Only Tories can save the UK - for now

Boris Johnson (L) and Michael Gove (R) are strong favourites to be UK's next Prime Minister (Image: The Independent)

The Brexit Party is on the verge of forming a government, if there was a general election tomorrow. That is if you believe in the polls at present. Of course, this is a frightening thought because not only they remain muted and speculative around their non-existent manifesto, but its name suggests to me that, should Britain leave the European Union by the end of October, their only goal is achieved and could be written out of political relevance. I for one am glad there is no general election planned right now.

However, talks of a general election are heightened in recent weeks because Theresa May will hand her Prime Ministerial position to someone else this summer. Who she will hand the keys to 10 Downing Street to remains the question - we now have a Conservative leadership election underway where a handful of candidates have thrown their hat to the ring, with the winner decided by the Tory membership.

Rather understandably, people aren't happy with the notion that our next Prime Minister is chosen by up to 124,000 people - probably just as unhappy as when Theresa May was initially appointed to that position in 2016, after being the only candidate standing when David Cameron resigned. And probably just as unhappy as when Theresa May maintained her position as PM a year later, thanks to help from the DUP in Northern Ireland. If you're asking me, May's departure is coming at a disastrous time and I can't see her successor conquer the challenges she hadn't been able to overcome.

Theresa May with her cabinet (Image: The Guardian)

Nonetheless, we Brits find ourselves in this situation and I suggest we accept it. To be completely honest, only the Tories can stop the Brexit Party from creating havoc in Parliament. Jeremy Corbyn would love to think only his Labour Party can stop the party that was only formed a couple of months ago. But judging by the recent European election results, it has been argued that Labour voters distributed their support to pro-EU parties such as the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Plaid Cymru. Party loyalists like Alastair Campbell felt the axe fall when he made his personal admission around this. Statistically, the party in red had a better night than the Tories who lost too much ground to one organisation. Therefore, with Corbyn's best intentions, his future campaigning won't gain fresh support.

To be honest, I never felt compelled to write about the Brexit Party up until this point because I genuinely thought they were going to be popular in the EU elections and that would be it. Yet, with the threat of that result having a potential longer term impact, an intervention is needed. A small part of me would like to think that the result a couple of weeks ago was tactical, and that in a general election, the Tories and Labour would garner their normal support. In this political climate, it's too tough to predict anything plausible. And the Conservatives need to wake up and smell the coffee.

While I am in total agreement the political system needs shaking up, not in this way. A new party won't change anything that the Tories and Labour have done, or even tried doing. Is there a guarantee members of the Brexit Party would agree on important policy issues, which hold more significantly to lives of millions? It spelt the semi-demise of Change UK who couldn't even agree on how to fill the so-called centre ground gap, one of their key objectives.

Anna Soubry of Change UK (Image: MSN.com)

So, who, out of the Tories, can stop the Brexit Party? As I write this, the answer isn't clear. Boris Johnson is apparently clear favourite ahead of the likes of Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Rory Stewart, Matt Hancock, Andrea Leadsom, Sajid Javid, Esther McVey, Jeremy Hunt and Mark Harper - all of whom held high-up roles under May's government. Certainly, the management of an EU exit has to be addressed as soon as the eventual winner becomes Prime Minister, yet the candidates obtain very different views as to whether an infamous EU deal is agreed, or not. Beyond that, their focus is on bringing a restored equilibrium to the nation's woes, so no doubt they'll look forward to when this malarkey ends, if it does.

It should ultimately boil down to who has the willingness to be leader for the long-term. I will be looking at this election closely and give each a bonus point for whenever they don't spout the 'B' word in any given opportunity, a bonus point for whenever they come up with domestic policy ideas (even if they aren't good ideas) and a bonus point for avoiding the phrase which goes along the lines of "vote for me and I'll beat off Jeremy Corbyn who happens to be a very, very dangerous man." Oh, and bonus points for those who refuse to fall into traps of journalists who want to know pointless facts about them, such as their past drug habits.

It's time to get rid of the smoke and mirrors. A political restructure is needed, absolutely, but only done so in a way that we can take politics seriously. The House of Commons isn't the scene of a pantomime, a soap opera or circus games, or a scene of emotion and MP individuality. We've associated British politics with these for too long. Naturally, that would mean no Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, but be careful what you wish for. If the Tories don't play their cards right, that could mean a certain person with the initials NF residing at Number 10. And that prospect, my friends, is more harrowing than any of the Tory hopefuls winning an election voted by a population so small.

A general election can wait, thank you very much. The top priority is one of stability from those who we vote for, as opposed to stability as a result of our EU membership status. As much as I don't want a Conservative government, only they can sort this mess.