Obligatory post General Election reflection thread ....
It's not stopped raining here in Bolton. It feels symbolic. The Tories got a majority. Corbyn is going. Our office is going. Our Labour staff are facing Christmas without jobs. Why?
It's not stopped raining here in Bolton. It feels symbolic. The Tories got a majority. Corbyn is going. Our office is going. Our Labour staff are facing Christmas without jobs. Why?
First off let me say, Jeremy Corbyn remains one of my political heroes. The speed with which some want to abandon him as a person is nauseating. Secondly, I'm not leaving Labour! We go again. Thirdly, let's remember the Tories result in May. Politics is cyclical. Never terminal.
Bolton doorstep. Three biggest issues that came up repeatedly
1. "I want out of Europe", "you are ignoring the vote"
2. "Your Leader", "Jeremy Corbyn is ..."
3. (much less so) "where is the money for x, y and z coming from?"
1. "I want out of Europe", "you are ignoring the vote"
2. "Your Leader", "Jeremy Corbyn is ..."
3. (much less so) "where is the money for x, y and z coming from?"
On Jeremy Corbyn. I love the guy and he has given our movement so much but it's correct to say he was not popular on the doorstep. I blame his characterization in the media and by our own MPs. That said, it's right that he now steps down.
On Brexit - it was a mistake to reverse our position from 2017 of "respecting the vote". Most gallingly, many of the Labour voices most strongly laying into Corbyn were the same ones who advocated for us to shift our position to a Second (confirmatory) Referendum
On our Manifesto - it was really exciting BUT ... we appeared scattergun and desperate as the Campaign progressed. Policies were popping up every day with no prior distillation to the Electorate. Cost was a reasonable question. Less sometimes is more.
I've read quite a lot of think pieces over the last few days talking about an 'existential crisis' and 'terminal decline'. It's nonsense. The Tories were supposedly in terminal decline after getting battered by the Brexit Party in May!
Moving forward
Firstly leadership. We need a Leader who is identifiably of Northern, working class origins. Somebody who can bridge Corbynism and the rest of the Party. It's time we elected a woman. My preference is Rebecca Long Bailey, Angela Rayner or Lisa Nandy.
Firstly leadership. We need a Leader who is identifiably of Northern, working class origins. Somebody who can bridge Corbynism and the rest of the Party. It's time we elected a woman. My preference is Rebecca Long Bailey, Angela Rayner or Lisa Nandy.
Policies - we need to sell our policies throughout the year. Free Broadband is a great idea but let's start explaining why now. Chucking a raft of policies at folk just seems grasping
Activism / organising
Our ground campaign was fabulous. Our activists worked their socks off. We weren't however quick enough in changing strategy from offensive to defensive. Activists from other areas which were safe weren't spread out enough.
Our ground campaign was fabulous. Our activists worked their socks off. We weren't however quick enough in changing strategy from offensive to defensive. Activists from other areas which were safe weren't spread out enough.
My Campaign and Momentum were recommending a nearby seat to me that we had no chance of taking when we knew we were struggling to hold on here (which we didn't). That only changed 4 days before polling day.
It wouldn't have won us the Election but it frustrated members
It wouldn't have won us the Election but it frustrated members
Last word to the media. The BBC unquestionably had a shocker. I strongly suspect the threat of revisiting their funding strategy had a role in that. Local media starred in 2017 but less so in 2019. Independent media is vital for the health of our democracy
