Like this one, for example:
…and this one, showing the 2005 result in Glasgow East…
…and this one showing the 2008 result…
There are three subsets of the population who will enjoy looking at these pictures:
1. The SNP
2. Anyone who hates Labour
3. The Conservative Party, who managed to maintain their share of the vote while Labour lost almost 20% of theirs and the Lib Dems lost just under 10% of theirs.
11 responses so far ↓
Stu // July 25, 2008 at 10:52 am
The by-election is great news for anyone who dislikes Gordon Brown, but for those who like Labour it could finally signal the bottoming out. If Labour can use this election to get up the guts to oust Brown, a new leader could feasibly up Labour’s chances.
I hope that’s what happens because then David Cameron may actually have to work for his supper and start doing great things for the country.
Rolling into government with a huge majority and a feeling of unbreakable optimism could go horribly horribly wrong, and now, in New Labour, we have a precedent for that statement.
Letters From A Tory // July 25, 2008 at 10:58 am
Not sure it will be a huge majority, but I see where you’re coming from. Someone like Jack Straw or John Denham would help keep the pressure up on the Conservatives, whereas Brown is simply not capable of turning the tables on the opposition.
asquith // July 25, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I don’t “hate” Labour in a vindictive sense, though I do indeed dislike and disagree with them, but I won’t be celebrating because the SNP’s aims and principles are almost as far removed from mine as Labour’s.
asquith // July 25, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I’m also disappointed that the Libderal Democrats aren’t doing more to keep Camoron on his toes. We’ve seen what happens when someone sails to victory with a huge majority. But I suppose an improvement on 1997 that no one actually has any enthusiasm for Camoron. People have both grown up and started voting according to their values rather than tribal loyalty.
Letters From A Tory // July 25, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Don’t get me wrong - I can’t stand the SNP, this is just a purely symbolic victory as far as the Conservatives are concerned.
I agree that many young voters are more open to party messages than perhaps they used to be, but I totally disagree that no-one has enthusiasm for Cameron. The desertion of Lib Dem voters to the Conservatives and the capitulation of Labour is unquestionably due in part to Cameron’s appeal.
Bill Quango MP // July 25, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Seems someone is busy not
“getting on with the mob”
asquith // July 25, 2008 at 3:54 pm
No, I think the post-2005 defections have more to do with the fact that they were repelled by Howard, but think it’s safe to vote Conservative now they are liberal. Cameron can’t by any means rely on their support, he’s going to have to earn it, by being liberal. It would take a hard balancing act for a Conservative government to be effective. I wonder if he is man enough
Letters From A Tory // July 25, 2008 at 4:09 pm
The Conservatives will remain economically liberal, but it would be interesting to see how socially conservative they become in government. Cameron is talking a lot about family, schools, society - all the things that he could potentially be very liberal or very conservative about.
According to the betting markets, Brown might not last much longer so perhaps we’ll find out sooner rather than later what Cameron is really like….
Chris Palmer // July 25, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Hang on, the Conservative vote (for a party that is supposed to be on its way to office) was absolutely rubbish. Much will be made of this election being Gordon Brown’s fault - but it will be ignored that the Conservatives did very poorly. They are practically non-existent in Scotland these days.
Letters From A Tory // July 25, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Obviously the Conservatives are still way behind in Scotland but for them to hold their share of the vote while the Lib Dems and Labour get absolutely slaughtered is a very encouraging sign, in my opinion. Do not underestimate the power of the socialist vote in Scotland, which David Cameron is not faced with to the same degree in England.
It will take many years to make the Conservatives a genuine force in Scotland - small steps are much more realistic.
Stu // July 25, 2008 at 6:45 pm
LFaT, you’re right, it wouldn’t be a big majority - but a small majority is useful in that it forces the government to continue to do well after being elected. I don’t just want Cameron to work hard for this election, he has to work hard for the next one too, and the one after that.
Concerning Scottish Conservatism, there is a question of how close in cooperation the Conservatives and the SNP are willing to be. There’d be case of uniting against a common enemy in Labour, but also the more cynical base of either party could see each other as a means to a useful end - Conservatives in government would strengthen the SNP’s argument for separation and a break-up of the Union would hand the English Parliament to the Conservatives for a considerable time. I’m not saying that would be a good outcome, just that there’s a common interest there.
David Cameron is also apparently not above forming alliances where he is weak, witness the UUP agreement. As Chris Palmer says, Conservatives are not a force beyond Gretna Green - but the SNP are. Obviously, the separatist agenda is an area of huge contention, and as Tom Harris rightly notes the SNP win was not an indication of a growing separatist feeling. But I still see some plausibility in all of this - particularly if it’s just a case of a quiet agreement not to hang each other out to dry. As you say, it will be many years (if ever) before the Conservatives become popular in Scotland. For the moment, they have to play with the cards they’ve been dealt.
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