Emeritus Prof Christopher MayJan 31

If Rachel Reeves cannot see that university student loans are becoming a totemic issue among graduates, then she may be heading for her own Nick-Clegg-moment when one decision prompts a haemorrhaging of the graduate vote (from Labour).

The problem is that Labour still thinks they can bank on there being no vialable alternative on their left flank; which with Zack Polanski leading the GPEW, is no longer true; another Labour miscalculation?

#politics #universities #Greens
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3k4xdqyp1o

Rachel Reeves defends 'fair and reasonable' student loans system

The chancellor's defence comes after Martin Lewis called her freeze on student loans "not a moral thing".

BBC News
Show threadClaire McNabFeb 1

@ChrisMayLA6 Several generations of Labour politicians have assumed that in England, voters had no choice to the left.

Now that there is a leftwing choice, Labour finds itself unable to listen or speak to leftwing voters. Forty years of triangulation has the party untrustworthy. "Keep the Tories out" doesn’t work when you look and sound like Tories and smear anti-genociders as "terrorists".

This can't be fixed from the top. And Labour is out of time. It doesn't have a decade to relearn.

Show threadEmeritus Prof Christopher May

@2legged

Yes, I think that's right; Labour's political calculations *are* 'out of time'

Feb 1 at 8:15amWeb
Show threadClaire McNabFeb 1

@ChrisMayLA6 And the reason UKLabour are out of time is #FPTP.

In 2007–11, #FiannaFail drove Ireland's economy over a cliff edge. #FF lost 58% of its vote share at Ireland's 2011 general election, but #STV ensured that #FF was not wiped out. It partially rebuilt, and by 2024 FF was again the largest party.

But #FPTP is far more brutal to losers. Labour's likely fall to under 20% of the vote will leave it as a tiny rump, too weak to rebuild.

Show threadEmeritus Prof Christopher MayFeb 1

@2legged

Yes, FPTP is always favoured by those in power right up to the point it delivers the death blow

Show threadThe Penguin of EvilFeb 1

@2legged @ChrisMayLA6 They've still got time to fix the voting system - which the tories would probably back, the libdems and other minor parties would back.

Not quite how I expected the UK broken voting system to get fixed but they may have to do it to survive 8)

Show threadClaire McNabFeb 1

Yes, @etchedpixels, this is a unique opportunity. Technically not hard, cos it doesn't need fully new boundaries. Just clustering of 5-7 existing constituencies to form new multi-seat #STV constituencies.

I think that the Conservatives would oppose, but LibDems + SNP + Plaid + #GPEW + SDLP would support.

@ChrisMayLA6