Last night’s decisive victory for the Conservatives ensures that Boris Johnson will be returning to Downing Street with a much bigger majority than before. It also means that Labour are consigned to the Opposition benches for a fourth election in a row, with the widening schism in the party thrown into full display. As the party’s civil war unfolds, here are UnHerd’s five interesting moments from the past 24 hours.
1. Former home secretary Alan Johnson scolds Momentum founder Jon Lansman for refusing to listen to their working class base.
Alan Johnson vs Jon Lansman pic.twitter.com/7CxdJZOZE4
— The Wilderness Years (@wildernessyrs) December 13, 2019
2. Labour MP Lisa Nandy acknowledges that Labour had ignored the heartlands for too long and promises reconciliation in her victory speech.
WATCH: "This has been a long time coming. They have been telling us in towns like Wigan for some time that all is not right… I have listened. I have heard you. I will make it my mission from this day forward to bring Labour home to you."
Lisa Nandy's victory speech: pic.twitter.com/7KA8Um21tB
— Sienna Rodgers (@siennamarla) December 13, 2019
3. Labour leaver Kate Hoey echoes Nandy’s comments, saying that the Labour Party has “lost touch with its working class” supporters.
"Labour has lost touch with its working class, decent supporters" – former Labour MP Kate Hoey says there'll have to be a "huge, huge debate" within the party#BBCElection latest: https://t.co/4vrwZ0QrmD pic.twitter.com/QZPULsAyq8
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) December 12, 2019
4. Some former Labour members were in a less introspective mood. Instead of confronting his own role as an anti-Brexit mascot in the party’s downfall, Alastair Campbell laid blame at the feet of Lansman.
“If Boris Johnson gets a full term, it will have been 50 years since any Labour leader other than Tony Blair won a general election"
Alastair Campbell calls on the party to “reroute their politics back where people live their lives”https://t.co/feN65Kctaq #BBCElection #GE2019 pic.twitter.com/PoKTNsBbtc
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) December 13, 2019
5. While other Labour activists were left in a state of total denial…
.@piersmorgan "this right here is the Labour party's problem" – it's getting really heated on GMB #GE2019 #ElectionResults2019 pic.twitter.com/JeMygWf0Rp
— Sun Politics (@SunPolitics) December 13, 2019
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