As Britain goes to the general elections on Thursday, print and broadcast media spaces, TV talk shows packed with audiences, cafes, public places and streets are all focused on the same question: Which political party will rule the United Kingdom?
While browsing new arrivals at Leeds Waterstones' notable bookshelves, I flipped the first page of Simon Ings' book "Engineers of Human Souls: Four Writers Who Turned to Politics." The book begins with a mind-boggling opening line: “Governments do not listen to their people, and nowhere are people free. Very rarely, an old dispensation is overthrown and a new institution comes to power.”
Coincidently, this visionary line perfectly fits in the political spectrum of Britain. Since the start of the Israeli assault on Gaza, the Conservative government and the Labour Party in the opposition camp have behaved as if it is Britain’s war. Britain’s government crackdown on pro-Palestinian protestors, student encampments and all those questioning the government over its unconditional financial and military support for the wars in Ukraine and Gaza are facing real threats of losing their jobs.
That’s what a government does to its own people. It makes no difference who will win, as governments are all the same. They have agendas and political goals that serve the interests of elites.
Back in 2007, at the Chicago Socialism conference, Australian journalist and writer John Pilger delivered his famous speech titled “Freedom Next Time,” in which he revealed the political engineering of “The Invisible Governments” that employ “propaganda tactics” to brainwash and convince people to believe in the government systems.
Pilger’s visionary thinking is detectable in his golden words, “Liberal Democracy is moving toward a form of corporate dictatorship,” and he believes that “we must not fall into the trap of believing that the media speaks for the public.”
For the last few years, Britain has become more authoritarian than a democratic state. Surprisingly, several British prime ministers were “takeover leaders” without a “popular mandate.”
In other words, they are selected but not elected. That’s how most British politicians sentinel the interests of their aides. In Pilger’s words, “invisible people” or the “king makers” have their own plans, while the public may think their vote can bring a change.
Last week, I learned that Diamond Jubilee professor Keith Layboun, an expert on the Labour Party's history and politics, foresees the return of the party to power. That is what most sections of the British media think.
British press: Past and present
The British press and broadcast media are long known for their support of political parties. Once again, the British press has professed its support with The Independent, The Guardian, Daily Record, Daily Mirror and Economist backing the Labour Party, while The Daily Telegraph, Times, Express and The Daily Mail are supporting the Conservatives.
All major British newspapers make their final “election endorsements” in their Sunday editions: The Sunday Telegraph‘s editorial is headlined “Vote Tory to save Britain from Labour,” The Mail on Sunday comments: “It is not all over yet. Vote Conservative on Thursday and we may yet escape a long and punishing season of hard Labour” and The Sunday Times states that the “Conservatives have in effect forfeited the right to govern.”
Interestingly, in a major YouGov poll, “Most Britons tend to think Tory and Labour election promises are unaffordable and unrealistic.”
British left-wing newspaper columnist Owen Jones rightly pointed out that, “A shocking absence in this election; politicians won’t mention the Israel-Gaza war” even though “Britain is complicit in mass slaughter on a horrifying scale. But those campaigning for our votes pretend it’s not happening.”
Those campaigning voices are absent from the mainstream media spaces. As the Green Party battles for “fair coverage,” Reform U.K. Leader Nigel Farage, described as a “product of the U.K. media’s populists,” emerges as a media darling. However, a few weeks back, George Galloway wished he “should be allowed TV election debates.” Additionally, the British Palestinian candidates contesting elections on a “pro-Gaza, anti-austerity platform” also lack fairer coverage.
Politicization amid Ukraine, Gaza crises
Many experts view Britain’s General Elections 2024 as heavily politicized because of its role in Ukraine and Gaza. In theory, the British press is free; it says it caters to human interests and guards liberal values, but reality is different.
In the past, while The Guardian opposed the Iraq War on the pretext of “weapons of mass destruction” that turned out to be untrue, The Daily Telegraph proudly supported it. Today, once again, The Daily Telegraph is supporting the Israeli assault on Gaza, whereas The Guardian is opposing it.
Today, both newspapers are trying to convince their readers. The Daily Telegraph editorial, “Vote Conservatives to save Britain from the disaster of Labour. Sir Keir Starmer’s party cannot be trusted to govern the U.K. There is only one way to stop him,” versus The Guardian editorial, “Sir Keir Starmer must win. Only his government can shape the future we want to see. A Labour victory would be a reason for hope.”
Well, The Guardian knows it well. Unfortunately, there is little or no hope for the starving children in Gaza, Ukrainian children away from their fathers fighting the West’s war against Russia and homeless people in the streets of Britain.
From leading media pundits to mainstream writers and anchors, the University of Leeds guy, Keir Starmer, may win the race for prime minister. If Starmer wins, will the Labour government bring any change for an ordinary Brit? Will the Labour government recognize the independent State of Palestine? If not, where will The Guardian and its liberal media associates stand as today they are pushing the public to vote for Labour? The Gaza war may impact the final result. However, Britain’s foreign policy under any government may not change drastically, as some think.