One point to add to Andy McSmith's excellent post mortem on the Henley by-election. What is really spooking Labour MPs that I've spoken to is that Labour were beaten by the British National Party. Not only is that humiliating, but the BNP has a special place in the demonology of the left.
Seeing their vote squeezed to 1,066 was something to which most Labour people were resigned. Local Labour voters might well vote tactically for the Lib Dem in a vain attempt to try to stop the Tory. Labourites could even put up with being beaten by the Green Party, which is after all where a lot of their first or second preference votes would go in a preferential voting system.
But to come fifth behind the BNP, against which many Labour MPs have to fight for the white working class vote in their own constituencies, turns a discounted disappointment into another request to sign Gordon Brown's leaving card.
The most damning fact about Labour's disaster is that almost SIX of every SEVEN Labour voters deserted them - from 6,833 to 1,066 - an 84% drop! As far as I've been able to find out, this is an unprecedented collapse in a party's vote.
Posted by: Cynosarges | Friday, 27 June 2008 at 10:54 PM
For evil to succeed, requires that good men do nothing.
Years of Tory and New Tory-styled governments have ignored the complaints of the most vulnerable Britons during the globalisation transition, which by its nature breaks down national boundaries, to admit the influx of foreign workers. The ordinary British working people have been atomised and gagged in their protests--their self-worth, or status has been reduced to an economic digit.
No longer do they "cling to nurse--for fear of something worse". Britain has a global subsidiary government, which looks after big business first. The voters are desperate for due attention.
Posted by: Diogenes | Saturday, 28 June 2008 at 01:39 PM
Thank Harriet Harman for announcing Labour's plan to make it legal to discriminate against white men in favour of women and ethnic minorities the day before Henley.
Posted by: Tom | Saturday, 28 June 2008 at 09:58 PM
It is not labour that should be humiliated by this by - election result, but the neo NAZIS of Henley. Labour did not fight the the by election and many of their natiral voters voted lib dem thinking they could beat the tories. The fact people in a wealthy seat vote BNP is merely a reflection on the Henley people. The BNP are run by a man who denied the holocaust. The people of Henely should feel utterly ashamed.
Posted by: dirty european socialist | Saturday, 28 June 2008 at 10:12 PM