Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Labour leader Keir Starmer could need each other in Britain's coming general election. PA
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Labour leader Keir Starmer could need each other in Britain's coming general election. PA
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Labour leader Keir Starmer could need each other in Britain's coming general election. PA
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Labour leader Keir Starmer could need each other in Britain's coming general election. PA


The real lesson of UK elections is Lib Dems hold the key for Labour


  • English
  • Arabic

May 07, 2024

Solid, if unexciting. That was the verdict on the Liberal Democrats’ performance in the local elections. Sir Ed Davey, the leader, talked them up, slipping into hyperbole. They weren’t "brilliant". They were good, though.

His party added more than 100 council seats and two councils, to take the number to 12 of authorities under Lib Dem control.

This, to be fair, was from a contest that was not focused on their traditional heartlands – these elections were primarily in the North and Midlands, in towns and cities where the Lib Dems are used to coming a poor third behind the Tories and Labour.

Still, they should take heart. After a disastrous period, which saw their popularity plummet, the Lib Dems are on an upwards trajectory again. Mr Davey is right, too, to stick to a strategy of concentrating firmly on those seats in the south where the Lib Dems traditionally come second to the Tories.

His is a rebuilding exercise, aimed at recapturing seats that used to be yellow shoo-ins, until that is the party paid the price of going into partnership with the Tories. Their approach was naive and they were clobbered.

The Lib Dems were seen as lacking in principles, prepared to sell out on key issues – the never-to-be-forgotten official video of Nick Clegg, at the time party leader, walking along the Embankment and promising not to raise university tuition fees, only to do exactly that once with the Tories in government, did untold damage.

The experience of the David Cameron-Nick Clegg era will come in handy for the Lib Dems. Getty
The experience of the David Cameron-Nick Clegg era will come in handy for the Lib Dems. Getty

Wary of Starmer

Now, as the general election nears, Mr Davey is aiming for a return to yellow in the south-west of England, in the university-dominated cities such as Oxford, in south-west London and south Manchester. He’s hoping as well to appeal to those Remainers across the south who are disenfranchised, not at home in the current, anti-EU Tory party and unable to vote Labour.

Once again, the Lib Dems are set to become the bane of the Tories, picking off seats here and there, and taking down high-profile Conservative incumbents. While no one is suggesting they will reclaim former recent heights, not yet anyway, the Lib Dems rediscovering their mojo could be of enormous significance.

While Labour crowed about these election results, hailing them as proof that Sir Keir Starmer was on his way to Number 10, that he would be overseeing a landslide, closer inspection suggests that is not the case.

The 2024 local elections show the public is not bowled over by Keir Starmer. PA
The 2024 local elections show the public is not bowled over by Keir Starmer. PA

Labour appears set to win, but not by enough to command an overall majority. Voters were turned off by the Tories all right. But the crucial point is that those votes did not automatically switch to Labour.

That’s the worry for Labour: that the country wants a change of hue in charge, it’s finished with blue. But it’s not screaming, now paint Downing Street red.

The Tories lost 474 councillors, a calamitous figure. Labour, though, gained 186. So, almost 300 council seats were picked up by other parties, by the Lib Dems, Reform, Greens, independents.

The message from the 2024 local elections was that while the electorate is not persuaded by Rishi Sunak, it’s not exactly bowled over by Mr Starmer either.

  • Labour candidate Chris Webb celebrates with his wife Portia and baby Cillian after winning the Blackpool South by-election. PA
    Labour candidate Chris Webb celebrates with his wife Portia and baby Cillian after winning the Blackpool South by-election. PA
  • Ballots are counted at the voting centre in Blackpool. AFP
    Ballots are counted at the voting centre in Blackpool. AFP
  • Monster Raving Loony candidate Howling Laud Hope waits for the declaration at the count centre in Blackpool. AFP
    Monster Raving Loony candidate Howling Laud Hope waits for the declaration at the count centre in Blackpool. AFP
  • Voters arrive and leave a polling station beside Battersea Power Station in London. Reuters
    Voters arrive and leave a polling station beside Battersea Power Station in London. Reuters
  • A voter leaves a polling station in Birmingham. Reuters
    A voter leaves a polling station in Birmingham. Reuters
  • A tourist poses for a photo underneath a polling station sign near Westminster Abbey during local elections in London. Reuters
    A tourist poses for a photo underneath a polling station sign near Westminster Abbey during local elections in London. Reuters
  • A dog stands outside a polling station in Blackpool. Reuters
    A dog stands outside a polling station in Blackpool. Reuters
  • Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrive at their local polling station in north London. PA
    Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrive at their local polling station in north London. PA
  • A person leaves the polling station at The Salt House in West Bay. Getty Images
    A person leaves the polling station at The Salt House in West Bay. Getty Images
  • People walk towards Tonbridge Castle, being used as a polling station during local elections in Tonbridge. Reuters
    People walk towards Tonbridge Castle, being used as a polling station during local elections in Tonbridge. Reuters
  • London mayor Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya pose for the media with their dog Luna, as they arrive at a polling station in the British capital. EPA
    London mayor Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya pose for the media with their dog Luna, as they arrive at a polling station in the British capital. EPA

Price of power

It means the UK might be heading for coalition government again; certainly, provided he does nothing disastrous between now and the ballot, Mr Davey may well find himself in position A – with an increased tally of MPs and able to negotiate his way to holding the levers of power.

