DARTFORD, England (AP) 鈥� Distrust has settled over the campaign trails in the United States and United Kingdom ahead of July 4 like a soggy summer haze.
On that day, British voters will choose a new Parliament in an election expected to finish with a Labour government after 14 years under the Conservatives. Americans across the pond, deeply polarized by the rematch between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump, will mark Independence Day in with barbecues and fireworks ahead of their vote on Nov. 5.
There鈥檚 much to celebrate on the Fourth of July for one of the world鈥檚 and the venerable kingdom that gave rise to it, 248 years after they split and set off on slow, troubled journeys toward granting all citizens the right to vote. Both remain rooted in the , the English document signed in 1215. It set in writing the idea that leaders 鈥� including kings, presidents and their governments 鈥� are not above the law. The nations have become .
That鈥檚 how it started.
As for how it鈥檚 going, the run-up to July 4, 2024 鈥� for one land, for the other 鈥� offers a snapshot of the stress test facing voters in each country.
鈥淚鈥檓 just very disheartened, really, because I don鈥檛 think any of the parties know what they鈥檙e doing,鈥� Dartford, England, resident Jacqueline Richards, 77, said of her country鈥檚 election. 鈥淏ut then looking at yours in America, it鈥檚 not that great, is it?鈥�
Trust has taken a beating in both countries
Every democratic election is, at its core, about who voters trust to run their country so they can go about running their lives.
Debates are candidate aptitude tests in real time, never more so than during . Biden鈥檚 halting performance did the opposite of building confidence, even among some of his most loyal supporters. Trump, meanwhile, repeated his .
That鈥檚 only the most recent example of why distrust and a sense of resignation dominate the emotional landscape in both countries, according to voters interviewed by The Associated Press in recent weeks. From battleground Wisconsin to bellwether Dartford, England, voters said years of , and have drained them of the sort of optimism or excitement they might once have felt about the right to vote or the future.
In Britain, 45% said they 鈥渁lmost never鈥� trust governments to put the nation鈥檚 interest first, up from 34% in 2019, according to a by the National Centre for Social Research. The pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine War and the country鈥檚 cost-of-living crisis affected living standards and the economy, it reported. Two Tory prime ministers were ousted. Also, there was Boris Johnson, who resigned rather than be thrown out of Parliament over boozy parties at 10 Downing Street when the nation was under COVID-19 lockdown.
A vote to turn the Conservative government out of power is not necessarily a vote for Labour, opposition leader acknowledged during a May 27 debate. Voters, he said, 鈥渟till have questions about us: Has Labour changed enough? Do I trust them with my money, our borders, our security?鈥�
Starmer鈥檚 own answer was yes, of course. But British voters told the AP in the weeks before the election that they鈥檙e far from sure.
鈥淭hey promise and promise and promise and nothing ever changes,鈥� said Shane Bassett, 34, the bar manager at a pub in bellwether Dartford, where the Peasants鈥� Revolt of 1381 is said to have started. 鈥淣o matter who gets in 鈥� if it鈥檚 Labour, if it鈥檚 Conservative, it鈥檚 all the same. They all lie.鈥�
In the United States, trust has been eroded by deepening political polarization, misinformation and Trump鈥檚 lies about Biden鈥檚 victory in the 2020 election 鈥� all amplified by social media.
Roughly 2 in 10 Americans say they trust the U.S. government to do what is right 鈥渏ust about always鈥� or 鈥渕ost of the time,鈥� according to About 6 in 10 say they can trust the government 鈥渙nly some of the time鈥� and about 2 in 10 say they can never trust the government to do what鈥檚 right.
Nearly three-quarters of American adults blame the news media for dividing the nation, . Families and friends have around Thanksgiving tables and other gatherings. In many places, even celebrations of the Fourth of July 鈥� a national holiday when Americans mark the 1776 ratification of the Declaration of Independence from Britain 鈥� fall under this practice of restraint.
In Racine, Wisconsin, Rebecca Eisel, 48, wondered how the vast United States, home of 262 million eligible voters and the world鈥檚 biggest economy, faces a rematch .
鈥淗ow did our democratic process result in something that the majority of the population doesn鈥檛 like?鈥� Eisel, 48, said over a sandwich at the Maple Table restaurant.
The United States: 鈥楾he country is struggling鈥�
The last time Kathleen Barker, 64, was excited about a candidate, it was Ronald Reagan, who went on to serve two terms in the 1980s and exited office by referring to the country as a 鈥渟hining city on a hill.鈥�
鈥淗e was a very real person, very respectful, family-oriented,鈥� she said while walking her dog near the river in Racine. 鈥淵ou could relate to him. He felt like just that average man.鈥�
Now, she says, the 鈥渘asty back-and-forth鈥� between Biden and Trump 鈥� who each insist the other is unfit for office 鈥� suggest neither can be trusted to dig into the major problems facing the United States.
鈥淧eople are poor. The country is struggling. And this is their focus?鈥� she said.
Emmanuel McKinstry, a 58-year-old businessperson, voiced similar frustration. The economy, he said while waiting in line to hear Trump speak in Racine, is his top issue. The next morning, McKinstry said he鈥檇 still vote for Trump 鈥� with reservations.
鈥淚鈥檓 tired of politicians working for themselves and not really getting down and asking people what we really want,鈥� McKinstry said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e putting you in office. What are you gonna do for us?鈥�
The last presidential candidate to excite high school teacher Marcus T. West, 49, was Democrat Barack Obama, who went on to serve two terms.
鈥淗e got the importance of educators. He had good intentions,鈥� West said over breakfast at Mrs. Betty鈥檚 Kitchen. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the last person I felt talked like me, talked to me, passed policies that I liked.鈥�
This year, he said of Biden and Trump, 鈥渢hey aren鈥檛 looking out for us.鈥�
Britain: 鈥楴ot very optimistic鈥�
In Britain, the distrust is less personal. It鈥檚 about scandal 鈥� think 鈥� and the .
On May 22, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had good news and a bombshell: Inflation was down to 2.3% for the first time in three years, and he was dissolving Parliament immediately, which started a clock that required an election on July 4.
But the visuals are what鈥檚 remembered about that day. Rain soaked his suited shoulders as Sunak spoke where his predecessors had stood for 275 years, before the iconic black door of No. 10 Downing Street. No one sheltered him with an umbrella. Protesters nearly drowned out his words by playing 鈥淭hings Can Only Get Better,鈥� a rival Labour campaign song used in the Tony Blair era.
鈥淭hings can only get wetter,鈥� led the reports on several news sites.
That鈥檚 what concerns Bassett, the manager at the Wat Tyler Pub, named for a leader of the Peasants鈥� Revolt that started on that site. You鈥檙e not supposed to talk about politics in British pubs, he says 鈥� the counterpart, perhaps, of the American reluctance to stir up trouble on the same topic at parties.
But Bassett looked around at the empty dining room at lunchtime. There were no customers to offend. So he let it fly.
The pub鈥檚 energy bill last winter jumped from its usual 800 pounds a month (about $1,000) to 1,200 pounds (about $1,500). It has struggled since the Christmas season to bring in customers for a beer. He thinks the owners are likely to sell the place only four years after buying it.
鈥淚鈥檓 not very optimistic.鈥� he said. Thinking of his family members in Canada, Bassett added: 鈥淚f I could leave the country, I would.鈥�
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Fernando reported from Racine, Wisconsin. AP writer Jill Lawless contributed from London.
Laurie Kellman And Christine Fernando, The Associated Press
