United Kingdom

LeftishBrit

(41,303 posts) Fri Oct 20, 2023, 01:31 PM Oct 2023

Labour overturns huge majorities to inflict two by-election defeats on Tories

The Conservatives have suffered two heavy by-election defeats, with Labour overturning huge majorities to take Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth.

The party saw off a challenge from the Liberal Democrats to make history in Mid Bedfordshire, overcoming a 24,664 Tory majority to win the seat for the first time.

In Tamworth there was a 23.9% swing to Labour from the Tories...

The 24,664 Tory majority was the biggest the party had overturned in a by-election since 1945 and Labour's Alistair Strathern secured a swing of 20.5% to win by 1,192 votes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67145281

4 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Labour overturns huge majorities to inflict two by-election defeats on Tories (Original Post) LeftishBrit Oct 2023 OP

Could this be Labour's return to it's roots TexLaProgressive Oct 2023 #1

Under Starmer, Labour is more New Labour than it's been since Blair outlived his shelf life. Emrys Oct 2023 #2

Thanks, I know little about UK politics TexLaProgressive Oct 2023 #3

No worries. Emrys Oct 2023 #4

TexLaProgressive

(12,285 posts)

1. Could this be Labour's return to it's roots

Reply to LeftishBrit (Original post)

Fri Oct 20, 2023, 02:08 PM

Oct 2023

And away from new Labour?

Emrys

(7,941 posts)

2. Under Starmer, Labour is more New Labour than it's been since Blair outlived his shelf life.

Reply to TexLaProgressive (Reply #1)

Fri Oct 20, 2023, 03:04 PM

Oct 2023

Starmer is as scared of opinion polls, focus groups and the rightwing press a Blair ever was.

Murdoch isn't really a factor any more, but the same dynamic prevails - hie right and don't frighten the horses, to appeal to conservative voters no matter what class they belong to. Don't promise to change anything truly meaningful in the grand scheme of things, just to run the government more competently. That's a low bar to clear.

TexLaProgressive

(12,285 posts)

3. Thanks, I know little about UK politics

Reply to Emrys (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 20, 2023, 04:08 PM

Oct 2023

Emrys

(7,941 posts)

4. No worries.

Reply to TexLaProgressive (Reply #3)

Fri Oct 20, 2023, 04:35 PM

Oct 2023

To be honest, I'm probably the last person to ask about this as I have a very low tolerance for politicans like Starmer (or Blair before him).

Maybe somebody else will chime in with another view, but I think he's testing the patience of many despite the recent run of by-election wins.

Reply to this discussion