ON a seemingly disastrous day for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party, it was important to note three solid results for the supposedly Democratic Socialist party.
While seats crumbled in the North-East of England, Preston’s radical Labour council held all 10 seats it defended.
In a Northern seat that voted to leave the EU, it’s a remarkable result. But like Jeremy Corbyn’s firebrand campaign showed in 2017, a radical agenda – in this case, the ‘Preston model’ – can thrive even in the most seemingly hostile environments.
Elsewhere, Welsh Labour not only held the Senedd, but increased their vote share to the point where they now have a working majority.
Is it any coincidence that they are led by Mark Drakeford, a decisive, socialist leader (and the only sitting cabinet member to back Corbyn in 2015)?
Having added 10,000 votes to his own seat, Drakeford’s leadership throughout the pandemic should pose as a clear lesson to his Westminster counterpart.
And who could forget Andy Burnham? Opposing the government effectively last year earned him the title of ‘King of the North’ in some corners – and his odds to become next Labour leader have been slashed in recent days.
When he announced his decision to run in 2015, many leftists immediately latched onto Burnham as the progressive candidate – until Corbyn announced his own intention, of course. Regardless, Southside advisers would do well to emulate him and Drakeford going forward.
The post-mortem has already started – but will Starmer’s team learn the right lessons? Or continue shifting towards the centre-right in a desperate hope of mirroring 1997?
Labour must not learn the wrong lessons from Hartlepool
Redaction Report did not actively endorse voting for the Labour Party this time around – save a decent local council candidate. It seems the British progressives heeded our advice, either pouring their votes into the Green Party or choosing entirely to stay at home.
Scottish results are still filtering through, but it looks like (on Saturday afternoon) that the SNP will be just short of a majority. Has Salmond got his revenge?
Why the Alba Party makes Scottish Independence ‘more risky’
LOOKING FORWARD
Results will continue to trickle in, but the overall picture is clear for Starmer. Calls for him to go are feasibly premature, but the pressure is on.
Look out for a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle to take the pressure off – for now.
Featured Image: Chatham House @WikimediaCommons
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