I really enjoy the little parties in UK elections. Like, 5 people in suits and one person looking like they stole costume pieces from three metal bands and a mall Santa getting their official results.
I think Labour need to deliver with their majority, though. Otherwise people might end up backing Reform next election. Whose leader went around with Trump.
Lolll it took me a minute with the reference there. But also yes, I think this is a great moment, but it’s a reaction of frustration with what came before: they need to prove it was a good decision, especially for the more working class areas, because Reform’s already getting gains from both LAB and CON so...
It's a hopeful moment, yeah. I hope they end up being more radical in office than they were saying before the election - since I do agree if they had come out with something more profound they might have lost the centre vote.
Oh, it's all dependent on media. The BBC isn't as impartial as they like to say and appear. So much focus on Farage and saying things would be terrible for Labour, etc.
Spookums
: Yeah, that’s the thing isn’t it? Like -- here it’s SUCH a tightrope to try and keep the left voting together, I can’t imagine with more actually plausible parties
It is here, too! You might not know it over there, but Labour is what we call a "broad church". It encompasses both left and right. Left Wing and Centre Left. But there's a faction divide and arguably the left wing have been marginalised.
Which is why I think trade union funding is so important, personally. It's another way of the left and membership having a voice. Otherwise members either leave or go to somewhere else.
Oh that’s what I mean - that here at least there’s really only two you can choose from reasonably, whereas there seem like at least several more choices that people could actually vote for and think might have a chance - which makes the vote even more split
Yeah. The left getting marginalised means more independent people standing, and a Conservative just kept their seat because the "left" vote was divided 50:50.
No it’s good! I like having the context! I totally agree about unions (my whole family way back are union supporters and sometimes it’s a struggle to explain why)
Augh fucking Clacton sorry I’m watching and typing at the same time
Spookums
: i think so, they were just saying 45% swing from CON to REF it’s his 8th attempt! I was holding out hope! (L was like ‘it’s Clacton. He’s going to win.’ )
It’s true, Lucas was saying just now it looked like Labour’s turnout was higher than usual there, so it clearly galvanized some disenfranchised voters to get out to the polls too
IDK if it's in the news there but during COVID there was a huge scandal where the Cons were holding lockdown parties in office, private, etc. While people were buring loved ones, couldn't visit them in hospital, and were making sacrifices.
Which may still feel shitty but hey, hopefully the left leaning people in Clacton and other areas like it will feel more empowered to be active with a red majority, the same way there ARE plenty of liberal Southerners and people in rural areas here working really hard, but in national elections they’re often invisible
Spookums
: I’m not sure how much it hit MAINSTREAM news here, bc obviously, with a family member from London my intake of news is a little different, but I did see it on Twitter at the time too.
I'm just glad this means [hopefully] the Cons plans to totally scrap what's our version of SSRI [disability] and to replace it with a voucher for arrears/costs sytem looks dead.
Jfc it must suck to be a newscaster tonight, looking at the feeds like ‘and.....there’s ....this guy, and he appears to be hugging people...’)
Augh fucking Clacton sorry I’m watching and typing at the same time
it’s his 8th attempt! I was holding out hope! (L was like ‘it’s Clacton. He’s going to win.’ )
Yes! We were excited. HUGE numbers on that one.
Omg that sounds fucking AWFUL