Conservatives Win Election, Clearing Brexit Path

London, England —(Map)

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative party has won the UK election, taking control of the House of Commons. This clears the path for Mr. Johnson to push through his plan to leave the European Union.

Early results from the UK show the Conservatives winning 364 of 650 seats in the House of Commons. The Labour party won 203 seats – a loss of 59 seats. The results are the biggest election win for the Conservatives and the biggest loss for Labour since the 1980s.

The win is a huge one for Mr. Johnson, and seems to be a clear sign that voters think he is the best choice to lead the country out of its Brexit mess.

Stuck on Brexit

For nearly three years, the UK has worked with the EU to try to reach a deal that would outline how the UK could leave the EU. The process has taken far longer than expected. Though Ex-Prime Minister Theresa May reached an agreement with the EU, the UK Parliament never approved the deal.

When Boris Johnson took over as prime minister in July, he said that the UK should leave the EU in any way possible, including without an agreement. Experts warn that leaving without a deal would be damaging for the UK.

At the last possible moment, Mr. Johnson reached a new deal with the EU. But, like many of Mr. Johnson’s efforts, the deal was blocked by Parliament.

With Parliament unable to reach any agreements and the time running out, Mr. Johnson decided to call an election. He hoped it would give him the votes needed to get his Brexit deal passed in Parliament. Clearly, he was right.

Winning (and Losing) on Brexit

In the end, voters seemed to like Mr. Johnson’s promise to “Get Brexit Done.” Mr. Johnson got all of the Conservatives who were running to promise to back his Brexit plan. That makes it almost certain that Brexit will now happen on or before the deadline of January 31, 2020.

Mr. Johnson’s energetic style and clear message appealed to many voters, who seem willing to ignore the unusual things he sometimes says and does.

Mr. Corbyn tried to interest voters in other topics, like health care, education, and improving conditions for workers and poor people. But voters remained focused on Brexit – a subject that Mr. Corbyn was not at all clear about. Mr. Corbyn’s promise to work out a new deal and then hold another Brexit vote sounded to many voters like more of the same.

After the huge loss, Mr. Corbyn is under pressure to step down as Labour’s leader. He has said he will step down before the next election.

For Mr. Johnson, it’s now time to prove that he can make his plan happen. Getting his Brexit deal passed by Parliament may be fairly simple. But the next step – working out the details of how the UK and the EU will buy and sell things – will be very difficult. And that comes with a new deadline – December 31, 2020.