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News Analysis: Breathtaking win for Cameron, but road ahead rocky: academic

Xinhua, May 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

British Prime Minister David Cameron returned triumphantly to 10 Downing Street Friday after a general election that dumbfounded both political experts and pollsters.

He will lead a majority government in the House of Commons after heading a coalition with the Liberal Democrats for five years.

"It has been a stunning win for the Conservatives but the road ahead is rocky," said Jonathan Tonge, a professor of politics at the University of Liverpool.

He said the Conservatives won most seats "because they were always ahead on the economy, and that was the most single important issue for many people."

"The main contender, Labour leader Ed Miliband was not seen by many people as a potential prime minister. The third party in UK politics, the Liberal Democrats were also badly squeezed. Add to the mix was Labour's hammering in Scotland where it was virtually wiped-out by the Scottish National Party," Tonge said.

All of those things, added together, gave the Conservatives the success hardly anybody foresaw in the run up to the election, according to the academic.

"It was something of a horrific night for the predictions which has left the opinion polls discredited. The polls failed to detect the 'shy' conservative voters," he said.

With the end of the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition, Tonge expects foreign affairs under a majority Conservative government to be be more robust.

"Cameron has cordial relationships with the U.S., and that will continue, and he will need to keep Britain's strong relations with China," the professor said, adding "The big issue on relationships is with the European Union (EU)."

Cameron has promised a national referendum on continued membership of the EU.

"Cameron does not want to see Britain out of the EU, so he will have to negotiate a better deal with Brussels," Tonge said.

"But with the coalition government at an end, there will be less of a break on any reckless foreign policies," he said. "Looking to the future for a Conservative government, Cameron, with such a narrow majority, will have to contend with rebellious back-bench Conservative members of parliament."

Licking their wounds are Labour and the Liberal Democrats, and both need to choose new leaders as soon as possible, said Tonge. Endit