Distrust has settled over the campaign paths in the United States and United Kingdom ahead of July 4 like a humid summer haze.
On that day, British voters will elect a new Parliament in an election expected to result in a Labour government after 14 years under the Conservatives. Meanwhile, Americans, deeply divided over the rematch between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump, will celebrate Independence Day with barbecues and fireworks before their vote on Nov. 5.
There’s much to commemorate on the Fourth of July for one of the world’s largest democracies and the venerable kingdom that inspired it, 248 years after their separation and their slow, troubled journeys toward universal suffrage.
View of Marina (Via Rebecca Finch/Getty Images)
Both are rooted in the Magna Carta, the English document signed in 1215, which laid down the principle that leaders, including kings, presidents, and their governments, are accountable under the law. The nations have become close allies and steadfast friends. That’s how it began.
As for the current state of affairs, the lead-up to July 4, 2024 — Independence Day for one nation, and Election Day for the other — provides a glimpse into the challenges facing voters in each country.
“I’m just very disheartened, really, because I don’t think any of the parties know what they’re doing,” remarked Jacqueline Richards, 77, a resident of Dartford, England, regarding her country’s election. “But then when I look at yours in America, it’s not that great, is it?”
