A word of advice to those still undecided on how to vote today | thearticle

Normally these leading articles are addressed to all the readers of _TheArticle_, regardless of political or other allegiance. Not this one. Today, the editorial is dedicated to those

readers who have yet to decide which way to vote. For this is judgement day for the four nations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Even more than most elections,

this is indeed our _dies irae, _our day of wrath. In the long and noble history of this great country of ours, we have never before been faced with such an awesome choice. That choice will

show the world who we are. And we shall be judged — by the rest of humanity and by our own posterity. Do we want to be seen as the generation that threw away the opportunity to govern

ourselves under our own laws, in freedom and justice, rebuilding our public services while preserving and expanding the prosperity that has made it all possible? Or do we want a

state-controlled society, ruled by the unaccountable _diktat _of countless new agencies? Do we want to divide our communities by class, with unions and other interest groups fighting over a

shrinking economy? Do we want to inflame the ethnic and religious tensions that exist in any multicultural country by conducting domestic and foreign policy in order to gain electoral

advantage? Do we want our government to make one in particular, the Jewish community, feel unwelcome in their own land? We know that Britain is already a divided country: three years of

acrimony and deadlock since the 2016 referendum have taught us that. But Brexit need only be a passing phase in the story of our islands and their relationship with the Continent. The

European question can now be settled in such a way as to reunite us in a common endeavour to create more harmony in that political, economic and cultural nexus. Both Britain and the EU need

to move on. Only then can we set about healing the wounds that were not created but merely exposed by Brexit. Today’s election is the moment when we can all begin to make that happen. There

have been periods before in our history when we have felt despondent, lacking in self-confidence, diminished in the eyes of others; perhaps this is one of them. Many who travel widely and

encounter representatives of other countries, including some who represent our own, report that our politicians have done us a disservice by our handling of Brexit. Our partners and allies

are unimpressed. And repairing the damage will take time. Yet pause to consider how much we have to lose. This is still a country that matters to the world. London is still the best place in

Europe to do business and the most popular tourist destination on earth. People come to live in the UK because they know that it is a decent society. Surveys show that this is the most

tolerant land for immigrants and the most tolerable. We want to keep it that way, which is why we need laws to control migration fairly, with rules that are generous but do not discriminate

against non-Europeans. Today, then, is the day of reckoning for the British people. Boris Johnson is not everyone’s cup of tea. But he has shown in his short time as Prime Minister that he

is capable and energetic. With a majority he would shift towards the centre ground. We know this from his record as a competent and charismatic Mayor of London. By contrast, in more than

half a century in politics Jeremy Corbyn has achieved precisely nothing. Why should a man who has spent 37 years in Parliament pursuing a far-Left agenda that has bitterly divided his party,

never trusted with office by previous Labour leaders, suddenly be transformed into a Prime Minister who can unite the country? This is not six of one and half a dozen of the other. Two

entirely different possible futures await us. This is the fork in the road. One way is the low road that leads to a darker place than most of those now alive can recall. The other way is the

high road back to the centre ground. The choice is yours.