The latest data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, released on March 28, shows that the British economy entered a recession in late 2023; a matter that severely tarnishes the credibility of the governing Conservative Party on the eve of nationwide elections.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell by 0.1 percent in the third quarter of 2023 and by 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter, officially putting the UK in a recession.
An economic recession occurs when GDP decreases for two consecutive periods. Meanwhile, the situation of inflation and costliness still keeps the UK in a critical state. New statistics indicate that the energy price crisis has led to an increase in absolute poverty levels in Britain to the highest in 30 years. This figure rose to 12 million people in the 2022-2023 period, which is 600,000 people or 0.78 percent more than the previous period.
The UK’s Department for Work and Pensions also declared in an official report that the number of children living in poverty in the country has increased. The ministry stated that according to the statistics, 4.33 million children in the UK live in low-income families. The highest figure recorded earlier was for the 12 months ending in March 2020, with the number of these children being 4.28 million. This figure was around 4.22 million in March 2022. These statistics explicitly state that the government has failed to protect vulnerable individuals against the crisis of living costs.
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Meanwhile, the weekly magazine The Observer reported that child poverty in the UK has spiraled out of control, forcing schools in the country to provide housing, bathing, and laundry services for their students. The Observer wrote: “School administrators say they are not only helping alleviate hunger but are also increasingly facing children living in homes with insufficient beds or unable to sleep due to cold weather. They warn that poverty is causing behavioral problems, chronic absenteeism, and mental health issues among students.”
In response to this situation, Olivier De Schutter, the UN’s special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, while warning the UK government about violating international laws on poverty alleviation in this country, called for an increase in welfare assistance for the people of the UK.
Highlighting the unacceptable level of poverty in the UK and the government’s violation of international laws in this regard, De Schutter urged UK ministers to increase welfare assistance. He likened the UK welfare system to a “leaking bucket” and, in an interview with The Guardian, referred to a report by former UN representative Philip Alston regarding t “systematic immiseration of a significant part of the British population” by the Conservative government, stating, ” Things have got worse.”
This situation has heightened pressure within the ruling Conservative Party in the run-up to elections to oust Prime Minister Rishi Sunak from the prime ministerial seat. Most polls indicate a lead for the opposition Labour Party under Keir Starmer, whom the British media refer to as the “prime minister in waiting.” The right-wing newspaper Daily Mail reported on secret meetings of conservative faction representatives, stating that they are engaged in negotiations regarding Sunak’s removal and the appointment of Penny Mordaunt.
Another challenging area for the ruling party in Britain is the environment, which has led to the suppression and arrest of environmental supporters. According to the UK Environment Agency, water and sewage companies in England discharged over 3.6 million hours of sewage into rivers and seas last year, roughly double the figure from 2022.
The extremist policies of Britain’s current Prime Minister towards refugees, suppression of Palestinian supporters in the fight against anti-Semitism, and involvement with the US in Gaza’s crimes have led the English electorate to hold a negative view of Rishi Sunak and his supporting party.
General elections to determine members of Parliament in the UK are held every five years. Traditionally, this event takes place in the spring or autumn. Sunak had previously announced his intention to hold nationwide elections in the second half of 2024. He is obligated by law to hold elections no later than January 28, 2025.
He has not yet specified the exact date of the elections, and it is unlikely that the timing of this political event will be determined in the next one or two months. Sunak dismissed speculations about early elections in the country late March last year and announced that the event would be held in the second half of 2024 as planned. However, the Labour Party insists that elections be held as soon as possible. In any case, the people of the UK will head to the polls this year to decide the political fate of their country. It seems evident from most polls that the ruling Conservative Party has little chance in the upcoming elections.
NOURNEWS
