Yes, that is the story. The tories fluffed it badly. They grew accustomed to getting away with whatever they wanted, took their eyes off the job, and I don't believe they have done any actual government for several years.

Incidentally, I doubt the fragrant Nigel Farage will do any work in his constituency, so the good electors of Clacton are no worse off than they were before, the outgoing tory member, Giles Watling being a "socialite" and luvvy of the right-wing persuasion, more accustomed to pissing it up in the Garrick Club than dealing with his constituents' problems.

"they have done any actual government for several years"

Ir will be interesting to see if Starmer can continue to colour inside the lines as he has thus far managed.

Well, yes. His lines circle aound things like "listening to people with different opinions", "governing for all", but curiously his instinct is to censure, expel and disempower those he disagrees with. Rachel Reeves recently commented that there's no place in the labour party for people who don't share our views. She said this while 1) criticising a long-standing labour centerist who looks to have had his social media accounts hacked and 2) just after welcoming an ex-tory extreme-right-wing MP who wished to join.

The only interesting thing about the election is basically nothing has changed. The Tory vote got split, that's it. Aside from that no one's vote share changed much. Labour got less votes than they did in 2019.

The Greens getting four is nice (though largely a product of the same thing).

And a handful of pro-palestinian indies winning in safe Labour seats is notable.

But yeah, very dull election. Didn't even get excited about big Tories losing seats cos it doesn't really mean anything.

It didn't really buck the global trend, we're just at a different point in the cycle. Think Biden getting in first time, or Macron's last election. Next up: Fuck-all improves for anybody, so things slide rightwards.

That's my expected outcome anyway. Weird tiny bit of forlorn hope that the Green gains and the likes of Corbyn winning and maybe even Lib Dems having room to attack from this side means there's enough pressure from the left to stop it being a total flop, but I'd almost rather not suffer the disappointment when it doesn't.
Alternative fun prediction: Reform Racists and Tory failures demand a change to Proportional Representation and we finally get to do that.



My extremely safe Labour seat remained so; my vote for the local Green at least helped get her deposit back and they did better than Reform here  :-O~~~

Uninspiring centrist fails to build sufficient political support [from billionaires, CEOs, and other power brokers; 'grass-roots' don't count for shit] to enact necessary changes to stave off massive economic dislocation and desire for a fascist who can 'get things done.' With assorted, hostile state actors sticking their oar in to make sure confusion, paranoia, and anarchy prevail.

The polls were right (for my constituency), and Labour won by a comfortable margin. Seems to have been a similar story in various places across Scotland. Bad night for the SNP.

My first vote in my new constituency (Keighley and Ilkley).
Voted Labour
Stayed Tory

Was projected to change hands in the lead up but I didn't believe the polls. Stayed Tory by a decent margin in comparison to the rest of the UK.

Ilkley is very Tory.
Bradford Council is Labour led and is generally seen as bad. Easy attack line.

Are we neighbours now!? I was quite shocked by Keighley not swinging the small amount it would have needed to flip, since it has been such a marginal seat in recent elections.

(I consider getting rid of Philip Davies in Shipley an acceptable alternative)