So with last nights election results which, other than the return of tories in Scotland, I don’t think were particular surprising in it is time to prepare for the battles to come.

Austerity in Northern Ireland is likely over and there will be some nice new roads there as well. Maybe transport links to northern Scotland will be improved as well.

Whatever the Conservative party DUP arrangement is, it is likely to be quite stable as neither party has any other option. On the areas of policy that there are significant differences I suspect the the Conservatives will be able to find alternative cross party support.

However I still suspect that within this year we will get a Tory leadership election. Why? Primarily because of the fear of the Conservative parliamentary party facing another election with the current leadership. Once this process has been completed the conservative party will once again find itself with a leader implementing another leaders manifesto.

This likely change of leadership plus the impracticalities or working with a such a small majority will likely cause the government to seek a new election within the next year. A working majority requiring NI and northern Scotland MPs to be present in Westminster will allow a well organised opposition to make parliament a hostile place for the government. However it should be remembered that the government requires parliamentary ascent to dissolve parliament which they may struggle to gain.

Consequently the opposition parties should immediately begin preparing a progressive alliance with which to fight the next election if called prior to the the completion of the article 50 negotiations.

However a more likely option is for an election to occur after the negotiations but prior to the conclusion perhaps, while the parliaments of the nations of the EU are ratifying the agreement. Preparation for this option should be considered as well. An election at this point will be about implementing the Brexit deal which critical will have to be known. If an election occurs at this point, which I suspect is very likely, this will be the point at which the opposition parties must critique the deal and have boldness in presenting the case to either implement the brexit deal or seek to persuade the country of the alternative of remaining.

While this election has not produced a progressive majority it has reduced the power of the conservative forces, will still forcing them to take ownership of the lies of the brexitiers campaign. For a re-mainer such as myself the future holds renewed hope. We will almost certainly be at the ballot box again before we leave the EU and we must seek to build a progressive collation that will win but Corbyn is not the man to do it.