty”, President Macron said he stood by his words.
The summit was also marked by strained relations between Turkey and other member states. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will oppose NATO’s plan for the defence of the Baltic region if it does not back Turkey over its fight against Kurdish groups it considers terrorists.
Mr. Trump criticised NATO countries who were paying less than the NATO guidelines of at least 2% of GDP towards the alliance. He said he did not want countries to be “delinquent” and pay less than their share, adding: “Maybe I'll deal with them from a trade standpoint.”
On Turkey Macron said; “When I look at Turkey, they now are fighting against those who fought with us shoulder to shoulder against [IS]... if we just have discussions about what we pay and we don't have clear discussions about such a situation, we are not serious.”
Also discussed was Turkey's decision to buy a Russian S-400 missile system.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will oppose NATO's plan for the defence of the Baltic region if it does not back Turkey over its fight against Kurdish groups it considers terrorists.
Despite the divisions, UK PM Boris Johnson – the host of the event – described NATO as a “giant shield of solidarity” that “protects nearly a billion people” and that “As long as we stand together, no one can hope to defeat us”.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg cited increased spending commitments on defence by European allies and Canada, saying: “NATO is the most successful alliance in history because we've changed as the world has changed.”
China – Hong Kong
Almost six months after the protest movement that has upended life in Hong Kong began, the region is now facing serious questions about its future as Asia’s leading international business centre.
The most recent violence in the region have been the worst disturbances of the six-month long pro-democracy protests. US lawmakers have now passed legislation threatening Hong Kong’s special trading status and the territory has slumped into its worst recession for 10 years.
With next year shaping up to be even tougher, the protesters appear to have achieved the ambition expressed in a recent poster on social media this week. “Squeeze the economy to increase pressure,” it urged.
Trade and commerce is the lifeblood of Hong Kong, but economy is expected to shrink by 1.4% in 2019 and economists think growth could wither by as much as 3% in 2020 without a big fiscal stimulus. The retail and tourism industries are suffering particularly badly. China has suspended visits by US Navy ships and aircraft to Hong Kong after Washington passed legislation last week backing pro-democracy protesters, and Beijing has also unveiled sanctions against many US human rights groups.
The US Act orders an annual review to check if Hong Kong has enough autonomy to justify special trading status with the US.
The Chinese foreign ministry said it would suspend the reviewing of applications to visit Hong Kong by US military ships and aircraft from Monday - and warned that further action could come.
“We urge the US to correct the mistakes and stop interfering in our internal affairs,” ministry spokeswoman said in Beijing.
Iraq - PM moves out
Iraq's parliament has approved the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi following weeks of unrest.
Some 400 people have been killed since protests began in Baghdad and other cities at the start of October. Thousands more have been injured. Iraqis are demanding jobs, an end to corruption and better public services.
Pope Francis is the latest figure to condemn security forces’ use of lethal force.
After the Iraqi PM announced his decision to resign, clashes continued in cities including Baghdad and Najaf.
Existing laws in Iraq do not clearly set out a way for members of parliament to deal with a prime minister's resignation, but lawmakers on Sunday acted on the legal opinion of the supreme court's decision to resign on Friday.
Under the constitution, the president is expected to ask the largest bloc in parliament to nominate a new prime minister to form a government. Mr. Abdul Mahdi and his government will stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new government is chosen.
PM Abdul Mahdi's office announced he would submit his resignation to parliament in response to a call from Iraq's top Shia Muslim cleric for a new government.
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani had condemned the use of force against protesters and called for lawmakers to withdraw their support for the government.
Lebanon
Lebanon’s recently resigned Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has said he did not want to be prime minister of a new government, calling his decision “decisive”.
Hariri resigned in late October in the face of nationwide protests against Lebanon’s ruling elite.
His decision toppled a coalition government including the powerful, Iran-backed Shi’ite Muslim group Hezbollah, which opposed the decision. Since then, Lebanon’s main parties have been locked in talks and unable to agree a new government despite the worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.
“I am sticking by the rule ‘not me, rather someone else’ to form a government that addresses the aspirations of the young men and women,” Hariri, Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician, said.
NATO leaders at the recently concluded 70th anniversary summit in London.
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