Mohamed Elmaki Ahmed:
Millions of voices will be heard in the UK on Thursday 4 July 2024, when Britons vote in the general parliamentary election.
Voters will elect House of Commons (MPs) members in 650 Constituencies.
Several parties nominated 4,515 candidates, including the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats Party, the Green Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, and independents.
The democratic atmosphere seemed vital and spectacular.
Freedom of expression, press freedom, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law are the most prominent milestones.
Political leaders launched campaigns across the country, joined TV debates, and then announced manifestos after weeks of campaigning that reflected their visions and plans for the future.
The main issues are the cost of Living, restoring economic stability, the NHS (National Health Service), Housing, the immigration and asylum system, and unleashing investment in the public service.
However, the Scottish National Party (SNP) announced the ‘independence of Scotland’’ is a priority. John Swinney the leader of the SNP said the ‘’independence will create a fairer country, and we will work to rejoin EU’’( European Union).
Labour under Starmer’s leadership seems stronger, and a key challenge for the Conservatives.
According to observers, he has succeeded in rebuilding Labour, after being elected as the Party’s leader and the opposition’s leader in April 2020.
He uses social media daily and effectively, sending photos, videos, short messages, and pledging commitments, like’’ My Labour government will build 1.5 million more homes’’.
Sir Starmer is the preferred candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency, where I will cast my vote in London.
He is expected to be the new occupant of 10 Downing Street.
If this happens, it will be a historic event that ends the Conservative 14-year government.
Despite my support of Starmer’s vision for positive ‘’change”, Mr Sunak, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Tories (Conservatives), who is of Indian descent ,is a good example of British democracy that reflects the strong state of institutions, which respect diversity and citizenship rights.
In this context, my message to the next Prime Minister, and the leader of the Opposition is a distress call to support and put additional pressure to achieve an immediate ceasefire and peace in Sudan, Gaza, and the West Bank, and support a two-state solution (An Israeli state and a Palestinian state).
People in Sudan, Palestine, Yemen, and Syria are in dire need of the UK’s effective political and humanitarian role, to contribute to the regional and international efforts towards stopping the grinding wars and saving lives from the highest rate of homicide and famine in the Middle East.
