Over the week to come, journalists will repeat three things until they, and you, are sick: that local elections fall next Thursday; that the results will decide the fate of Keir Starmer; and that he is set to do badly. But just how badly, and where? Last week, Starmer’s own party dropped a big clue. The most popular politician in Britain came down from Manchester to spend the whole day campaigning in London.
In case you wondered, Reader, they were talking about Andy Burnham.
As Andy Burnham went from Haringey to Brixton, he rallied Labour’s footsoldiers. “Don’t go into the last two weeks with your shoulders down,” he told them. “Get your shoulders up.” “Ah,” wrote lobby reporters, “now the King of the North is making incursions down south, such is his ambition.” But his visit is more telling than that, and more profound in its implications.
Oh? Do tell!
...consider Burnham’s itinerary. Lambeth, Haringey, Southwark: these rank among the reddest patches of the UK’s entire electoral map. The country’s last bastion of Labour support, London, is starting to collapse.
I wonder why? I look at the demographics of those area and they aren't falling to Reform any time soon. But the Islam Green Party is in with a chance.
Even as they knock on doors and post leaflets ahead of next Thursday, Labour people have already written off whole swathes of the country. They know they’ll get smashed in Scotland and Wales, where in the assembly elections the governing party will be battling simply not to lose too badly. But London is a different story; even in the wipeout of 2019 it remained deep red.
The Greens look set to bloody Labour Southwark and Lambeth: the training ground of Morgan McSweeney, Steve Reed, Ali McGovern and much of the rest of the faction that runs the Westminster party.
Depends how many of them are in the cells ahead of May 7, doesn't it?
There is one more bruise the Greens in London keep punching, especially intriguing because it is about policy. Front and centre of their campaign is the need for a fair housing system.
And who for? That's more the point.
2 comments:
My spidey senses are always alerted by the usage of 'fair' in any political setting. 'Fair' doesn't mean even handed for everyone but more patronage for my supporters.
I'm amazed that a vote for Greens is a punishment for Labours awful display. They are Labour on steroids....mass immigration-defund the police-legalise drugs-obsession with Trans rights-pro Islam loonies etc etc
It will push Labour to be even more extreme which is worrying as they have until 2029 to destroy this country.
Jaded
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