Election 2024 - result

Well I did promise you a report of sorts last week as things were moving oh so rapidly and we we go. 

As was custom I did go down to the polling station although I had cast my vote in advance and here at least turnout appeared up and I did see more under 40 voters in an area which has seen sizable changes in property ownership since last time.

That suggested to me a sea change in results certainly was probably above and beyond the many opinion polls during the campaign that had seen Conservative support in freefall.

Newspapers like blog writers struggle to keep up but by after polls closed at ten polls of those who had voted indicated something rather shocking, a massive hemorrhaging of support for the Conservatives and a Labour landslide.

As it happened the results looked rather like this:

Labour: 412

Conservative: 121

Liberal Democrats: 72

Reform UK: 5

Scots N P 9

and others.

Was it that a vote FOR Labour or a vote AGAINST the Conservatives?

For me, Trust became an issue firstly with three leaders over one term becoming three Prime Ministers, the policies voted for drifted away as exceptional as Covid and the war in Ukraine was and remains.

That was compounded by a merry-go-round of Ministers, some lasting weeks which makes forming the connections and making the arguments  to make policies a reality difficult in the extreme even if they were workable.

Rwanda certainly was anything but.

So all we had announcements and feeling everything was very much "at sea", drifting off with little real governing taking place and that was despite some good work around helping those most affected by the rapid increase in the Cost Of Living (which only showed up what a state the safety net though deliberate underfunding was in) and the state of essential public services.

It wasn't just left leaning people who were very concerned around this, many conservative voters were, myself included, so we did the unthinkable and voted Liberal Democrat or Labour because hand outs and foodbanks are not sufficient.

We really need something like a Royal Commission into Benefit and Pension policy as the amounts just haven't kept pace with what people reasonably need, not least with housing, energy and food costs.

Arguments around "conditionality", getting those who can work to take up job offers while important should not preclude realistic support and people with complex needs need support in doing this.
 

Having won an Election and had a seamless transfer of power - memo to the U.S. of A - the new Prime Minister wasted no time in getting to work, appointing Ministers, chairing meetings and attending the N.A.T.O. Summit.

Ultimately it is the extent he can meet those expectations, deal with the unexpected and deliver that will judge if this will be the reset many of us hoped and voted for.

Congratulations!