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With Brexit and economy at stake, Britain braces for third election in four years

WION Web Team
London, London, Great Britain (UK)Updated: Dec 10, 2019, 12:24 PM IST
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An umbrella featuring Britain flag (representative image). Photograph:(Reuters)

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It is not just Brexit that is at stake, whoever gets the keys to Downing Street will radically influence the country's economy, public services and the road ahead.

Britain is set to go back to the ballot boxes in three days, to pick its Prime Minister for the third time since 2015.

It's predicted to be one of the most volatile general elections in decades.

It is not just Brexit that is at stake, whoever gets the keys to Downing Street will radically influence the country's economy, public services and the road ahead.
 
The people of Britain are set to elect 650 Members of Parliament into the House of Commons that is going to decide laws and policies for the country. While most of those contesting elections belong to a political party, some do stand as Independents.

Like India, the United Kingdom also holds general elections every five years but due to Brexit, three elections have already taken place in the last four years.

In the 2015 general elections, the National Health Service and immigration were the biggest concern for the voters. In 2019, however, these concerns have been overtaken by Britain's departure from the European Union - Brexit - as the prime concern for everyone.
 
The purpose of these Christmas elections is to break the Brexit deadlock in parliament, but it is a huge gamble for Prime Minister of Britain and leader of the Conservative Party, Boris Johnson.

Politicians remain divided on the issue with some demanding the UK to leave the EU as soon as possible, some demanding another referendum, and others to cancel Brexit altogether.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson does not currently have enough MPs to easily pass new laws, he hopes an early election will increase the number of Conservative MPs, making his Brexit plans easier to achieve.

If the UK Prime Minister fails, pro-remain parties will try to stop Brexit altogether.

The Labour Party wants to renegotiate Johnson's Brexit deal and put it to another referendum.

The Liberal Democrats under the leadership of Jo Swinson have pledged to cancel Brexit if they are voted to power at the general elections.

The Scottish National Party, Welsh Party plaid CYMRU and the Greens are all in favour of a second referendum.

Britain is to start voting between 7:00 am and 10:00 pm on December 12. The results are to declared through the night and the following day.

Once the final result is announced, the leader of the winning party visits Buckingham Palace to ask the Queen for permission to form a new government after which they might stand outside to deliver a speech about their party's plans for the coming term.