WHO WILL BE THE NEXT BRITISH PM?

CHOOSING THE PARTY LEADER IN BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM MAKES GOOD THEATER: KNIVES ARE OUT, LET THE GAMES BEGIN

WILL THE JEWEL OF THE CROWN RULE THE CROWN? (WILL THE NEXT BRITISH PM BE AN ETHNIC INDIAN?)

The well known phrase “Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! ” (The King Is Dead, Long Live the King) exemplifies the predictable line of succession in monarchies as in the American “democracy.” Once a leader dies or resigns, everybody knows in advance who the next head of state will be.

(In America, the Constitution spells it out – first the VP, then the Speaker of Congress, then the Secretary of State, etc. – the U.S. Constitution – Article II, Section 1, Clause 6, as well as the 12th Amendment, 20th Amendment, and 25th Amendment).

Not so in Britain. Nor in its former colonies, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand… Once a leader resigns, as Boris Johnson has just done, knives are drawn and live theater begins. Except that all the brawling is done backstage. Just like when a Pope is elected. So we all get to be Shakespeares and write our own versions of the play before the white smoke* emerges from the Big Ben chimney (figuratively speaking, of course).

As things stand right now, the odds-on favorite is of Indian extraction. In fact, four of eight leading candidates are non-whites, two come from military/spying backgrounds, and one is a liberal bitch. Which leaves only one Englishman and a gentleman in the backstage brawl, and a relative of the Queen, at that – Jeremy Hunt.

Which is why the London bookmakers don’t give him much of a chance. He is only the fifth favorite candidate – behind India, Navy, Liberal Bitch and Army/Spy. Take a look at this image.

The City of London Mayor (since 2016) is of Pakistani background. So an Indian-Pakistani pair ruling Britain and its capital city should make an interesting theater. It seems the time has come for the colonies to rule the empire.

And now you can also play Shakespeare and write your own version of the play about the British parliamentary fray. 🙂

PS: How many American presidents have resigned their posts? Not a single one in 233 years since George Washington became the first president. (Nixon did technically resign, but only to avoid impeachment which was imminent).

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*NOTE: When a new Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals, the message is traditionally sent to the world by white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney in the Vatican. Together with white smoke, the election of a new pope is communicated by the ringing of St. Peter’s Basilica’s bells. Any other form of communication about the papal conclave’s result, including text messages, is forbidden. This tradition is not as old as one would assume that everything in and about the Vatican is. It was first used in 1914.