Liberal Democrats thrash Tories in the Blue Wall

413x · 18 Jun 2021 at 14:39

inogen said:
Whilst this is true, most voters don't vote Tory. If a progressive alliance could sort itself out, the Tories would be dead within a generation.

The Greens did okay too, despite a load of them, like Labour voters, voting LD.

Would be better to have one worth while opposition party than the fragmentation we have now. Also might make others who can't be bothered voting to vote

mattyfez · 18 Jun 2021 at 14:54

Looks like the lib dems took a fairly equal share of votes from the tories and Labour looking at this https://mobile.twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1405699154882580482

Jean-F · 18 Jun 2021 at 14:55

Pipe & Slippers said:
No

I think the more interesting bit of data is Labour polled 622 votes
Yes it's an affluent constituency etc. etc. but that level of support for Labour is breathtakingly low

Maybe the Labour result is the silver lining after the cloud of the Conservatives getting beat.

mmj_uk · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:02

The government has spent the last 13mths pushing Labour'esque big brother/nanny state dictats to the point where Labour don't oppose anything they do and they're surprised when their voters either don't vote or go elsewhere?

Greebo · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:04

mattyfez said:
Looks like the lib dems took a fairly equal share of votes from the tories and Labour looking at this https://mobile.twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1405699154882580482

Nah, They took around 6k Labour and gained many more Conservative. Hence people saying it was tactical voting which won it for the LD - it wasnt. They won because the Tories collapsed. They still would have won if Labour hadnt lost any votes.

inogen · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:19

413x said:
Would be better to have one worth while opposition party than the fragmentation we have now. Also might make others who can't be bothered voting to vote

Just can't see it happening. The Tories have got so much media power now, all the thickos have started to voted for them. There's no centre or left party that can climb that hill on their own.

What's needed it targeted, tactical voting and enough people holding their noses whilst they vote for the other most likely party regardless to get them out and an agreement amongst them to scrap FPTP.

Pipe & Slippers · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:22

Jean-F said:
Maybe the Labour result is the silver lining after the cloud of the Conservatives getting beat.

I can smell my desperation...

oh wait, that's the labour supporters

SupraWez · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:28

Dumping HS2 and 3rd runway at Heathrow would see them do well elsewhere too.

EDIT: labour result should be wake up call to the party, but I’m sure there’ll find a way to polish it and carry on.

Mason- · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:29

Are mmj uk + stockhausen 2 opposite sides of the same coin?

Moley · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:29

The comments from voters in the area make it abundantly clear that this is a massive protest vote against HS2 - the building of which is having an ongoing negative affect on Amersham and Chesham in particular - and against the relaxation of Green Belt building rules that the locals expect to drastically change their locality.

Don't expect to see this result repeated across the south - you will be disappointed.

Bug One · 18 Jun 2021 at 15:36

Greebo said:
Nah, They took around 6k Labour and gained many more Conservative. Hence people saying it was tactical voting which won it for the LD - it wasnt. They won because the Tories collapsed. They still would have won if Labour hadnt lost any votes.

They couldn't have taken many more. :cry:

413x · 18 Jun 2021 at 16:22

Moley said:
The comments from voters in the area make it abundantly clear that this is a massive protest vote against HS2 - the building of which is having an ongoing negative affect on Amersham and Chesham in particular - and against the relaxation of Green Belt building rules that the locals expect to drastically change their locality.

Don't expect to see this result repeated across the south - you will be disappointed.

Yeah this.

Basically given a brexit type choice. Are you for or against hs2 in your back garden

ltron · 18 Jun 2021 at 16:33

This is excellent news! :cool:

.

Chris Wilson · 18 Jun 2021 at 16:34

stockhausen said:
Sarah Green of The Liberal Democrats have pulled off a stunning by-election victory, overturning a 16,000 majority to win by more than 8,000 votes in a seat that has always voted Conservative - a swing of 25%!

Is this a sign that if the Tories don't succeed with their fantasy "Levelling up" scheme we will eventually end up with a Lib Dem / Labour Government?

Did you clutch at straws even as a bairn in the `pram?

Bug One · 18 Jun 2021 at 16:54

ltron said:
This is excellent news! .

Depends on how you read it. If you're 'anti Government' - then the fact that the main opposition party lost the protest vote by such a significant margin, might be of slight concern if you ever think Labour will be back in power.

Blackjack Davy · 18 Jun 2021 at 17:26

Mid term byelections are always interesting and turn up the oddest results that have no bearing on subsequent general elections and the lib dems usually seem to do well for some reason then get obliterated come the general

413x said:
Labour are garbage. That's basically all there is.
Many in here have said it. Most think it. This shows it more than ever.

They couldn't do worse if they tried. That doesn't even sound ridiculous. We are a one party country

There was a programme on the radio a week or two ago talking about this just as the labour party replaced the old Liberal party that wasn't fit for purpose now we're seeing the extinction of the Labour party except there isn't any natural successor at the moment, its simply a one party state just now

potatolord said:
Apparently, that's Labour's worst ever result. They lost their deposit, which I've never seen happen before.

Wow, a fantastic result then!

ianh · 18 Jun 2021 at 17:35

Blackjack Davy said:
Wow, a fantastic result then!

As much as I dislike the Labour Party, the country still needs an effective opposition to prevent Governmental over-reach and Labour are, for the time being at least, it.

ltron · 18 Jun 2021 at 17:52

Bug One said:
Depends on how you read it. If you're 'anti Government' - then the fact that the main opposition party lost the protest vote by such a significant margin, might be of slight concern if you ever think Labour will be back in power.

It's a Lib Dem/Tory seat though, so I don't expect Labour to be in second place, and I hope for a progressive alliance (even if it's unofficial and informal). It seems like the Labour supporters who did vote were clever and voted tactically which could be a taste of the power of such a pact. Although as you and others have said, the Labour vote was very depressed even when taking this into account which is a bit worrying.

Slam62 · 18 Jun 2021 at 18:10

chroniclard said:
Though the election system contributes to this as people see it as a wasted vote.

It is a wasted vote, if they get anywhere near power they will sell their sole

PhilGQ · 18 Jun 2021 at 18:13

Lib Dems do best when Tories do badly. When Labour do well so do Libs Dems, even when Tony Blair had massive majority. It's just the way the pendulum swings.

I don't think it will be replicated across the country. Without looking it up i can't say I even know for sure who the LD leader is. Worse than that I don't really care that I don't I know.

Ed Davie rings a bell.

chroniclard · 18 Jun 2021 at 19:00

Slam62 said:
It is a wasted vote, if they get anywhere near power they will sell their sole