UK - generally electing what?

        Generally, try to decide between a mixture of bad and obscure choices while realizing that the only variation between them is the degree to which they are wrong, or their respective levels of borderline insanity. This is also a reflection of the state that Britain dug itself into after the calamitous referendum on leaving the European Union.

         Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, and Sunak. The Conservative party was already in a pickle before the musical chairs and the Brexit fiasco began. It had been a mess since Margaret Thatcher lost her marbles in 1988. Nostalgia for a nation which didn't even exist in the first place has motivated policies which are either misplaced, or were completely the wrong thing at the wrong time. 
        Many conservative MPs have been deserting the sinking ship for a few months. Taxes at historic highs flies in the face of what the Conservative party has always claimed to be. Defections to Labour and the ludicrous Reform UK have been ongoing, along with dozens of them stepping down ahead of this election. When doing so, they have all withheld their reasoning because "I can't be arsed" is unparliamentary language.
        Calling the election now rather than autumn has baffled many to an even greater extent to which many had already been. Their election campaign has been rather defensive, for a number of good reasons. "Stop the boats" has always been a ridiculous turn of phrase, aggravated by dumping asylum seekers in the middle of Africa. 
Rishi Sunak EGGED in Northampton?
        Pretending that Boris Johnson was never mistaken and making David Cameron foreign secretary, even though they both effectively installed institutional dysfunction that is still rife within the British government and society demonstrate that Rishi Sunak could not formulate better policies to begin with.   

        The main "alternative", the Labour party, risks transmogrifying into its former guise. Being stuck in the trammels of being in the back pocket of trade unions and conforming to the stereotype of tax and spend entails that a Labour government could be the archetype of economically disjointed socialism. Ending what they term as tax breaks and "tax loopholes" may or may not fund their numerous spending promises.
        Leading the Conservatives in opinion polls for over a year is the result of revamping their image after the somewhat humiliating loss of safe seats in the 2019 election. This being aided by the conservative morass is a contributing factor, which Labour should not be in denial of. The split within the Labour party is still omnipresent, such as loony lefties wanting to nationalize industries such as energy and water companies. Abandoning this, and abolishing university tuition fees mean that some of his comrades have accused Keir Starmer (Labour party leader since 2019) of a form of betrayal and breaking promises. 
        What is the Labour party really? Is it in any way like its former guise under Tony Blair, one of the few effective/best post-war British governments, or is it still as lost at sea as it was under Gordon Brown? 

        Even though in the UK parliament it is currently has no seats (a.k.a. seatless), a prominent party in the UK political pantomime is Reform UK. Nigel Farage is the "leader" of that party, with his own history of political skullduggery (etc.) Originally a conservative MP, his anti-EU persecution complex led him to form the United Kingdom Independence Party. The Kippers transmogrified into the Brexit Party (for overwhelmingly obvious reasons!) then changed its name to Reform UK, which is frankly a contradiction in terms. 
        His political career paused in 2021, embarking on a "career" in television. For most of the build up to this year's general election campaign, he has insisted that he would not stand for the House of Commons. However, on the 3rd of June, he announced/pronounced that he would be a candidate and would once be the party's leader. So, effectively he is a political nomad. The emphasis should be on mad, given that he recently proclaimed, "I took over yesterday, give me more than 12 hours and I'll sort a few things out." 
            Policy wise, he and Reform UK are schizophrenic. Conservative-style low taxes and some deregulation are combined with "Net Zero Immigration", building new prisons, cutting foreign aid by 50%, and leaving the European Convention on Human Rights. Hopefully, the UK electorate will have the common sense to avoid this ludicrous party with a leader who should be taken away by the men in white coats.

        The Liberal Democrats are the third (or forth) largest party in the UK. There are many reasons for which the British electorate should vote for them, just as I have previously. Centrist and without the extremes of right or left, the objectivity in their policies is almost entirely absent in those of every single other party. No longer would companies be able to get away with such shenanigans as dumping sewage, or a lot of tax avoidance would be classified for what it really is - tax evasion. 
        Foremost in their manifesto is the pledge to "fix the UK's broken relationship with Europe." This includes rejoining the Single Market, and ultimately rejoining the EU. Given the ongoing calamity of Brexit, this is the only means for the UK to save itself from itself.
        Recently and for several decades, they have had ongoing success in by-elections, frequently at the expense of the Conservatives. However, their opinion poll ratings are at most 15%, condemning them to perpetual third-party status. 
        This is unfortunately likely to remain the case for them among the British electorate, torn as it is between unrealistic and nostalgic patriotism, and Loony Left, making it incapable of making carefully considered, and objective decisions. 

        Given the plethora of MPs trying to make a bit on the side by betting on when the election would be called, such Gambloholics have also created a parliament full of Rotten Boroughs. Courtesy of this, there could even be a revival of the Monster Raving Loony Party, or even this selection of candidates from the Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch Election Night Special: 
  • Arthur J Smith of the Sensible Party; 
  • Jethro Q. Bunn Whackett Buzzard Stubble and Boot Walrustitty of the Silly Party;  
  • Kevin Phillips Bong of the Slightly Silly Party; 
  • Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim bus stop F'tang F'tang Ole Biscuitbarrel of the Silly Party; 
  • Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Blackpool Rock Stoat gobbler John Raw Vegetable Brrroooo Norman Michael (rings bell) (blows whistle) Edward (sounds car horn) (does train impersonation) (sounds buzzer) Thomas Moo... (sings) 'We'll keep a welcome in the...' (fires gun) William (makes silly noise) 'Raindrops keep falling on my' (weird noise) 'Don't sleep in the subway' (cuckoo cuckoo) Naaoooo... Smith of the Very Silly Party.
            Therefore, given the morass of the socio-political status-quo, the best choice could be to simply abstain. This is unless one votes for the party I usually vote for. Otherwise, a spoiled ballot paper would be a suitable expression of discontent. One could express one's discontent by wiping a ballot paper on one's nether region(s). 

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