Election swing Labour needs for majority has doubled, study finds | Politics | The Guardian

Last Updated: June 1, 2015By

With hindsight (and what a wonderful thing it is), it’s clear that Labour needs to offer something markedly different from the Tories and other right-wingers, and the current party leaders simply don’t have it in them.

It seems clear from the remarks of the current leadership candidates that they don’t have a single original idea between them and lack the brains or backbone to make a difference.

It’s a shame, because all they need to do is return to core Labour values and stand up for their core constituency – ordinary people who want a better life – rather than pandering to people who are already rich and are perfectly happy with the Tories.

Perhaps the problem is that, with their massive salaries and extra-curricular interests (landlord Chris Leslie, anybody?) they simply don’t have any connection with the people they are supposed to represent?

Labour will need to gain at least 106 seats in 2020 to secure a majority, after taking account of the forthcoming boundary changes, according to a thinktank analysis of the consequences of the party’s election defeat.

The Fabian Society concluded that Labour would require an electoral swing in marginal seats of 9.5 percentage points, more than twice the 4.6 points that the party needed for victory in 2015.

Labour’s leadership contenders are likely to examine the analysis closely, especially the emphasis on the need for the party to win over Tory voters, something Labour regarded as less important in the 2010-15 parliament due to the disillusionment with the Liberal Democrats.

The Fabians acknowledge that the chances of the next Labour leader securing an overall majority in 2020 look very small.

Source: Election swing Labour needs for majority has doubled, study finds | Politics | The Guardian

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4 Comments

  1. Jim Round June 1, 2015 at 11:54 pm - Reply

    The problem is the country hasn’t voted in anything resembling a left-wing government for over 35 years.
    I’ve said many times that society in the UK has gone too far in the wrong direction, I have too many personal experiences of this.
    The sense of community we once had has almost gone, not many look out for our elderly or less fortunate neighbours (the recent deaths show this)
    I was on a train the other day and three youths who stank, were scruffily dressed and had just bought drugs said they had no money for their fare, they found this quite amusing.
    They are just three of what will be a growing number who will be left behind with no help and will either end up dead by 30 or in and out of prison.
    We need (but won’t get) a revolution.

  2. Steve Grant June 2, 2015 at 7:48 am - Reply

    Surely,it’s not about offering something different ?You are either a Labour supporter following Labour principals or you are not?The Labour Party stands for social justice and fair play…..So let’s start with the principal of a level playing field for everyone when they are looking for work instead of putting numerous obstacles in the way of the UK applicants which seem not to apply to migrant workers?….you just cannot give away work to migrants by putting all the various obstacles,certificates,qualifications and of course huge amounts of cash required to just get those jobs in the way of UK workers when you know the employers are just ignoring the rules to get cheap labour from any country other than the UK……solution…..get rid of ALL the red tape and have a level playing field for all applicants……Thats a true Labour principal.

    • Mike Sivier June 2, 2015 at 9:25 am - Reply

      I don’t agree with you about differences between British job applicants and migrants – and I wonder where you got these ideas.

  3. concernedkev June 2, 2015 at 2:05 pm - Reply

    The founders of the party and those who developed it based the constitution on socialist ideals. Clause 4 which was on every members card embraced all it meant to be a socialist. This was unilaterally discarded by Blair and his cohorts and this allowed all and sundry on the right to feel comfortable inside the party and gave them the excuse to embrace neo-liberal policies which by so doing alienated whole swathes of working class support. With a massive majority Blair had the opportunity to redress the balance of power in favour of the majority but chose to throw his lot in with Bush and the neo cons. You reap what you sow. Unfortunately we have Blairites of different shades of pink to purple challenging for the leadership trying to out Tory the Tories yet again. They are sowing seeds of despair amongst the activists who are anti austerity and hold the vision of a society where the banks become our servants instead of our masters. Where a programme of renationalisation of all essential public services is implemented. Where a programme of house building and public works would give employment and hope to those who can work. Where a society treasures it’s elderly people and gives them all the benefits they deserve. A society that roots out the vile and disgusting predators on our children past and present without fear or favour. A society that values every human despite their sickness or disability. If we can’t find a leader who stands for these values then history will leave the Labour Party behind and a new movement still based on Trade Unions and collective responsibility for all will emerge and the pro establishment party will die.

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