{"id":77893,"date":"2024-09-25T08:24:07","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T07:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=77893"},"modified":"2024-09-25T08:24:07","modified_gmt":"2024-09-25T07:24:07","slug":"who-would-you-have-voted-for-if-not-labour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2024\/09\/25\/who-would-you-have-voted-for-if-not-labour\/","title":{"rendered":"Who would you have voted for if not Labour?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there were to be a very precise summary of Kier Starmer's speech at the Labour Party conference yesterday, it would be that people should keep faith in his Party.<\/p>\n

There is one problem with that. As almost every commentary on the speech that I have read suggests, there are still no explanations of what Keir Starmer's government is meant to be about.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, as a result, Starmer's appeals are falling on deaf ears. I put this poll on Twitter last night:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Only 70.4 per cent of the 56.8 per cent of respondents who suggested that they voted for Labour in July are sure that they will still vote for the Labour Party.<\/p>\n

Of course, this is not scientific, but it strongly implies that amongst those with an interest in Labour politics there is considerable disenchantment with what Starmer is doing. And when he only won 34 per cent of the vote, at most, in July, to lose 30 per cent of that would be enough to see his party tumble out of office next time around.<\/p>\n

I would rather this was not the case.<\/p>\n

I would rather we had a government with vision in this country.<\/p>\n

I would rather it was decidedly social democratic, heavily tinged with a green outlook.<\/p>\n

I wish it had the zeal of the reformer that came from its previous protections of the obvious injustices in this country.<\/p>\n

And I suspect I am not alone.<\/p>\n

Starmer is, and there is no avoiding saying what follows, dull, devoid of ideas, lacking talent as a politician, and so accident pone you almost think that there are no accidents and that there is instead some weird, and so far incomprehensible, plot in play.<\/p>\n

Vast numbers of people in England and Wales, in particular, have no one they can really rely upon to represent them at present. The LibDems might be riding high, but there is no obvious policy programme from them to excite anyone. The Greens have as many policies that will alienate people as they have to appeal to some, and the risk of still seeming like a single-issue party is high. And whilst Wales and Scotland have viable alternatives of offer, there is no real such thing as yet in England.<\/p>\n

So, of course, I would like Labour to work: there is an important job for it to do. But right now, it is not working. No wonder people are already regretting voting for it, not that I know who those with such regrets would have voted for instead. Maybe I should do a Twitter poll on that, and here too:<\/p>\n

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If you voted Labour in July and now regret doing so, who would you now vote for instead?<\/strong><\/p>