The Tiverton and Wakefield by-election results fall into different categories.
Tiverton is at the stunning end of the scale. The largest ever by-election majority overturned.
The Wakefield result is not quite on that scale, but still very reassuring.
But what is electorally significant is the tacit agreement by the electorate in both seats to back the unstated pact between the parties to give the LibDems a free run in Tiverton and Labour the same in Wakefield. They actually both lost their deposits in the other seat, so clear was the tactical voting.
I have discussed the need for progressive alliances on this blog for as long as it has been going, I suspect, but the need has become very much more apparent as the Tory party has swing towards fascism in recent years. The reality that such an alliance might happen at voter choice is very welcome.
For the record, neither the LibDems or Labour are offering policies I can get excited about at present. But, if they can deliver constitutional reform to prevent fascism in this country they might pave the way to the politics that we really need.
I can live in hope. At the very least we know now that the fight against fascism is on.
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Trust me on this, but the turnout below 40% in Wakefield is significant. And there was no shortage of ahem interesting candidates. The majority of voters don’t care to have an MP, and they are going to have one.
That’s not democracy, it’s apathy. But the apathetics are being ignored by having the cost of an MP imposed.
Nonsense
there is nothing progressive long term about an alliance between the liberals and labour.. unless they can each stand on their own two feet it will lead to disappointment at a general election. History tells us that..
So what do you want?
Tory fascism?
I don’t normally quote Trotsky but I do believe he was substantially correct in his definition of Fascism. The term is used far too freely IMO which only leads to confusion as to its real meaning.
https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/works/1944/1944-fas.htm
I don’t rely on Trotsky for anything, including on this
The Conservatives have held Tiverton and Honiton (together and as separate seats) since 1924; apart from one year after a by-election in 1923, overturned at the general election the following year, since 1885. It is an earthquake.
If Labour win the next general election, with or without Lib Dem support, they have to move on electoral reform.
It is good to see that the Lib Dems have stopped the self-harming that started with Clegg.
Now the Labour party needs to do the same.
As others have commented, people like Mick Lynch and Sharon Graham have demonstrated that brave, intelligent, honest leadership committed to representing the interests of the majority of people in this country has a great deal of appeal.
New Labour had some major successes in Devolution, Education and the NHS but its disastrous support for Neo-liberalism, culminating in its failure to carry out major reforms in the wake of the 2008 collapse of the UK Banking/Speculation industry, has led to most of the problems we face today.
So Yes to a concerted effort to get rid of the Tories and Yes to electoral and constitutional reform but unless both parties and the other parties opposing the Tories are committed to a non-neoliberal future we are simply returning to 1997 and in 20-25 years time we will be in exactly the same position we now face.
Certainly, to see Johnson’s disgraceful government lose two more seats cheers me up a little, as does the manner it was done by the LDs and Labour choosing sanity and the good of the country ahead of party advantage by each standing down and letting the other have a clear run.
But as Richard notes in another blog that doesn’t guarantee the tories will be out next election; the Wakefiled result was on a 39% turnout and as John Curtis was saying on the Today program, on this showing it’ll be a hung parliament.
Firstly, the tories are rigging the electoral system by voter suppression techniques and removing the impartiality of the electoral Commission. Secondly, they’ll get rid of Johnson and he’ll (presumably) be replaced by some one who is less toxic to the electorate. Given the desire of lifelong tory voters (i.e. brainwashed serfs in many instances) to ‘return to the fold’ like the sheep many of them are, we can not be certain at all that these wretches, despite all the damage they’ve done and will continue to do, won’t get re-elected.
Which brings me back to the need for a proper progressive alliance, and IF that wins, serious electoral and constitutional reform, for starters. Not a re-run of New Labour.
Richard, I live in Central Devon just over the border from the Tiverton & Honiton constituency and from recent conversations I have heard, the result was not unexpected.
Neil Parish appeared to be well-liked in the farming community but his activities went too far for many. This is normally solid Conservative voting country – not just wealthy landowners but many working families managing on the minimum wage. I think it is these people who see a financial disaster lying ahead, over which they have no control and they have made their views very clear.
As you have said, neither Labour nor the Lib Dems offer appealing policies but this financial manipulation must be ended somehow.