General Election 2017: Conservative credibility crumbles as election approaches

Theresa May’s Conservatives have seen their credibility shattered by a series of revelations over the weekend. Following Saturday night’s tragic events on London Bridge, in which a jihadi terrorist attack killed seven and injured 48, reports from various sources cast a shadow over the role and actions of the present government.

During the days immediately prior to Saturday’s attack, it emerged that the Home Office buried an official report into funding streams for ISIS. Initiated by former PM, David Cameron, at the behest of the Liberal Democrats during the coalition of 2010-2015. The report’s results are considered too sensitive to be published and are thought to focus largely on Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi regime operates under the principles of Wahhabism, an extreme and widely criticised interpretation of Islam, also adopted by many jihadis. Yet by implicating the Saudi dictatorship in supplying ISIS, the report also implicates the UK government. May’s administration recently approved £3.5bn of arms export licenses to Riyadh and the prime minister paid an official visit there last week. If the links between Saudi Arabia and ISIS are proven, then May is in some way complicit, via her government’s business dealings.

Despite the Prime Minister’s speech the morning after the attack, in which she declared “enough is enough,” prominent critics have pointed out that her party’s ideological commitment to austerity and public sector cuts, have weakened national security. In the last seven years, 20,000 police have been removed from the streets of the UK. This occurred under the direct supervision of May, who formerly served as Home Secretary. She was even warned by the police federation in 2012 that her actions were putting UK citizens in danger.

Speaking on Sunday, in a live broadcast to Sky News, former senior Metroplitan police officer Peter Kirkham stated that the government are lying about police numbers. To add fuel to the fire, this morning David Cameron’s former strategy chief, Steve Hilton, has called for Mrs May’s resignation. He stated,

Theresa May is responsible for the security failures of London Bridge, Manchester & Westminster Bridge. Should be resigning, not seeking re-election.

On the other hand those involved directly in the fight against ISIS have sent a very clear message in response to Saturday’s tragedy. A group of British volunteers embroiled in the military struggle against terrorists in Syria made banners with the simple message ‘Smash ISIS, vote Corbyn.’ Clarifying, the group said,

Only Jeremy Corbyn knows the way to stop ISIS – through a foreign policy that cuts off their funding and supplies at the source.

Their statements reflect on the actions of May’s administration, which continues to do business with those who fund and supply the terrorists.

The Conservative Party has fought a poor campaign in general, and with less than a week to polling day, this series of bombshells may well prove telling. A chaotic TV interview by culture secretary Karen Bradley caused even traditional allies in the media to turn against them, with Piers Morgan of the Daily Mail writing,

Mrs May talks tough but…she cut police numbers by 20,000. And now we’re paying the price in blood.

Quite simply, the Tories are falling apart.