In 24 hours, we will know the outcome of the most keenly fought general election in decades. Even as I write this, who will win remains unclear.
Dozens of daily polls offer wildly differing scenarios, and the tribal nature of politics means we are bombarded with conflicting messages from each of the three main parties around the clock. The television debates have certainly engaged more of the electorate than ever before. The media frenzy is rampant.
This is because the outcome of this general election is so important. The Economist is correct when it says:
"Whatever they tell you in school, not all elections matter equally... The British general election on May 6th is not one of those."
The Government we elect will have to make some of the toughest decisions that have ever faced the country, both in the short-term and the long-term.
The issues we intend to explore in our Visions of Britain 2020 series will be directly affected by the events of the next day or so.
Our Workplace, the Health & well-being of ourselves and those closest to us, and not to mention how we are all Ageing & thinking about retirement – are all critical pieces of our future jigsaw. And the outcome of this political contest will undoubtedly shape the finished puzzle. In precisely what way remains as unclear as which party will win, if one does win of course.
There has been much written about a hung parliament, with many opinion polls predicting that no party will win an overall majority, meaning the government will not be able to pass laws without the support of other parties.
Some say the implications are terrible; that the pound will fall and that the huge task of tackling the budget deficit will be deferred. Others, however, respond that a coalition government can be effective in building consensus around spending cuts. And I'd argue that certainly for financial services politicians being prevented from tinkering around the policy edges and instead striving for a longer term approach might not be a bad idea!
But what this does tell me is that nobody can accurately predict what will happen over the next few days. What is certain is that this is a huge moment for Britain, both for today and for our future. Our future reports in the Visions of Britain 2020 series will keep a close eye on goings on.
Trevor Matthews, CEO, Friends Provident
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