June the 8th, a life changing, world-turning decision was to be made by the British public. Who are we really putting in charge of our lives? The answer- we could not make a unanimous decision, resulting in a government that no-one actually voted for.
With the majority vote, the conservative party managed yet again to maintain some form of power, however, a second party was a necessity and by process of elimination The DUP seemed to be the least opposing to conservative policies- resulting in a party who only gained 10 seats being partly in charge of the United Kingdom.
Feelings of injustice, confusion and dictatorship seem to be radiating from the British public unable to comprehend why Theresa May is the one who should be choosing the second party- and not our democratic citizens. This is something that is out of our control as individuals and seemingly as an entire nation.
Although there are disadvantages to having a coalition government such as an unclear agenda, the power balance not always being equal and decision-making processes being slower than if there was a single party in power, there are also many advantages. By having a coalition the public have more safety in numbers and are more likely to be represented due to the diversity in government, by having two parties the government will also have more connections and influences, like the public, the government also have strength in numbers.
The coverage of the Democratic Unionist Party has been varied, and most focus upon the traditional, idealist policies they hold which opposes to many modern British values. Examples of this are their views towards the LGBT community (that made up 1.7% of the UK population in 2015) and their strong stance against abortions, to put this into perspective it has been researched that in 2015 there were 185,824 abortions that took place in the UK.
Advantages:
More diversity in policies and agendas.
Safety in numbers.
More connections and influences due to having two parties.
Disadvantages:
Agendas become unclear.
Power is not always equal.
Decision making is slower due to conferring.
DUP
Anti- Abortion:
In 2015 in the UK and Wales there were 185,824 abortions.
Anti LGBT:
In 2015 1.7% of the population identify as LGBT
Pro Brexit:
The remain vote was 48.1% equating to 16,141,241 votes.
40% want Christian creationism taught in Science lessons:
In 2011 census 16,038,229 said they have ‘no religion’ (26.13%)
Less than half of those who said they were Christian actually believed in biblical stories. (48%)
AGAINST TORY POLICIES:
Pension triple lock and winter fuel payments:
DUP value the elderly; want to ensure they’re looked after. Against these conservative cuts.
NHS Pay caps:
They want more public spending, not less. Feel a need for better service and higher incomes for those who work for the NHS as well as enabling better job opportunities.
(it has been argued that the NHS pay caps is one of the reasons why conservatives didn’t get a majority vote)
Lifting the ban on Fox Hunting:
DUP are interested in preserving nature and released a document titled “challenging cruelty” which informed people about the importance of animal welfare.
However, there are many conservative policies and ideals that also contrast with the majorities ideologies, for example Theresa May has said that she personally would like to lift the ban on Fox Hunting which hundreds and thousands of Brits have campaigned against for generations. The prime minister also wants to reevaluate disability benefits and change the points system that grants help to be more restrictive, ultimately leaving vulnerable people without the support and health they need.
As said previously there are benefits to having a coalition government and recently positive changes have begun to appear due to both parties having to agree on policies. The DUP have already influenced decision making in terms of the triple pension lock and winter fuel payments as they value the elderly community and instead of seeing them as a burden, want to ensure they are cared for appropriately. This differs to the conservatives approach, who were planning on making this sector vulnerable to financial cuts.
Another change keen to be made by the DUP is the current standing on the NHS pay caps, which has been argued to be one of the main reasons why the conservative party did not gain an overall majority. The Democratic Unionist Party want to increase public spending instead of making cuts, they are passionate that NHS workers deserve better service as well as a higher income and more opportunities to progress within the health care service.
A sense of security and faith in those in power is essential to the peaceful running of a Nation - which raised the anxieties of many on Election Day. However, as time progresses and the general public begin to discover and understand the policies and ideals of a smaller party, one which many had never even heard of, those feelings of concern are slowly being replaced by an inkling for opportunity. Due to the diversity and wonderful differences in our communities there will always be parties and policies some agree with and others do not- we just have make the best of it and find a peaceful and collective middle ground.
