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| The progressive alliance should be just that – not ‘Labour and the rest’ | The progressive alliance should be just that – not ‘Labour and the rest’ |
| (6 months later) | |
| When polling stations close on Election day, democracy really begins. Campaigners inhale instant coffee, administer eye drops and sharpen their pencils and elbows in preparation for The Count. This peculiar nocturnal event is as mysterious and exciting as a trading floor. It is also a rare glimpse into the dysfunction of our politics. | When polling stations close on Election day, democracy really begins. Campaigners inhale instant coffee, administer eye drops and sharpen their pencils and elbows in preparation for The Count. This peculiar nocturnal event is as mysterious and exciting as a trading floor. It is also a rare glimpse into the dysfunction of our politics. |
| After checking that all ballot papers are properly accounted for, counters begin sorting them into piles to work out how many votes were cast for each candidate. For political parties, the aim of the game is to make sure all of your candidate’s votes are counted. When a doubtful ballot is discovered – for example the bloke in Hackney who apparently drew a picture of a penis next to the Women’s Equality party – your job is to argue that the voting intention is clear. Other parties try to argue the opposite or prevent you from seeing a rejected ballot in the first place. | After checking that all ballot papers are properly accounted for, counters begin sorting them into piles to work out how many votes were cast for each candidate. For political parties, the aim of the game is to make sure all of your candidate’s votes are counted. When a doubtful ballot is discovered – for example the bloke in Hackney who apparently drew a picture of a penis next to the Women’s Equality party – your job is to argue that the voting intention is clear. Other parties try to argue the opposite or prevent you from seeing a rejected ballot in the first place. |
| Along with the protest votes and the mistaken votes, there is a phenomenon that the old parties prefer nobody sees: the split ticket. An increasing number of UK elections are now multi-member, where each elector can vote multiple times according to the number of vacant seats. Instead of simply dividing ballots into Conservative, Labour and “other”, the biggest pile at the count is now frequently for split tickets. Voters are no longer choosing a straight party choice, with one report suggesting that more than 40% of Londoners split their ticket at the 2004 Assembly contest. In last week’s election, even some candidates that I spoke to opted to mix and match at the polling booth. | Along with the protest votes and the mistaken votes, there is a phenomenon that the old parties prefer nobody sees: the split ticket. An increasing number of UK elections are now multi-member, where each elector can vote multiple times according to the number of vacant seats. Instead of simply dividing ballots into Conservative, Labour and “other”, the biggest pile at the count is now frequently for split tickets. Voters are no longer choosing a straight party choice, with one report suggesting that more than 40% of Londoners split their ticket at the 2004 Assembly contest. In last week’s election, even some candidates that I spoke to opted to mix and match at the polling booth. |
| The onward march of dealignment is no longer about weakened party loyalty or a referendum on the government’s record, it is about voters choosing and judging parties according to their promises and performance. It is a desire for our votes to count for more in this broken two-party system. The Women’s Equality party is only three years old and yet in this, our first local election, around a quarter of voters in our target areas gave one of their three votes to us. Across the country we beat candidates from all the established parties. | The onward march of dealignment is no longer about weakened party loyalty or a referendum on the government’s record, it is about voters choosing and judging parties according to their promises and performance. It is a desire for our votes to count for more in this broken two-party system. The Women’s Equality party is only three years old and yet in this, our first local election, around a quarter of voters in our target areas gave one of their three votes to us. Across the country we beat candidates from all the established parties. |
| It is an achievement that brought tears to my eyes as the final votes were tallied, because every single one of those votes had to be earned on the doorstep in a political system that excludes us, with less access to funds and press attention for smaller parties. And because each vote counts for so much more, mainstream parties contort themselves to look like the parties that are “stealing their votes” – just look at the disproportionate influence of Ukip. The newly elected Sheffield city region mayor, Dan Jarvis, has offered our Sheffield branch a place on his scrutiny committee. In Lewisham, where we took our highest number of votes, it is believed that Labour will put forward an all-female BAME shortlist to contest Heidi Alexander’s seat. | It is an achievement that brought tears to my eyes as the final votes were tallied, because every single one of those votes had to be earned on the doorstep in a political system that excludes us, with less access to funds and press attention for smaller parties. And because each vote counts for so much more, mainstream parties contort themselves to look like the parties that are “stealing their votes” – just look at the disproportionate influence of Ukip. The newly elected Sheffield city region mayor, Dan Jarvis, has offered our Sheffield branch a place on his scrutiny committee. In Lewisham, where we took our highest number of votes, it is believed that Labour will put forward an all-female BAME shortlist to contest Heidi Alexander’s seat. |
