A LD bump in votes would of been a catalyst for some movement in the centre. They ended up -1 seats.

They did get 1.2m more votes than in the last election.

Jo lost her seat to the SNP, and whilst I’m gutted for her… and I really am, it does show that the SNP are indeed the party that will challenge the Torytards.

I’m sure I’ve been wrong all the way along this journey we’ve had, from the early calls by CallMeDave for a referendum from a bloke who likes to piss on tramps in the street as part of some initiation ceremony, but it seems my moderate political stance and support for a fairer society is indeed wrong.

Smash and grab, whilst you have the opportunity. That opportunity will not be around for long.

Isn’t electoral reform and proportional representation what all left wing parties have been clamouring for? He could be their new favourite politician! 🙂

a second referendum would have been comprehensively lost – see last night,

I don’t think this election was won or lost on the desire for Brexit or not.

It was the result of 3 years of attrition and  an understanding of mass psychology.

The Tories understood that people as a collective mass don’t actually care that much about the details and just want to be left alone so they offered a simplistic solution. i.e Funny man does silly things but will make it all go away. “Nurses good. Darkies Bad. Get Brexit Done” A three word mantra

Labour, on the other hand don’t get that at all. They think that people are scrutinising intricate policy details and don’t care about the superficial things like voting for a creepy  old beardy weirdy  guy who looks like a tramp.

Sturgeon on the aother hand, gets both. She’s all over the intricate detail but still appeared on my TV the other night to tell the electorate that “Boris is a Bam”

Smash and grab, whilst you have the opportunity. That opportunity will not be around for long.

You’re better than that.

It’s now time for everyone with a shred of compassion left to try and do what we can for the most vulnerable.

No one else will.

It was the Sun wot won it.

Well the right wing media for sure. 5 years of drip, drip, drip negativity about Corbyn (some of it deserved but the majority of it wildly exaggerated and overplayed). Decades of drip, drip, drip negativity about Europe.

Blair only won when he had the support of the Sun.

If this election is anything it’s another example of how much influence billionaire media baron’s wield in our “democracy”

Perchy has it I think.

I think it’s fascinating the number of new contributors to this thread with smug comments, none of which could be bothered to provide any argument as to why people should vote Tory before the day. Almost as if they are ashamed, or can’t justify their motives…

If this election is anything it’s another example of how much influence billionaire media baron’s wield in our “democracy”

This too, rings true.

Labour always had a real problem. The Blair offering was not sufficiently differentiated from the Cameron Tories – if you were poor, you were still going to be **** over, it’s just that the Blairites would shed crocodile years while doing it instead of cackling with glee. So when Labour decided to try actual socialism, I thought it would be a good thing. What I failed to account for was that the actual socialists would be such incredibly incompetent politicians. Combine that with the other big problem for Labour, that most of their traditional working class vote comes from actual racist xenophobic fascists, and they were always going to struggle. I really can’t see where they go from here, although the Tories complete capitulation to the far right has opened up a gap between them and the Blairites again.

Farage was on TV last night outlining his priorities; a written constitution, PR and abolishing the House of Lords.

abolishing the House of Lords

He’s going to snap their hand off when they offer him a peerage.

No western democarcy has elected a leader with a beard in decades.

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/corbyn-to-reflect-on-what-pss-off-you-beardy-red-****-could-possibly-mean-20191213191793

Here in Bassetlaw the Tories took a 5000 deficit to a 14,000 lead. Tories have double the vote of Labour in an ex-mining community.

I grew up there. My dad was a miner. With a German wife. Today would have been his birthday. I’m feeling a bit sick on his behalf.

As humble as ever Flashy.

The comments above cover all the main reasons:

– the UK press being almost exclusively right wing

– voters prioritising charisma over policies

– corbyn’s unelectability (surely he’s secretly a tory and this was part of his grand plan?)

– polarisation of the parties leaving moderate voters no where to go

Turnout in Canterbury was 75%, the highest it’s been since 92 and on average about 10% higher than all the neighbouring wards. I saw streams of young people going in and out when I went to vote and I assume this is what’s made the difference. One of the very few southern constituencies to remain Labour, actually increasing the majority to a couple of thousands up from only a couple of hundred two years ago (the win in 2017 following something like 180 years of Tory control!!)

Somehow people have managed to get the young/students really engaged here which is very encouraging for the future. Just a shame it couldn’t have been replicated elsewhere!

Ed Millband had the charm of a wet mouldy sock.

Agreed, Not Ed.

David.

Also Mariano Rajoy was elected in Spain, and he has a bushy beard.

Yeah, but he’s one of those “Europeans”. They’re not to be trusted.

Brian Blessed could pull it off though so i’ll concede the point.

There was a 76% correlation between % unskilled workers and % swing from LAB to CON and LIB to CON. Plotted in today’s FT. That’s a very impressive result# on over 600 data points and it is valid right down to Labour (-ve swing) winning in Putney and up to Bolsover. The working classes wanted Brexit and they voted to get it. Be careful what you wish for is all I can say.

% Swing ~ 0.5*(% working class – 20) and valid for negative swing too.

Gifted link you should be able to open https://on.ft.com/2LO1eNp

I mean, I don’t necessarily disagree with that – but that’s essentially what ALL political campaigning is so not really a valid criticism! It’s no worse than how your average Tory voter has been brainwashed by the media & jolly old Boris (on a massive scale!!) At least the students have been brainwashed on the side of good, not evil 😂 Or maybe they just care about each other/the future?!

I mean, I don’t necessarily disagree with that, but it’s no worse than how your average Tory voter has been brainwashed by the media & jolly old Boris (on a massive scale!!) At least the students have been brainwashed on the side of good, not evil 😂 Or maybe they just care about each other/the future?!

Tory voters don’t get brainwashed, they just grow older, get a bit of money in their pockets and realise where the country’s best interest lies. I think Tony Blair did a brilliant job of getting a shedload of millenials into colleges and universities who wouldn’t normally go but who identify with Corbyn. They will hopefully learn in time.

I think it’s fascinating the number of new contributors to this thread with smug comments, none of which could be bothered to provide any argument as to why people should vote Tory before the day. Almost as if they are ashamed, or can’t justify their motives…

Twas curious, can understand my Twitter bubble protecting me from tory voters but the demographic on here pre election would have suggested Corbyn had it in the bag. Likewise the people I’m still in touch with in the UK were all labour. Apart from a few elderly relatives there’s no one to cross off my Xmas list.

Klunk

Member

I can’t see how the SNP can be denied another ref on this result, 48 out of 59 for a nationalist party “is we want independence and we want it now!”

Actually I think it was more a “we want to stay in the EU” type plea more than anything else. I hope Sturgeon does get another referendum and gets her arse handed to her on a plate again. I can’t see the Scots being dumb enough to be out of the EU and independant of Britain as well.