For perfectly legitimate reasons it’s the collapse of Labour’s ancient northern and Welsh citadels that have captured the imagination in the past few days but, while it’s clearly crucial for Labour to rebuild its so-called “red wall”, that’s only half the story. And in those seats, which only two years ago looked unexpectedly ripe for the taking, it just made a big leap backwards. I live just over the constituency border from South Swindon, another classic southern marginal that was Labour until 2010. Play Video 18:00 Anywhere but Westminster: how Labour lost, and the hope that endures – videoHaving watched a startling number of orange signs sprouting this time in villages that are normally solid blue, I understand why. Labour needs to change – but it mustn’t forget what it got right | Miatta Fahnbulleh Read moreAnd yes, of course that’s easier said than done.

Source: The Guardian December 17, 2019 17:37 UTC