Let the people decide

In giving her reasons for this move, May cast her decision in terms of seeking a renewed mandate from the people. She said since the clear referendum decision, her administration has faced resistance to its efforts to depart the European Union. And so, she is seeking to reduce uncertainty ahead of a crucial negotiations phase with the EU by asking for a stronger hand .

“Let us tomorrow vote for an election, let us put forward our plans for Brexit and our alternative programmes for government and then let the people decide,” May said. But what the British prime minister did not say is that her party currently enjoys a good lead in opinion polls. And while she castigated unelected members of the House of Lords who have opposed her Brexit legislation, it was becoming increasingly clear that she could not avoid the fact that while she is an elected MP, no citizen of Britain has ever voted for her as prime minister .

There was always, thus, something hollow about her strident insistence that “Brexit means Brexit;” that the referendum result was sacred and that it must be enforced at all costs .

May is also perhaps calculating that she can bolster her position at the negotiating table ahead of the French and German elections, the outcomes of which might change the dynamics. And in its own way, May’s snap poll is a gift to Nicola Sturgeon who has called for a second Scottish independence referendum in light of England’s moves to leave the EU .

Will the UK people vote May back in? She is certainly counting on it. The same section of the population that was behind the Brexit vote is likely to be energised this time around. It matters not how many erroneous “facts” featured in the previous campaign, this voting block is likely to be unchanged in their views .

Will there be enough of a backlash from complacent and quiet voters the first time around who may have underestimated the power of the xenophobic position taken last year? Assuming elections that are not compromised by international actors or otherwise, the people will have the final say .

Yet, May risks allegations of being disingenuous in her reasoning .

Gianni Pittella, the leader of the socialist bloc in the European Parliament, yesterday described May’s announcement as “immoral,” saying, “Theresa May is playing the same game that David Cameron played some years ago by exploiting Brexit to strengthen her political grip within her party and the country. It is immoral in a way. It is unacceptable to exploit such a sensitive issue as Brexit.” At the end of the day, however, it remains admirable that the democratic traditions within the UK are alive and well. As bad as the outcome of the Brexit vote was, one thing appears sure: it was the will of the people. It has never been a good argument to claim that voters were misinformed by erroneous advertisements and platform talk, for it is impossible to quantify the extent to which such things had an impact. It was also always nonsense to state that Parliament MPs should have the final say. Far from it, it was Parliament that empowered the UK Government to call on the people to have a direct say in referendums .

Come June 8, the British people will decide their fate. And that is how it should be .