The British Deputy High Commissioner Kolkata, Mr Bruce Bucknell, made the following Statement after the United Kingdom held its General Elections on 8 June 2017
Kolkata Friday 9 June 2017
‘The 2017 UK elections are a celebration of democracy. Democracy is a rich and robust tradition that the UK shares with India.
‘Despite the attacks in Manchester and London, the British people have shown that they will go out and vote. This is the triumph of democracy over terrorism.
‘Thanks for all the messages of support from the Government of India, Indian state governments and ordinary Indians after the attacks. Our thoughts and prayers this year are with the victims and with their friends, families, and loved ones. We pay tribute to the police and the emergency services for their speedy response.
‘Britain will take steps both domestically and internationally to defeat the challenge of terror. This will include a robust anti-terrorism strategy which will curb terrorists exploiting cyberspace to spread extremism, action on the ground internationally and domestically, and most important of all to work to turn people’s minds away from this culture of violence.’
On 19 April 2017 the UK Parliament approved holding mid-term general elections in the UK on 8 June 2017. The UK House of Commons has 650 seats of which 533 are physically located in England, 59 in Scotland, 40 in Wales and 18 in Northern Ireland. There are 47 million eligible voters in the UK.
Two terror attacks disrupted the election process with political parties suspending campaigning as a mark of respect for those affected. On 22 May 2017 the Manchester Arena was attacked by a suicide bomber. And on 3 June 2017 there was a terrorist attack at London Bridge and Borough Market. Despite the attacks, the British people have shown that they will go out and vote and uphold their democratic rights.