Yahoo News 'Labour’s existential crisis': readers on the Copeland and Stoke byelections
Labour held off a challenge from Ukip in Stoke-on-Trent, but suffered a historic defeat in the Cumbrian constituency of Copeland.
A Labour heartland seat dominated by the party since 1935, the loss in Copeland led to questions about Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Readers discussed the implications of Labour’s loss, with many critical of the party’s current direction. Also under debate was what the party has to do to have any chance of challenging Theresa May’s Conservatives in a general election.
Below are a selection of their views.
‘Now we are living in a one party state’
Corbyn or no Corbyn, Labour's biggest problem is that we are living in an age of single issue politics, however people try to dress it up as Brexit or anything else. Enough of Labour's base have been sold the lie that its immigration which is ruining their country, and unless Labour get on board with that sentiment they are no longer a party capable of winning general elections. That's why UKIP are still getting 25% of the vote when they have nothing to actually say any more.
We are now living in a one party state, and will do until Brexit has fully played out and people realise that our Nation's problems are our own fault and not someone else's.
‘Labour’s existential crisis has become very real’
What did we learn last night? Labour's existential crisis has become a very real one, if UKIP couldn't make the break through in Stoke then it's not going to make it anywhere and the tories should be very worried about the number of seats in the south now vulnerable to Liberal Democrats because clearly that is where the remain vote is going.
Something to think about for all of them.
‘Corbyn has exacerbated the problems’
I now think that Labour is doomed, because it's a victim of its own recent history and cannot stop itself tearing itself apart. At one point I did have certain hopes for Corbyn stemming the rot, but I think he has exacerbated the problems. The Blairites are there whether we like or not and are always going to try and frustrate moves from the left of the party to change its direction. Therefore, I think it will be deadlocked and unable to move forward in any convincing way. There is nothing that can be done. It should just be abandoned as a dead loss. I don't know what can replace it, but at least it's time to face up to the fact that it has nowhere to go and that its condition is somehow terminal and that needs to be properly recognised.
‘Labour are looking in the wrong place’
As is becoming a regular occurrence, Labour are looking in the wrong place. Scared of UKIP, but instead they should be more scared of the Tories, in government for 7 years, winning a by-election that they had absolutely no right to win.
Corbyn standing down will not be a magical panacea for the party, and depending on who replaces him it could lead to yet more disaster, but the Corbyn experiment has gone on long enough. In a perfect world, that kind of political party would exist separately outside of Labour and it would get about 15-20% of the vote, but that's about the most it can hope to achieve given the political and media environment and an Overton window so far to the right that anything approaching socialism is viewed with at best suspicion and or worse.
I don't know who can replace Corbyn and who could unite the party, but it's evidently clear the experiment has reached its conclusion.
‘Many Labour supporters I spoke to were reluctant to vote for the party’
I'm in Copeland constituency, and like many voters, I voted for a party other than Labour (for my case, for the first time in my life). However, it is important not to overstate the nuclear dimenson of this result. Yes, Sellafield accounts for 25% of employment in the area, either directly or indirectly, but outside of the principal town of Whitehaven (which is the only place that London-based reporters seem to have visited), there is considerable antipathy to the fawning privileges shown to the nuclear sector. Many labour supporters I spoke to were reluctant to vote for the party, not because of Corbyn's uncertain stance on nuclear, but because he is an incompetent leader with a vague and incoherent set of policies, incapable of leading a party or a country. There was a strong sense here that he deserved to lose this seat.
‘There will be a slaughter of Labour marginal seats’
The Tories are taking a slice of the Labour vote from the top, UKIP a sliver from the side and the Lib Dems two slices from the bottom. That will work out as a slaughter of Labour marginal seats come the next general election. The Lib Dems where able to grow the vote by 4.73% in to brexit areas thats going to be a serious problem for Labour in areas that voted remain.
‘Corbyn needs to think of the bigger picture’
Sadly integrity and honesty are not enough for Corbyn.
He needs to step down and put forward a person who will unite the party. If he truly wants to put forward a new direction for the country and unite Labour he needs to go now. There are major opportunites for Labour to undermine the worst Govt I can remember. Sadly he is not able to take advantage of these. He does however have the power to put forward someone who could. Angela Rayner was strong on Q.T last night and has the potential , also like Clive Lewis .
Whoever it is , Corbyn needs to think of the bigger picture
‘Labour voters are not, in the main, Ukip-inclined’
I've always voted Labour, even when it was a best of a bad bunch decision. I have been a member at times.
Like the majority of Labour voters I voted Remain, and I'm afraid that now supercedes all other considerations. Yes, the NHS and other public services are important, but it is clear that money and government / civil service time will be wasted on Brexit that the fate of these services are linked to Brexit.
Until Labour realise their voters are not, in the main, UKIP-inclined, they will continue the haemorrhage votes at a national level.
