My party has been undertaking a review of the last General Election campaign, which we all recognised approx. a month before polling day was an awful campaign. Some of us were saying so at the time, and I’m perfectly prepared to say so now. The local campaign, on the other hand, was significantly better, with an exceptionally able and hard-working candidate in Martin Wrigley.
The party nationally adopted at least two fundamentally flawed positions. We ignored the arguments for a second Brexit vote, claiming we would stop Brexit rather than consult on it. This was the wrong position to adopt. I had consistently argued for a second peoples vote and would have abided by the outcome.
The other major error was for the Leader Jo Swinson to stake a claim as the next PM. I accept that all politicians need to be ambitious, but unrealistic claims simply undermine credibility.
I believe the party was right to hold this “inquest”; right to make public the findings and now right to go forward correcting those errors and rebuilding as all parties must do post lost elections. It would be good if other parties were equally open and honest.
It will be interesting to see how Labour supporters adapt to a new Leader, who has, in my opinion, started well. He is certainly more able and forensic in his comments. He is also representative of a different part of the “Labour Coalition”. Closer to Tony Blair and the now old “New” Labour Party of the ’90s. I will be interested to see how quickly Labour supporters change their allegiances.