UK election a foregone conclusion? That’s why it’s interesting

With a crushing 20-plus point lead in the opinion polls, all the signs are that Labour leader Keir Starmer will be the PM after the general election on 4 July, called by Conservative incumbent Rishi Sunak yesterday.

The stars are aligned for Starmer.  Rival progressives are in abeyance: the Liberal-Democrat party has lost the all-things-to-all-people shine that its name implies, while the Scottish Nationalists have coalesced into a residue of bitter personal opportunism.

He has only one problem.  The Conservatives have thoroughly tested his policies.  And they’re not working too well.

An admirable U-turn

It doesn’t inspire confidence when politicians change their minds.  But you must give credit when a bad idea is dropped.

Last year, we reported on the determination of British PM Rishi Sunak to lead the world in regulating the dangers of Artificial Intelligence.

Perhaps he changed his mind after meeting the regulators, because now he sees things very differently.

“Too often regulation can stifle those innovators.  We cannot let that happen. Not with potentially the most transformative technology of our time.”

Rishi’s relaunch

With an election due in less than nine months, Britain’s embattled PM, Rishi Sunak, gave a useful speech earlier this week. He made a substantial case for his government, perhaps as compelling as is possible in the current environment. Quite an achievement.