The U.K. Elections Don’t Matter

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was addressing the nation from the steps of 10 Downing Street, his official residence, on May 22 as D:Ream’s “Things Can Only Get Better” (1993) played. “Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future,” he said over the song. He was calling a surprise election. By the end, thanks to a downpour and no umbrella, Sunak’s suit was soaked.

If Sunak, 44, thought things couldn’t get worse, today might prove him wrong. Polls show that after 14 years in government, the Conservative Party is headed for electoral wipeout. That means Sunak — the U.K.’s first prime minister of color, first of Indian descent, first Hindu leader, and the youngest in about two centuries — will be out of a job. But though this may seem monumental, don’t expect much to change in Britain.