Opposition has no effective arguments against Johnson?

Three days before the British general election the Tories have a clear lead in the polls, despite inner-party turmoil over Prime Minister Johnson's Brexit policy. Columnists take stock of the factors hampering the efforts of Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Open/close all quotes
The Guardian (GB) /

Feuds and strategic mistakes

Big egos and bad decisions have weakened the opposition, The Guardian warns:

“The People's Vote campaign, which magnificently brought a million people to demonstrate on the streets of London, has collapsed in internecine feuding. Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates are not stepping down to help each other where they clearly should. The yellow wave of liberal revival has not materialised, partly due to two major blunders by rookie Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson: proposing to revoke article 50 without a second referendum (democratically illegitimate in principle, tactically foolish in practice); and placing herself front and centre of the campaign as (pull the other one!) our next prime minister.”

The Irish Times (IE) /

Voters don't trust Corbyn

The Labour leader is paying the price for his failure to adopt a clear stance on Brexit, comments The Irish Times:

“And his promise to remain 'neutral' if there is a second referendum, as if he were the queen staying above the fray, does not come across as regal. It comes across as an extraordinary inability to use power to shape his country’s destiny. ... Being neutral on Brexit means being neutral on the ways it will set back every progressive environmental, social and economic cause that Corbyn believes in. ... If he cannot say what he believes on the question that is dividing voters, voters cannot believe Corbyn on all the other questions.”

Finanz und Wirtschaft (CH) /

Why many are putting their money on Johnson

The British want Brexit over and done with, Finanz und Wirtschaft writes:

“While Labour is at least within striking distance of the leading Tories, as it was two years ago, the Liberal Democrats have failed miserably with their anti-Brexit election strategy. ... Despite his demonstrably lax attitude toward facts and the truth, Johnson has higher approval ratings than Corbyn and Swinson across the country. That may have something to do with the fact that after three and a half years of uncertainty, many Brits have put the topic of Brexit behind them and want to focus on day-to-day problems such as healthcare. At the same time a Johnson government promises a clear direction for the country.”