u/AndyDM

It feels like 2016 all over again

It feels like 2016 all over again

I can't believe what's happening. It's one thing for Starmer to reach for the Corbyn 2016 playbook, it worked ten years ago and it's the only strategy he has left to try but then the "rebels" are going to run the one ministerial resignation at a time strategy.

These are the "Adults in the room"? I wouldn't trust anyone of them to get milk from the shop.

u/AndyDM — 3 days ago

Reform don't know what Southampton looks like

What exactly is that clock tower in the top right?

u/AndyDM — 4 days ago

Southampton Election in facts and figures

Overall share of the vote

Party Votes Vote share Seats
Reform UK 15,361 25.7% 8
Labour 12,709 21.3% 2
Green 11,750 19.7% 4
Conservative 10,013 16.7% 0
Liberal Democrats 8,447 14.1% 3
Trade Union and Socialist Coalition 1,070 1.8% 0
Independents 449 0.8% 0

Safest Seat - Coxford
Philip Crook (Reform UK) 1,416
Paul Nolan (Conservative) 673

Most Marginal Seat - Millbrook
Ross Mould (Reform UK) 869
Jeremy Moulton (Conservative) 845

Best Results for each party
Reform UK - Sarah Powell-Vaughan (Sholing) 1,434
Labour - Philip Webb (Bitterne Park) 1,290
Green - Lorna-Marie Foster (Portswood) 1,432
Conservative - Alexander Houghton (Peartree) 1,265
Liberal Democrats - Sam Chapman (Bassett) 1,596
TUSC - Nadia Ditta (Bevois) 739
Independents - Andrew Pope (Redbridge) 365

Party Efficiency
Reform were the most efficient party. They won 8 seats, and in the wards they did not win they were mostly 3rd or 4th. Their vote was concentrated exactly where it needed to be.

The Lib Dems were almost as efficient. They won 3 seats, had no second places, and only one third place, in Portswood. Everywhere else they were 4th, 5th or 6th. That is classic Lib Dem targeting: don’t waste votes everywhere, win where you’re organised.

The Greens also targeted well. They won 4 seats and had one second place, in Swaythling. Everywhere else they were mostly 3rd or 4th. Their vote was less efficient than Reform’s or the Lib Dems’, but still converted well.

Labour were spread all over the city: 2 wins, 8 runner-up spots, 5 thirds, one 4th in Swaythling and one 5th in Bassett. That is the profile of a party with residual support almost everywhere but not enough concentrated strength to win many places.

The Conservatives had the worst conversion. They won no seats from 10,013 votes and 16.7% of the citywide vote, while the Lib Dems won 3 seats on 8,447 votes and 14.1%. The Tories had 7 runner-up spots, so they were often competitive, but not quite in the right places. That is a targeting failure as much as a vote-share failure.

Finally
Had the vote splits hurt either bloc, actually no, if you added up Labour, Lib Dem and Greens on one side and Reform, Conservatives on the other side, nothing would change, The Right Bloc would have 8 seats (all the ones Reform took) and the Left Bloc 9 (all the ones Lib Dems, Green and Labour held).

u/AndyDM — 5 days ago