Oddbean new post about login | logout @0f342e77 @f037c6c5 It’s depressing how much the Left thinks it has to compromise to get elected. It is correct, or is it just running scared? To be honest, seeing how badly Corbyn fared as a leader, the evidence suggests that Starmer is right. (No pun intended.)
@7db1d990 @f037c6c5 What the far left don't get is the UK is by & large a Centre Right country. Over the last 100 years, the #Liberals have been in power for 1 year, #Labour 28 (13 under Blair/Brown) & the #CONservatives 71. We've NEVER had a far left #Socialist government, even under Atlee & Bevin, & their postwar welfare revolution. The closest the far left have come is Foot in the early 80s, & #Corbyn between 2015-2020. Even then, Corbyn ballsed up the Brexit vote, & lost in 2017/19 🤷🏾♂️
@0f342e77 This isn’t quite true. All surveys of attitudes and beliefs conclude that Britain is a centre-left country. It’s just our electoral system that favours the Tories.
@7db1d990 That's assuming the Centre Right aren't in favour of the welfare state. Almost all of them are. Where they differ from the Left is they want it governed properly, which is the correct approach. We get the chance to vote every 4-5 years. If the UK wanted far left Socialists in power, we've currently have Comrade #Corbyn as PM. 😳
@7db1d990 @0f342e77 True - Britain has a long history of political radicalism. In more recent times, Wilson won in 1964, 1966 and 1974 with pretty leftwing manifestos (and revolutionised the education system) as did Attlee in 1945 (the NHS, etc). Even Blair/Brown, in 1997 at least appeared to offer something, well... NEW (and despite Blair's further wins, they were all with seriously shrinking votes, against weak opposition). The truth about Labour would seem to be it has only ever won power with a radical offering. Now, as you say, in opinion polling most English people favour left policies (if not left parties) - and over two-thirds of under-35s 'want to live in a socialist society' - 'centre' left might soon be a misnomer. What is true is that lots of older people were bought by Thatcherism's housing and finance sector policies giving them a one-generation asset wealth. That will soon work its way out, and Brits will be as radical as they ever were.