Why Gary Lineker is the centrists' choice
As the parties drift to the left and right, have they left a gap for a dashing centre-forward?
TV presenter and former England striker Gary Lineker has spoken out on Twitter about feeling "politically homeless" as politicians scatter to the left and right.
"Everything seems far right or way left," the footballer said. "Something sensibly centrist might appeal?"
Others lent their agreement, including Dragons Den star Deborah Meaden and cricket reporter Elizabeth Ammon.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Might there be space for a new centrist party not led by Tim Farron? And who might take it to glory?
Gary Lineker
Why not the man himself? Lineker has long been outspoken on Twitter, with thousands of re-tweets and likes whenever he takes to his keyboard. From Europe to social media to opinion polls, Lineker is always readily available for public comment, though his views will be sure to alienate some.
Both anti-Brexit and anti-Farage, Lineker sits firmly in the "liberal elite" camp, which may cause problems to those with more populist leanings. Others may baulk at his relative warmth towards the Labour leader.
However, he insists that he's most comfortable in the strong and stable centre.
JK Rowling
"What should you do if you support Labour but can't stand Jeremy Corbyn?" JK Rowling asked in April. Perhaps she too is hoping to conjure up a new party in the centre of the political spectrum.
The author has sold more than 500 million books and has more than 11 million followers on Twitter. Theresa May has just 366,000.
A staunch critic of the Cameron government, Rowling donated £1m to the Labour Party in 2008, but she's no fan of the party's current direction.
Harry Styles
Though he would be the youngest PM in UK history (narrowly beating William Pitt the Younger, who took office aged 24 in 1783), One Direction frontman Harry Styles could be an electoral dark horse.
"I'm not educated enough on the subject to really go toe-to-toe with someone about it," he said in May when questioned on Brexit, but last year's US election has proved that a lack of experience need not by a barrier. In the words of Michael Gove, "people have had enough of experts", so perhaps the 23-year old is more suited to political office than he realises.
A Liberal Democrat voter, Styles is in pole position to take the centre by storm - and he's already been dubbed a "remoaner" by the pro-Brexit press. He'll fit right in.
John Cleese
Monty Python star John Cleese has long been a centrist, and a firm Remainer in the Brexit debate. Sharply witty and intimidatingly tall, Cleese would be a fine presence at the PMQs dispatch box, and he has a quiver of insults ready to go. "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries" might be considered unparliamentary by some.
At 77, however, Cleese would be one of the oldest party leaders in British history, and his political judgement may need some fine-tuning. "People are asking me how I shall vote," he tweeted before the election. "I shan't. I live in Chelsea and Kensington, so under our present system my vote is utterly worthless."
The constituency of Kensington ended up being won by Labour from the Conservatives by a margin of 20 votes.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Fed cuts rates half a point, hinting victory on inflation
Speed Read This is the Fed's first cut in two years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Lebanon hit again with exploding devices
Speed Read 20 people were killed and over 450 injured after Hezbollah-issued walkie-talkies detonated in second attack attributed to Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Teamsters decline to endorse Trump or Harris
Speed Read The 1.3-million-member labor union broke three decades of precedent by choosing not to endorse a candidate
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Britain's Labour Party wins in a landslide
Speed Read The Conservatives were unseated after 14 years of rule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Will voter apathy and low turnout blight the election?
Today's Big Question Belief that result is 'foregone conclusion', or that politicians can't be trusted, could exacerbate long-term turnout decline
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published