London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Does Boris Johnson really want a general election, or does he have something else in mind?

Does Boris Johnson really want a general election, or does he have something else in mind?

Boris Johnson’s attempt to call a general election is a clever subterfuge. It’s not about Corbyn, or even about a general election. It’s actually a calculated plan for Brexit.
It took me a moment to figure out what on earth Boris Johnson was playing at, attempting to call a general election just after Parliament had passed the Queen’s Speech. The government had set out a plan for what it intends to do with this Parliamentary term, got Parliament to rubber-stamp the overall direction, and then immediately decided it would prefer not to introduce any of the legislation and have a general election instead.

It’s all a bit Grand Old Duke Of York. Having marched his MPs through the lobbies to support a domestic agenda, Boris Johnson then wants to march them straight back out for a general election. Despite having some kind of Parliamentary majority – potentially – for his Brexit deal, he wants to risk it all on an election. The whole thing didn’t make much sense. There would be two alternative ways for Johnson to force a General Election if he really wanted one, but he’s declined to do either – choosing instead an option that can easily be blocked by the opposition. The whole thing seems somewhat Kafkaesque until the penny drops.

I was playing a chess match last week. Finding that I was a move short of being able to carry out my best plan, I started looking around for alternatives. I found one: a move which I could insert, which forced my opponent to deal with a different threat and gave me the necessary ‘time’ to be able to complete the plan.

Labour clearly doesn’t want a general election that it’s almost certain to lose. Of course, Johnson knows perfectly well that Labour backbenchers are revolting at the prospect. The election isn’t itself the issue. Johnson’s strategy is different: it’s nothing to do with Corbyn, or Parliament, or general elections. It’s all about the European Council, which was gearing up to insist that the UK must accept the Benn Act extension to January 31.

A three-month Brexit extension only made sense from the EU’s perspective in one scenario: if the UK were to hold a general election in that time. Three months would be insufficient in law for a second referendum to be forced upon the British people, even if there were the political will to do it. By manoeuvring Labour into opposing a general election, Boris Johnson hopes to focus the EU Council’s attention on that fact. It’s a neat trick, designed to increase the chances that the UK is only offered a short ‘technical’ extension to Brexit.

Johnson saw that the EU Council ‘board’ wasn’t in his favour, but by inserting an attempt to call a general election first, he increased his chances of keeping any extension as short as possible.

It may not work, but it’s a surprisingly clever plan. In chess, it’s always a good idea to play moves which give your opponent opportunities to make mistakes. The same is true of politics, but there’s no guarantee of success. The European Council might well insist upon January 31 anyway, but if it does, what has Boris Johnson actually lost? If anything, he’s still achieved a minor tactical victory: the Labour Party which has been calling for an election since Johnson became prime minister will now have blocked an election three times.

For Boris Johnson, the early signs are promising. A meeting of EU ambassadors this morning broke up without agreement on extension. It’s reported that French President Macron sees no point in a three-month extension if it won’t enable a general election.

Even if his ruse fails to sway the European Council in the end, Johnson has still caused the Labour Party a minor embarrassment. Brexit remains as unpredictable as ever. In recent times, everything has become about political strategy. Whilst Theresa May was blissfully unaware of the nature of such wranglings, Boris Johnson is a shrewd operator. His deal has significant problems, keeping the UK more tied to the EU than many would want, but he is determined to deliver.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×