Conservatives take Hartlepool with huuuuge swing of votes.

[Dominic]

The Conservatives have won the Hartlepool by-election - taking a seat that has been under Labour's control since it was created in the 1970s.

Tory candidate Jill Mortimer's victory marks a rare gain for a governing party and delivers another brick in Labour's "red wall" to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

It also serves as a major blow to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in his bid to revive his party's fortunes following their crushing general election defeat in 2019.

Sir Keir faced immediate calls to "urgently change direction" from Labour's left wing following the result.

She described her by-election win as a "truly historic result and a momentous day".

Con 15,529
Lab 8,589
Ind 2,904
Her 468
Ref 368

Turnout 42.3%

https://news.sky.com/story/election-res ... r-12298989


So, are Labour now too right wing, or are they still reeling from the Corbyn era?

My opinion; they care too much about things that most of the country don't really care about.

[The Aquila]

I think they are still suffering from the Corbyn era with regards to anti-semitism amongst other thing. I said at the time of the GE he should have stood down and let Starmer take over. But he seems to have been nothing but another “I’m going to sit on the fence” leader who’s showing no bottle other then try to belittle the house with his barrister tactics but then does nothing to follow it up.

[Jimgward]

Starmer was described to me, as the Fireman from Trumpton - a great description…

The only Labour politician I can see that would win respect, is Andy Burnham.

[Dominic]

What was the fireman from Trumpton like? I cannot remember.

- EDIT -

Hang on, there were 13 firemen in Trumpton.

[Dominic]

I just had to explain to my wife why I was watching Trumpton.

[Firefly]

Yes it's bring called long Corbyn apparently.

[PhotoLady]

Now the Tories have to stand by all those promises of jobs for Hartlepool when they move the Government offices up north.

The fact Hartlepool is no longer the great industrial capital it once was is only to be expected the Labour voting numbers will reduce year on year in any respect. The added bonus of jobs and the spending was another sweetener.

Time will tell....

[Diocletian]

Whilst I have no particular liking for the modern Labour Party. I do have to say that someone of the calibre and passion of Andy Burnham is the only real way for them to rise again. Starmer has absolutely no spine. His initial response to the loss of Hartlepool was to say that the systems of the party where not right??

The truth is, that the Labour Party is far to metropolitan based and way out of touch with its roots.

[WHL]

I just had to explain to my wife why I was watching Trumpton.

Any excuse