| The challenge for Labour is that most splitting occurs between ideologically adjacent parties, and because less partisan Labour voters are more likely than Conservatives to split their vote. It was of no surprise, therefore, that there have been renewed calls for a progressive alliance from key Labour MPs. In an open letter, signed by Clive Lewis and Jon Cruddas, they argued that cooperation with other progressive parties at last Thursday’s local elections could have tipped the balance in close-fought councils, just as it could have delivered a Labour-led government in 2017. They are right. In Bromley and Enfield, Labour candidates fell short by a margin of less than the Women’s Equality party votes, while in Richmond the Liberal Democrat/Green alliance saw off the Tory challenge for a second time. When parties with distinct but progressive platforms work together to ensure plurality on councils, we win. | The challenge for Labour is that most splitting occurs between ideologically adjacent parties, and because less partisan Labour voters are more likely than Conservatives to split their vote. It was of no surprise, therefore, that there have been renewed calls for a progressive alliance from key Labour MPs. In an open letter, signed by Clive Lewis and Jon Cruddas, they argued that cooperation with other progressive parties at last Thursday’s local elections could have tipped the balance in close-fought councils, just as it could have delivered a Labour-led government in 2017. They are right. In Bromley and Enfield, Labour candidates fell short by a margin of less than the Women’s Equality party votes, while in Richmond the Liberal Democrat/Green alliance saw off the Tory challenge for a second time. When parties with distinct but progressive platforms work together to ensure plurality on councils, we win. |
| But here’s the thing, Corbynism is ideologically purist – just look at what’s happened in Haringey where internal battles have intensified tribalism within the party. Making pacts within Labour is hard enough, let alone outside of it. Labour councillors hold 47 out of 48 seats in Jeremy Corbyn’s constituency and a powerful core in Labour believes that it is possible to replicate that success across the country, despite all signs to the contrary. Thursday’s results showed the limits of that strategy once more, as Labour struggled past the not-very-high bar set by Ed Miliband, and the Conservatives showed stubborn support despite the horror of Windrush and near universal boredom with endless Brexit debates. | But here’s the thing, Corbynism is ideologically purist – just look at what’s happened in Haringey where internal battles have intensified tribalism within the party. Making pacts within Labour is hard enough, let alone outside of it. Labour councillors hold 47 out of 48 seats in Jeremy Corbyn’s constituency and a powerful core in Labour believes that it is possible to replicate that success across the country, despite all signs to the contrary. Thursday’s results showed the limits of that strategy once more, as Labour struggled past the not-very-high bar set by Ed Miliband, and the Conservatives showed stubborn support despite the horror of Windrush and near universal boredom with endless Brexit debates. |
| The other progressive parties know that an alliance is the only way to deliver a progressive government, short of a change to the voting system. Wishing this wasn’t the electoral reality doesn’t make it so. But they also know that Labour is not ready to accept that, and this latest push from within the party is nothing more than a fig leaf. Because even if Labour could agree to an alliance, it will only ever agree to one in which another party stands down to secure its victory. And that is not an alliance at all. | The other progressive parties know that an alliance is the only way to deliver a progressive government, short of a change to the voting system. Wishing this wasn’t the electoral reality doesn’t make it so. But they also know that Labour is not ready to accept that, and this latest push from within the party is nothing more than a fig leaf. Because even if Labour could agree to an alliance, it will only ever agree to one in which another party stands down to secure its victory. And that is not an alliance at all. |
| • Hannah Peaker is chief of staff for the Women’s Equality party | • Hannah Peaker is chief of staff for the Women’s Equality party |
| Local elections | Local elections |
| Opinion | Opinion |
| Local government | Local government |
| Local politics | Local politics |
| Women's Equality Party | Women's Equality Party |
| Jeremy Corbyn | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Green party | |
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