Feddit.frGeorge Monbiot: Labour has succeeded only in strengthening Farage. The way is now open for Zack Polanski’s Greens
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www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/03/g…
At absolute bare minimum I hope Polanski's Greens can start to change the attitude of Labour, they need to at least realise that the vote of the left is not guaranteed. As far as possible I'll be voting Green anyway, at this point I could never vote for Labour
The problem with emboldening small parties like Greens, New Party, etc is that with the way individual constituencies are won by first past the post, splitting votes just means the larger parties win all the seats. Look at how Labour won such a huge parliamentary majority last go around despite losing a share of the popular vote.
Without wholesale electoral reform, this country will never have a government that reflects the population, and I say that as someone who knows that having a Proportional Representation system would mean more MPs for Reform who are the antithesis of who I would want in charge.
My vote, for example, has never been useful because I live in a majority Conservative area and have to vote tactically to try and overturn that, and it doesn't work anyway. My only recourse left is to start spoiling my ballot.
As bad as FPTP is. And it's fucking awful. If current polling carries on to the election. All these rules are thrown away.
20% has always been the number where media starts talking about small parties effecting overall numbers. Breaking majority parties or forming potential coalitions.
Currently all parties are hovering within a couple of points of that area. Voting intention wise.
Tories are at 17% by you give. If that continues they will lose many of the safe seats. Think Labour and the Red wall loses.
Labour is at 21% So is also in danger of losing a huge number of seats. If something dose not change this is also likely to continue to fall.
Reform is at 22% this looks warring as they are the largest party. But again is at numbers where minor changes can lead either way. Unfortunately they are getting all the media attention. But again they do not have the community support of the 3 largest parties.
Lib Dems are at 15% Green 11%
Your Party. Or what ever it will end up being called was not in the last Yougov. And is only 1 week old. So numbers are questionable.
But interest based on other polling is indicating 15-20% but we will not see anything real until post the autumn conference. When name and more important policies are agreed on.
We also do not have data on membership. Of the 800k that have signed up to support the party. Some have become members.
But the overall polling indicates that a huge change is wanted. Much like the 1920 to 30 where Liberals lost huge support to Labour.
Both the main parties are losing support from their main voting block.
Labour is no longer in any way a safe bet to keep the right out. That right is no longer looking to be just Tory. But most likely a Tory reform coalition.
Your party members are highly in support of a pre election deal with the greens. But again we won't know to autumn. And other parties express views.
With current polling numbers, Labour should be highly incentivised to stop blocking electoral reform. It is popular with the public: latest YouGov polling had it at 49% for switching to PR, 26% for keeping FPTP, and Labour are set to lose massively from FPTP (albeit the election is a long way off).