If the Lib Dems can put in a strong showing, Mr Davey could be courted, as Clegg was before him.

There will be those telling him to stay away, that the punishment was so severe for entering an alliance previously they do not want to commit the same mistake. But this would be with Labour, not the Tories.

What is more, it would be with Mr Starmer’s Labour. The two, Mr Davey’s Lib Dems and Mr Starmer’s Labour, are closer than they let on.

This time, too, the Lib Dems should be firmer, not so generous, making their demands clear and unyielding: they want electoral reform, something the party holds dear.

It isn’t a maybe or an issue that can be put to a referendum; an end to first past the post and the introduction of proportional representation or PR, is their price, pure and simple, no ifs and buts.

For Labour the cost of being Prime Minister could be agreeing to a Lib Dem proposal. Getty
For Labour the cost of being Prime Minister could be agreeing to a Lib Dem proposal. Getty

Next, where they would wish to see another national vote, would be on EU membership. That should be the second of Mr Davey’s shopping items: after the ushering in of public relations comes the scrapping of Brexit.

In the absence of any tangible form of Brexit dividend, the mood opposing exiting the EU has widened and hardened. The likelihood of that referendum going how the staunchly pro-EU Lib-Dems would like is strong.

Mr Starmer has stayed opaque where the EU is concerned, hoping to not lose working-class votes over it, seeing them persuaded by claims independence from the bloc would benefit UK manufacturing and further state aid for industry – which simply has not happened.

Here, as prime minister, at the cost of implementing Labour’s manifesto pledges, he would be agreeing to a Lib Dem proposal that he could go along with, in the knowledge that those other party policies would be getting the nod.

A coalition of yellow and red would be no bad thing for Mr Starmer for another reason: it would curb the left, putting the Corbynistas, who still exist, back in their place.

The great fear for the Tories is that this alliance would become permanent. That having achieved PR, the Lib Dems’ presence at the top table would be unshakeable. A hoped-for Lib Dem collapse, where the Tories are concerned, is not occurring.

Based on these local election results, the party that for so long has been used to running Britain possibly could be looking at becoming an also-ran. The next general election may herald momentous change.

The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

THE%C2%A0SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%204-cylinder%202.5-litre%20%2F%202-litre%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20188hp%20%2F%20248hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20244Nm%20%2F%20370Nm%0D%3Cbr%3ETransmission%3A%207-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh110%2C000%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The bio

His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell

His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard

Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece

Favourite movie - The Last Emperor

Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great

Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos

 

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Director: Peyton Reed

Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas

Three stars

Oscars in the UAE

The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am

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%3Cp%3E1.%20Baghdad%2C%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E2.%20Manama%2C%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E3.%20Dhahran%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E4.%20Kuwait%20City%2C%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E5.%20Ras%20Al%20Khaimah%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E6.%20Ash%20Shihaniyah%2C%20Qatar%3Cbr%3E7.%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E8.%20Cairo%2C%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E9.%20Riyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E10.%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
%3Cp%3E1.%20Chad%3Cbr%3E2.%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3E4.%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E5.%20Bangladesh%3Cbr%3E6.%20Burkina%20Faso%3Cbr%3E7.%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E8.%20India%3Cbr%3E9.%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E10.%20Tajikistan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
West Indies v India - Third ODI

India 251-4 (50 overs)
Dhoni (78*), Rahane (72), Jadhav (40)
Cummins (2-56), Bishoo (1-38)
West Indies 158 (38.1 overs)
Mohammed (40), Powell (30), Hope (24)
Ashwin (3-28), Yadav (3-41), Pandya (2-32)

India won by 93 runs

THE LOWDOWN

Photograph

Rating: 4/5

Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies

Director: Ritesh Batra

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

BIG SPENDERS

Premier League clubs spent £230 million (Dh1.15 billion) on January transfers, the second-highest total for the mid-season window, the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said in a report.

The biog

DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister

It

Director: Andres Muschietti

Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor

Three stars

Results:

CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off

1.           Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds

2.           Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09

3.           Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42

4.           Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63

5.           Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74

What is an FTO Designation?

FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes. 

It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.

Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.

Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.

Source: US Department of State

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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Company profile

Date started: December 24, 2018

Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer

Based: Dubai Media City

Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)

Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech

Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year

Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier

Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August

 

Group A

Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar

Group B

UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

 

UAE group fixtures

Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran

Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait

Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi

 

UAE squad

Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes. 
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com

Updated: May 11, 2024, 2:39 PM