UK election risks add to EU disintegration concerns

THE British Parliament is to be dissolved this month ahead of the May 7 general election, the first since 2010. The ballot is the most uncertain for at least two decades, with five parties in England (six in Scotland) polling more than 5 per cent of the vote for the first time in modern UK's political history.

While the election has received significant attention for its potential impact on domestic policy, it could also have key implications for long-standing tenets of postwar UK foreign policy. This includes potential "fast-track exit" from the European Union (EU), adding to wider European disintegration woes given the possibility of Greece's departure from the eurozone in 2015.

Moreover, there is intensified debate over the renewal of Britain's independent nuclear arsenal at a time when there are growing warnings about a more assertive Russia. This important decision, to be made next year with a price tag of at least £25 billion (S$52 billion), is opposed by numerous minor parties which could end up sharing power with Labour or the Conservatives in a post-el…