Ben Habib, the [Reform UK] party’s candidate in Wellingborough, said the result was a staging post for the party’s growth, adding “the world is our oyster”.
Said by the party with no seats. Green party is more successful than them.
Tbf, the Greens have been around since 1990. They’ve kind of had a bit longer at it.
Reform is basically rebranded UKIP, and that’s been around since 1993. (Or 1991 if you want to go with the founding of the original anti-Federal Europe group).
A rebrand basically turns you into a new party in the eyes of the electorate.
Look at the difference in polling between the Brexit Party and then Reform. Same party, but losing that name recognition dropped their support substantially.
I think the truth is somewhere in the middle, Farage is the party, and though they lulled, Farage is so closely associated with the party people are often looking past the party just to him.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The byelection in Wellingborough was triggered when voters in the constituency recalled the former Tory MP Peter Bone after he received a six-week suspension from the Commons when an inquiry found he had subjected a staff member to bullying and sexual misconduct.
The result will be welcomed by Keir Starmer, who has had one of his most challenging weeks since becoming Labour leader after two of the party’s parliamentary candidates were suspended in the space of 24 hours over comments relating to Israel.
On Sunday, remarks made by Azhar Ali, Labour’s candidate in the Rochdale byelection, surfaced in which he said Israel had deliberately relaxed security before the 7 October Hamas attack after warnings of an imminent threat.
Speaking before the result, Toby Perkins, the shadow nature and rural affairs minister, said the suspension of Ali and Hyndburn did not come up on the doorstep, adding the win would give the party a lift.
Last week, Starmer formally dropped his flagship target of spending £28bn a year on green investment, citing poor economic conditions, despite support for the policy from the public and warnings from business leaders to keep it.
For the Conservatives, the loss of another safe seat could prompt long-shot attempts by backbenchers on the right of the party – who are already at odds with the prime minister over the Rwanda bill – to replace Sunak as leader before the next general election.
The original article contains 682 words, the summary contains 236 words. Saved 65%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
I really hate how validating this is going to be for such a lackluster and feckless Labour party, when they win because of people hating Tories. Winning despite your own efforts, rather than because of them.
I’m a little nervous about a landslide Labour victory, having a government that can do whatever it likes isn’t really good for the country.
Don’t worry, I’ve got absolute faith that the Labour party will find a way to tear itself apart, much in the same way the May regime did during Brexit negotiations.
And I say that as a party member.
Don’t worry, if they’re anything like the Conservatives they’ll get a huge majority and then do absolutely fuck all with it.
Or consistently awful and ridiculous things.
deleted by creator
They only gained 107 votes. They won because of tories switching to reform or not showing up
Deleted comment, but valid if true.
I wonder if that’s anything to do with the new ID requirement? Tories have apparently shot themselves in the foot with that one.
It’s possible. Turnout was fairly low, but not conspicuously low for a by-election.
EDIT: Also, it’s worth pointing out that holding on to your entire vote share while turnout falls by 26% is actually really good!
I changed my mind when I looked at the turnout difference. It’s hard to draw any conclusions because of that
I think you may be right though. I saw on Channel 4 News that turnout was down overall yet stable with Labour - implying Tories didn’t show up.
