The problem for Labour is that they are potentially not at their floor. Scores of northern seats are vulnerable to further Tory incursion. And if Lab try to court those voters, their urban liberal seats could be vulnerable to a green or new progressive force. A dangerous moment.
This is the real high wire the next Labour leader must cross. They have to court northern and midlands social conservatives in such a way as to retain urban liberals and keep the wider left coalition Corbyn successfully built. If there is a green surge, Labour would be finished.
See German politics and the SPD.
Or the French socialists.
We shouldn’t forget Corbynism was itself a response to Labour decline. It wasn’t as if the party was doing brilliantly when he came in. He did manage to maximise the wider leftist vote and build a movement. We don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t.
It will, in sum, be imperative for the next Labour leader to be able to speak to and carry much of Corbyn’s base and not allow it to bleed to another leftist force. They will need to do so whilst appealing to the more traditional voters Lab has lost for four or five elections now
That is going to take considerable political skill.
Get it wrong and it could well be game over. Little margin for error.
In other words, Labour probably needs a titan, or at least someone, with the skills to become one.
Get it wrong and it could well be game over. Little margin for error.
In other words, Labour probably needs a titan, or at least someone, with the skills to become one.
