One day to go until the by by-election. This is going to be very interesting. Which way will it go? I don't know. What I do know is that we have arrived at a point where it feels like lines are being drawn in the sand for the challenges that await in what will be a bruising battle. That said its always felt like a bruising battle. Plus ca change...
What ever the result it will have a material impact on the politics of the UK I think. It is more than a mid term bi-election with an unpopular government.
Seems Greens are in the lead. A Reform win would be a disaster.
A new chapter is being written in British politics and nobody can know how it will end.
Wow - I honestly hadn't expected that
I did tbh but still delighted, it feels like Christmas this morning
The good news is that Reform lost, I'd have taken a Tory in preference - not happily, but I actually would. They must be getting slightly less toxic as their biggest "insert word of your own choice here" have all gone to Reform. 😉
Reform may not have won, but they came a credible second in a constituency with a significant immigrant and university-educated population which clearly helped the Greens. The divides in society are there for all to see, and I suspect Reform will be content with a credible second in such a diverse constituency. It may be that the two party first past the post duopoly is on its last legs.
While they came second, Reform still performed poorly. Interesting to note that they are borrowing from Trump's playbook with hints of voter fraud (despite no evidence aside from a right wing bunch of "volunteer observers") which of course, when you boil it down, is anti Muslim in its message. Sore losers. Still, it's a by election and we've got a couple of years before a general election so I'd say too early to talk of a major shift.
I heard that the 'family voters' were reform folk asking each other how to spell 'x'...
😀
@paul-kerr I’m not as confident as you Paul that Labour will get their act together in a timely manner. A coherent set of actual strategic actions is needed before 2029 to turn things around. Easier said than done, and the clock is ticking.
I agree Paul about the voting fraud allegations, and agree Martin sadly that there is no sign at all of Labour getting their act together, Starmer's "I'm against the far right and the far left" yesterday was so tone deaf but completely expected from him.
As an ex member of the Greens (and only ex because of leaving the country), I was delighted with the result, though I'd have been delighted regardless of who managed to beat Reform Ltd. Worryingly, that was the highest turn out for a by-election since the early 1980s, which I think is a damning indictment of how disillusioned a lot of people are with UK politics.
I thought Hannah gave a great speech and I think she'll be a refreshing addition to Westminster. Now we just need a few more.
I think the fascists in the White House ruined the vibe since Andy! 🙄
