DoBelieveTheHype

This utter bollocks, the Tories have got in many times despite centre-left and left-wing parties having a combined higher vote share. It's nice to see the opposite happen with Reform/Tories letting Labour in for a change.

Reform take a 5th seat with South Basildon and East Thurrock. That leaves 1 to be declared - which will be tomorrow.

Liz Kendall at the DWP and Wes Streeting at health are worryingly right-wing appointments.

Labour getting 40% of the vote and the same amount of seats would have been a good result. Getting just 1/3rd of the vote means they could very easily be back in opposition in 2029 and there's questions about their legitimacy as governing party. As already pointed out in this thread - left leaning parties (not left-wing) got a majority of the vote yesterday - so this right-leaning country bollocks is for the birds. Electoral reform would give us progressive governments. Rather than a rag-tag band of red Tories.

Reform did decide this election by standing in almost all seats compared to 2019 where Labour would have got in if Reform stood in Tory held seats rather than carefully choosing where to stand to benefit right-wingers. You don't think votes actually representing the electorate is the best thing? You can see the failure of FPTP in turnout figures for election. Also the right only got 38% of the vote in this election for Conservatives and Reform - a majority of people voted for supposedly left-wing (I'd argue against Labour being left-wing in it's current state) parties (56% for Labour, Lib Dem. Green, SNP and Plaid) so it doesn't follow that PR would lurch the country to the right - it would just mean more parties represented in power and people's votes actually meaning something. The most stable government since 2010 was actually the coalition - so we know coalitions work - they also moderate the excesses of other parties in the coalition. Listening to the new chancellor bang on about private investment and there being no money - i.e sticking to the fiscal rules rubbish - I'm convinced the country will be a worse place in 5 years. PR could have prevented that.

If you need any more confirmation very little will change under this Blairite government Reeves has got her excuses in early saying 'there's not a lot of money' and that we need to 'unlock private sector investment'. More PFI style rubbish and Tory style dodgy public sector contracts. Think there'll be a lot of buyer's remorse in a few years time.

By looking at the numbers. Most of that Reform vote is coming from people who voted Tory in 2019 and likely would have voted Tory if Reform wasn't an option. I haven't got time to do a seat by seat but if you combine the Reform + Tory vote across all seats it would probably knock Labour out of majority territory at the very least. FPTP is a joke, you can be happy Labour are in power but still accept that they're not in power on merit but on a right-wing vote split. Corby got 40% of the vote in 2017, Starmer got just 33% yesterday - it's hardly a ringing endorsement. Reform decided both the 2019 and 2024 elections by deciding where to stand.

I mean national vote share does matter to an extent. 33% is incredibly low bar to be forming a government from. Corbyn got 7% more of the vote than that in 2017 and lost - if it wasn't for the Reform Party then Labour wouldn't be in power and it would have been 5 more years of Conservative rule. Starmer has to acknowledge that in his programme for government whatever that looks like given all he's given us in the manifesto is buzz words and platitudes. There's something wrong with a system where you can get a majority on such a low vote share.

So the final result is now slated for tomorrow as Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire are going to a recount tomorrow. So anyone who tries to stay up to the last result will be nearing exhaustion by the time that comes in. Result expected late this after for South Basildon.

The Tories will lurch further to the right to chase the Reform vote. It won't work. Braverman / Badenoch as possible leaders.

Staggered only one person voted for Led Zeppelin. Rest are all good acts.

This is wet from Starmer. Thanking Sunak - he should be skewering him.

Starmer being flanked by supporters waving union jacks as he steps out into Downing Street. Except some jingoistic policies to appeal to the Reform voters.

This has the feelings off a de facto final, you'd imagine either of these teams will see off the competition in the semis and final should they make it - given the 'easy' bottom half of the draw.

Going to be hard to take any polling seriously when they were all over-estimating Labour's vote share by around 10% this time. No doubt we'll eventually forget about that but something to keep in mind.

For the attention of those waiting on a final result to go to bed - the South Basildon and East Thurrock seat isn't starting it's recounting until 2pm so might not be in until late afternoon.

That's how politics works in this country I'm afraid. The level of vote splitting among the opposition is the most important factor. This government is really going to have to do some transformational things in the next 5 years otherwise we seriously risk a Conservative-Reform coalition in 2029. Or god forbid, a Reform government. Labour have been on the wrong side of it enough times.

I see the Tories have all been given the "it'll take some time" line to wheel out. Some PR bod earning their crust today. As much as I despise Reform - these results are yet another argument from our elections that Proportional Representation ought to be introduced.

Hope is only going to carry this party so far now they're in government. They going to have to show how they are going to change things and do it pretty quickly or they risk getting wiped out by Reform/Brexit Party/UKIP/WhateverFarageCallsHimself by then in the 2029 election.

What time will Kier go to the palace? Presumably he can't do it at 5am in the morning lol

Just 14 more seats needed for Labour to officially win the election.

As more and more dreadful right-wingers keep seats by small margins. I can't help but imagine what a genuine progressive alliance could have done to really end the Tories. It's something that needs to be seriously considered for 2029.

BBC downplaying Labour's success claiming it's all down to the Tory vote falling - usual rubbish from them.

Ah that's a shame. Although makes sense.

Exactly what happened with Labour in 2019. The civil war in what's left of the Tory party is going to be epic. I can't really see a figure like Starmer who would command enough respect to be a 'unity' candidate either. Could be looking at 10 years of Labour government.