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Every single simplistic election take debunked. A thread. As long as it needs to be.
1. Labour needs to be more Corbynite.
Tried that. They lost.
1. Labour needs to be more Corbynite.
Tried that. They lost.
2. Labour needs to go back to Blair.
That was the 1990s, not got anything since?
That was the 1990s, not got anything since?
3. Labour needs to support Brexit.
The UK left the EU over a year ago.
The UK left the EU over a year ago.
4. The people are being bribed with their own money.
Yes, that's politics.
Yes, that's politics.
5. Labour can't win without a progressive alliance.
See analysis after 1992.
See analysis after 1992.
6. Why focus on Labour?
They just got hammered in their own seat in a by-election, plus lots of other places. Why not?
They just got hammered in their own seat in a by-election, plus lots of other places. Why not?
7. Labour needs to be a remain party.
See earlier. The UK left the EU.
See earlier. The UK left the EU.
8. It is all about vaccination success.
Good and bad stuff always happens to governments, if they draw attention to the good more than the opposition do to the bad they probably will do ok.
Good and bad stuff always happens to governments, if they draw attention to the good more than the opposition do to the bad they probably will do ok.
9. Labour needs some policies.
Would anyone notice if they did have some?
Would anyone notice if they did have some?
10. Labour is no longer the working class party.
Was also said in the 1980s. Also, what is the working class these days?
Was also said in the 1980s. Also, what is the working class these days?
11. Labour is too woke to appeal to the country.
In what way is Labour too woke, and how is this different to headlines in the 1990s about a 'gay mafia' running them?
In what way is Labour too woke, and how is this different to headlines in the 1990s about a 'gay mafia' running them?
12. Labour is too faction ridden to win.
Have you met the Conservative party or heard what their MPs think of their leader?
Have you met the Conservative party or heard what their MPs think of their leader?
13. Labour has to listen more.
Much beloved meaningless line of all losing parties after an election.
Much beloved meaningless line of all losing parties after an election.
14. Changing the leader won't change anything.
It did for the Conservatives in 2019. Less for the Conservatives in 2003.
It did for the Conservatives in 2019. Less for the Conservatives in 2003.
15. The biased media are anti-Labour.
Sure, so don't you have to find a way round that?
( @gompertz suggested I'd missed this hot take)
Sure, so don't you have to find a way round that?
( @gompertz suggested I'd missed this hot take)
16. Labour should listen more to trade union bosses (one in particular)
Another tried and failed strategy from 2019, 2017 etc.
Another tried and failed strategy from 2019, 2017 etc.
17. Conservative success and labour failure is explained entirely by the culture war.
We've been having a 'culture war' if you want to call it that since the 1960s. It has been a facotr in elections for many years.
We've been having a 'culture war' if you want to call it that since the 1960s. It has been a facotr in elections for many years.
18. There is one simple thing that Labour can do to become popular again and it is...
If only there was a secret recipe for success it might not stay secret for long.
If only there was a secret recipe for success it might not stay secret for long.
19. The Conservatives won because they promised jobs / freeports etc.
I mean that's normal in an election to promise jobs and improvements. Or at least it should be.
I mean that's normal in an election to promise jobs and improvements. Or at least it should be.
20. It would have been a better result if x has been in the shadow cabinet.
There may be voters who know who is in the shadow cabinet, but not many. Even less who care.
There may be voters who know who is in the shadow cabinet, but not many. Even less who care.
21. Labour don't like their own voters so why should their voters like them?
Neither generally true nor particular to Labour nor much changed from many years of Oxford educated pols being parachuted into different parts of the country.
Neither generally true nor particular to Labour nor much changed from many years of Oxford educated pols being parachuted into different parts of the country.
The hot takes keep coming...
22. You can't vote for a party that supports terrorists like Labour.
Boris Johnson literally put an IRA sympathiser in the House of Lords.
22. You can't vote for a party that supports terrorists like Labour.
Boris Johnson literally put an IRA sympathiser in the House of Lords.
Final hot take for today -
23. Oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them.
A saying that on closer examination seems rarely true in the UK (1974 perhaps?)
23. Oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them.
A saying that on closer examination seems rarely true in the UK (1974 perhaps?)
And still the simple takes come...
24. Lifelong voters left the party
Possibly except that seasoned local campaigners can point you to lifelong party voters who have not voted that way for the first time ever for several elections running...
24. Lifelong voters left the party
Possibly except that seasoned local campaigners can point you to lifelong party voters who have not voted that way for the first time ever for several elections running...
