The results of mayoral elections in Greater Manchester, London and the West Midlands are among those expected on Saturday
Beneath the euphoria of Labour’s wins in places such as Blackpool, Hartlepool and Thurrock lies a nervousness about the party’s performance in urban areas, with campaigners warning it had lost ground in both London and Birmingham.
By Friday afternoon, the party had gained more than 140 council seats and won the Blackpool South byelection with the third biggest swing in post-war history. But party sources said they were not confident of winning the marginal West Midlands mayoral race and that the Tory candidate for the London mayoralty, Susan Hall, could also run Sadiq Khan unexpectedly close.
The Labour strategy was to do better in parts of the country they had lost since 2016: leave areas, more rural areas, more Tory areas, whiter areas. They have done better across the board in all those areas.
They also have seen trouble brewing up on their left flank. There has been a substantial loss of support in heavily Muslim areas and they are going backwards a bit in progressive areas and areas with students. It is progress at a price.
Continue reading…The results of mayoral elections in Greater Manchester, London and the West Midlands are among those expected on SaturdayBeneath the euphoria of Labour’s wins in places such as Blackpool, Hartlepool and Thurrock lies a nervousness about the party’s performance in urban areas, with campaigners warning it had lost ground in both London and Birmingham.By Friday afternoon, the party had gained more than 140 council seats and won the Blackpool South byelection with the third biggest swing in post-war history. But party sources said they were not confident of winning the marginal West Midlands mayoral race and that the Tory candidate for the London mayoralty, Susan Hall, could also run Sadiq Khan unexpectedly close.The Labour strategy was to do better in parts of the country they had lost since 2016: leave areas, more rural areas, more Tory areas, whiter areas. They have done better across the board in all those areas.They also have seen trouble brewing up on their left flank. There has been a substantial loss of support in heavily Muslim areas and they are going backwards a bit in progressive areas and areas with students. It is progress at a price. Continue reading…