So…what is going on?

It’s been more than a week since the election and yet the country is in chaos. Here are the five biggest questions facing the UK.

What is going on with the DUP?

First there was a deal, and then Foster made May retract the announcement. Since then, there’s been silence, and in the words of the incredible Dean Atta, “silence is not golden/ silence is truth stolen”. The DUP are holding power over the Tories but we have no idea if anything has been agreed or just what’s on the table. How is this a democracy?

When will we have a government?

Seriously, guys, when?

Is May hoping we’ll forget she lost the election?

The Queen’s speech is off, there’s fears May will try to cling to power for two years by avoiding giving the Queen the speech at all, nobody knows how the Tories can survive without a majority or a coalition and the party keep insisting there’s no appetite for another election – despite the fact it was their leader who triggered a snap election in the first place.

Has the Queen considered overthrowing the government?

Stand Up wouldn’t endorse an unelected ruler, but it is intriguing to wonder just whether the Queen is as fed up as the rest of us.

How will Brexit not be a mess?

We don’t know what state our government is in, the referendum was a shambles from start to finish and we’re in no shape to be able to negotiate a smooth exit out of the EU.

Why is Corbyn so happy about Brexit?

What does Corbyn know that we don’t? From where we’re sat, Brexit looks like a mess we’re hurtling towards.

If austerity is over, then what’s next?

The General Election result has made the Tories backtrack on austerity, but they’ve made zero commitments about investment and public spending. If there are no increases in spending then cuts will continue in real terms and that’s still austerity, even if it is a more complacent version.

Will the Tories or Lib Dems get a new leader first?

The Tories are seething that they lost their majority but the Lib Dems seem forlorn with Farron’s resignation. What’s more surprising is the Lib Dems shock that Farron resigned. He wasn’t exactly endearing himself to liberals by refusing to stand up for queer people or women.

Can we have a government rather than a punch up?

If there’s one thing the Tories love more than murdering foxes, it’s fighting among themselves. The (very sketchy) legend goes that on the floor of the Commons are lines supposedly to two swords’ length apart so historically people couldn’t stab each other if a debate got too heated. That doesn’t stop people from the same benches from being able to duel each other though.

Are Labour finally at peace with one another?

It’s hard to believe that a few short weeks ago it was Labour MPs betraying each other, rather than the Conservatives but such is the nature of politics, that egos always come first. It means in the good times, parties will suddenly unite behind a leader they previously plotted against. If Labour is now a united party though then perhaps not much will be able to stop Corbyn from becoming Prime Minister.

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