London has a way of defying expectations and frustrating opinion pollsters. That can be said to hold true today as a barrage of results from across the capital leave elections watchers scratching their heads and wondering just what happened.
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I know elections in the city quite well – I’ve seen them up close and personal for just shy of a decade. As results still come in across the capital, there’s one man who should be quite concerned about what he’s looking at, and that man is Sadiq Khan.
The three time Mayor of London has long positioned himself as an environmentalist and progressive voice on the centre-left of the Labour Party. He is also seen as a close ally of the Prime Minister, who penned an endorsement for him in the last Mayoral election.
But across the City there seems to be a stubborn resistance to the party Sir Sadiq represents. In affluent boroughs, like Westminster, the Tories have stormed back into power.
Elsewhere the Liberal Democrats have hoovered up support in the South West, and in the South East the Tories seem to be weathering the storm.
Yet it is in the North East where Sir Sadiq’s headache gets worse. Reform UK have taken Havering Council, and cemented a place on the London political map as they have done so.
It’s moves like this that create a springboard for political parties, and makes it much harder for the Mayor to keep up his normal tactic of trying to ignore or block out voices on the right across London.
Elsewhere in the City the Green Party look to be having an interesting election. Their leader, Zack Polanski, sits on the London Assembly and has proven to be extremely good at winding the Mayor up.
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Sir Sadiq now faces attack from the left and the right, all the while needing to stand side-by-side with a Prime Minister who is proving politically poisonous in a city where once Labour were a shoe in.
Now with bolstered parties once considered on the London fringe snapping at his heels, Sir Sadiq will face a rough few years as he mulls over whether or not he really wants to make a run for another term.
Experts believe a contingency plan is already in place.
Experts have revealed who could be called up to WW3 first. (Image: Getty)
People as old as 65 could be conscripted to fight in WW3, according to experts after the call-up age was increased. During WW2, conscription began for men aged between 20 and 22 in 1939, as much as six months prior to the war’s actual outbreak. The UK Parliament website states: “During the spring of 1939, the deteriorating international situation forced the British Government under Neville Chamberlain to consider preparations for a possible war against Nazi Germany.
“Plans for limited conscription for single men aged between 20 and 22 were given parliamentary approval under the Military Training Act in May 1939.
“This required men to undertake six months’ military training, and some 240,000 registered for service.” However, once war was declared, the age range was broadened to men between 18 and 41.
By 1942, the age threshold had risen once more, with men as old as 60 being called upon to serve. By the close of 1941, women and all childless widows between the ages of 20 and 30 were conscripted, while men aged up to 51 were summoned for military service.
Even those aged between 52 and 60 were obliged to participate in “some form of military service.” Earlier this year, the age bracket for men eligible for call-up to the Army Reserves was extended from 55 to 65.
It is believed that reservists would be called-up first. (Image: Getty)
It is believed that reservists would be mobilised first, meaning people born between 1961 and 1971 could be called up.
Retired army chief Lord Dannatt says there would be a particular method of enlisting people to defend the country, suggesting a contingency plan is already in place.
He believes Britain would initially turn to army reservists, recalled former service personnel, and younger adults, should a significant conflict compel the Government to act, before considering the wider population.
Compulsory military service is not currently being contemplated, but this could change should tensions continue to escalate and ultimately boil over.
Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, said existing military personnel would be called upon first before any broader civilian conscription was considered.
He said: “I would expect to see the Army Reserve mobilised first, then Regular Reservists recalled to active service, and then His Majesty’s Government would need to consider conscription, starting with 18-24-year-olds.
“Britain would not necessarily begin by compelling civilians with no military experience to join the armed forces.
“Reservists and former service personnel would provide an initial pool of people with military training, although recalling them at scale would present substantial logistical challenges.”
London has a way of defying expectations and frustrating opinion pollsters. That can be said to hold true today as a barrage of results from across the capital leave elections watchers scratching their heads and wondering just what happened.
Discover more
Explore Politics
Follow Politics
Get Local Permits
I know elections in the city quite well – I’ve seen them up close and personal for just shy of a decade. As results still come in across the capital, there’s one man who should be quite concerned about what he’s looking at, and that man is Sadiq Khan.
The three time Mayor of London has long positioned himself as an environmentalist and progressive voice on the centre-left of the Labour Party. He is also seen as a close ally of the Prime Minister, who penned an endorsement for him in the last Mayoral election.
But across the City there seems to be a stubborn resistance to the party Sir Sadiq represents. In affluent boroughs, like Westminster, the Tories have stormed back into power.
Elsewhere the Liberal Democrats have hoovered up support in the South West, and in the South East the Tories seem to be weathering the storm.
Yet it is in the North East where Sir Sadiq’s headache gets worse. Reform UK have taken Havering Council, and cemented a place on the London political map as they have done so.
It’s moves like this that create a springboard for political parties, and makes it much harder for the Mayor to keep up his normal tactic of trying to ignore or block out voices on the right across London.
Elsewhere in the City the Green Party look to be having an interesting election. Their leader, Zack Polanski, sits on the London Assembly and has proven to be extremely good at winding the Mayor up.
Discover more
Book Local Tours
Read Travel Guides
Buy Maps
Sir Sadiq now faces attack from the left and the right, all the while needing to stand side-by-side with a Prime Minister who is proving politically poisonous in a city where once Labour were a shoe in.
Now with bolstered parties once considered on the London fringe snapping at his heels, Sir Sadiq will face a rough few years as he mulls over whether or not he really wants to make a run for another term.
Experts believe a contingency plan is already in place.
Experts have revealed who could be called up to WW3 first. (Image: Getty)
People as old as 65 could be conscripted to fight in WW3, according to experts after the call-up age was increased. During WW2, conscription began for men aged between 20 and 22 in 1939, as much as six months prior to the war’s actual outbreak. The UK Parliament website states: “During the spring of 1939, the deteriorating international situation forced the British Government under Neville Chamberlain to consider preparations for a possible war against Nazi Germany.
“Plans for limited conscription for single men aged between 20 and 22 were given parliamentary approval under the Military Training Act in May 1939.
“This required men to undertake six months’ military training, and some 240,000 registered for service.” However, once war was declared, the age range was broadened to men between 18 and 41.
By 1942, the age threshold had risen once more, with men as old as 60 being called upon to serve. By the close of 1941, women and all childless widows between the ages of 20 and 30 were conscripted, while men aged up to 51 were summoned for military service.
Even those aged between 52 and 60 were obliged to participate in “some form of military service.” Earlier this year, the age bracket for men eligible for call-up to the Army Reserves was extended from 55 to 65.
It is believed that reservists would be called-up first. (Image: Getty)
It is believed that reservists would be mobilised first, meaning people born between 1961 and 1971 could be called up.
Retired army chief Lord Dannatt says there would be a particular method of enlisting people to defend the country, suggesting a contingency plan is already in place.
He believes Britain would initially turn to army reservists, recalled former service personnel, and younger adults, should a significant conflict compel the Government to act, before considering the wider population.
Compulsory military service is not currently being contemplated, but this could change should tensions continue to escalate and ultimately boil over.
Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, said existing military personnel would be called upon first before any broader civilian conscription was considered.
He said: “I would expect to see the Army Reserve mobilised first, then Regular Reservists recalled to active service, and then His Majesty’s Government would need to consider conscription, starting with 18-24-year-olds.
“Britain would not necessarily begin by compelling civilians with no military experience to join the armed forces.
“Reservists and former service personnel would provide an initial pool of people with military training, although recalling them at scale would present substantial logistical challenges.”