Audrey Young: Election blunder weakens UK at the time it needs to be strongest

The snap election is a big misjudgment from a British Prime Minister. Photo / AP

The most accurate pundit on the British election turns out to be Brenda from Bristol whose vox-pop reaction to Theresa May's snap election went global in April.

"You're joking. Not another one? Oh for God's sake, I can't stand this!" she moaned.

"There's too much politics going on at the moment. Why does she need to do it?"

It resonated around the world and the decision by the British Prime Minister to call an early election is undoubtedly one of the reasons she and the Conservatives have been crucified in yesterday's election.

Britain had a general election in 2015, a referendum on the EU in 2016, and May had promised repeatedly not to call an early election after taking over from David Cameron last year.

Another clear reason for her demise, with more relevance to New Zealand than the snap election, was her refusal to share a stage with the formerly hapless Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in any television debates.

The arrogance of that decision overwhelmed any advantage he may have been gifted by sharing a platform with an incumbent.

That is a salutary lesson for Prime Minister Bill English who, by party tradition, will be seeking to minimise his joint appearances with the untested New Zealand Labour leader Andrew Little.

Any boost May might have received from her reaction to the two terrorist attacks in recent weeks instead highlighted her own failings as former Home Secretary in allowing police numbers to be cut by 20,000 in seven years.

May's election hell has been heaven for headline writers: "Mayday," "Dismay" and "Mayhem" and "June is the End of May."

The miscalculation that she would secure a bigger majority to strengthen her arm in upcoming Brexit talks has turned into a humiliating result that will undoubtedly force her eventual resignation from Downing St and weaken the UK in its Brexit negotiations.

An outright majority of the Conservatives has been cut to a hung Parliament.

Failing a wartime measure of a grand coalition with Labour, Britain is set to limp to the start of Brexit negotiations on June 19 at the very time it needs to look muscular.

The snap election is the biggest misjudgment from a British Prime Minister since the last biggest misjudgment from a British Prime Minister, David Cameron, when his referendum on remaining in the EU, resulted in his own demise.

Since then, the May Government has put a great deal of effort into establishing stronger international relationships, including with New Zealand, in advance of Britain's formal divorce from the EU in 2019.

Whatever the final makeup of the next UK Government, it will be unlikely to affect that country's commitment to Nato or the fight against Isis. Like Australia, the Government and Opposition parties have similar view.

Labour leader Andrew Little has been restrained in drawing parallels between Corbyn's unexpectedly strong performance in Britain and what he could achieve in September.

There is every advantage in him continuing to keep the expectations of the New Zealand voting public low so that he can do a Corbyn, and make an impression with an energetic campaign.

But the lessons are clear: for National, never take your lead for granted, and for Labour, over-deliver on expectations.