Uk politics

I’m an Oxbridge graduate in my twenties and a native speaker of a Romance language. I’m a citizen of nowhere rather than somewhere, and two years ago I moved to the United States. I could be the illustrated dictionary’s definition of a Remoaner. And I am. So why is it that, whenever I have a proper conversation with a liberal, knowledgeable American who criticises the idiocy of leaving the EU, I find myself leaping to the defence of Camp Brexit? For a few minutes, mid-conversation, I’m manning the barricades of Thanet with Nigel Farage, throwing real ale at the Provençal set. Except that, being British, I don’t dare voice my objections. I nod and smile while the repute of my country is crushed like a bulldog sat on by a bison.

The results from the European parliamentary elections shows how EU politics is increasingly polarised. It also demonstrates how old party allegiances are fading in favour of loyalties for parties with more specific ideological and policy platforms. Against the backdrop of Brexit and divisions convulsing global politics, these elections – which have been marked by issues such as immigration and climate change becoming inextricably linked to the role of the EU – saw the highest participation in 20 years. Fragmentation that is shaking up politics domestically has been transferred to the European level. So what do these elections mean for the health of the EU project?

The EU election results are in and it's bad news for both of the main parties. Labour and the Tories have lost support while the pro-EU Liberal Democrats and Green Party have made significant gains. However, the big winner is the Brexit Party. Ahead of the vote, Nigel Farage's new outfit was predicted to win the largest vote share and they have managed to do just that. The Brexit party has come first and the Lib Dems second. The Brexit Party won 28 MEPs with 32% of the vote share. The party had an impressive showing in the Midlands as well as East of England where they have had three MEPs elected – including Farage allies Richard Tice and Michael Heaver. In Scotland, the Brexit party came in second after the SNP.

The way to think about the Tory leadership contest is—I say in The Sun, this morning—that it is like a tournament with two sides of the draw, with each side sending one candidate into the final, membership round. One side of the draw is for full-on Brexiteers. Here Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom, Steve Baker and Esther McVey will duke it out. The other side of the draw features the Cabinet candidates: Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart. Whoever comes out of the full-on Brexit side of the draw will go into the final round as the strong favourite given Tory members’ views on the subject. I understand that Boris Johnson has edged ahead of Dominic Raab on this side of the draw.

After Theresa May announced that she will step down on Friday 7 June as the leader of the Conservative party, the race to find her successor is due to officially commence the following Monday. Conservative party chairman Brandon Lewis, along with the vice-chairs of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers,  have issued a joint statement laying out the process for this contest. Notably 1922 chair Graham Brady's name is missing from the statement – leading to speculation he has recused himself on the grounds that the Tory backbencher may run himself. Under the new timetable, nominations will close in the week commencing 10 June. Then there will be 'successive rounds of voting' which will keep going until a final choice of two candidates remain.