To think that everyone is getting far too excited about this Green win?

I suspect the Tories will dispose of her long before the next general election.

This, a protest vote to keep reform out

i think we are heading towards a coalition again,

I'm not excited. I'd be excited if the Greens has won this based on their original aims i.e concern for the environment. I'd think oh, people are finally waking up. However since they won this campaign by stoking sectarian division, shamelessly exploiting the Muslim vote, spouting pie in the sky, undeliverable aims and completely ignoring the issues on which they were founded, I'm not.

UKIP and now Reform have been very good at getting media attention. The Greens are in the news far less even when doing comparably well.

That was a phone autocorrect moment but ‘Reform-equestrians’ sounds about right. Probably fox hunters….

I’m shocked, shocked, that voters didn’t rally behind the Reform candidate who wasn’t from the area, managed to insult half the electorate, suggested young girls should prioritise motherhood, and cosplays as a white working-class representative while actually being an academic fronting for a party led by a privately educated ex-hedge fund manager, largely absent from his own Clacton constituency, surrounded by Boris Johnson cabinet alumni, and is best mates with an elite international paedophile ring.

@Dragonscaledaisy a heartening story for those who support Palestine, deny Hamas and deny the atrocities of 7th October, the atrocities in Iran/Sudan etc etc! If she’d won on the basis of local issues I’d find it heartening. Seeing her come out and frame it as a win for normal people when the party mainly used pro Palestine to get votes (from all demographics) is just a bit ridiculous!

She was exaggerating to make a point.

No Kemi has just decided to gallop off after reform to the far right. Thoroughly objectionable views. I think there are many people who will never vote Tory whilst the current Reform-equestrian lot are in charge. Labour are only moderately better.
Thank goodness for the Greens!

And it was significant because the Greens have never won a by election before. The event asks questions about the two party system, certainly.

It's a long time until the next general election.

That is part of it. But we only had two main parties for the last century really and voting was done on class rather than religious lines (apart from N Ireland obviously). But it wasnt one block against another. For example the Green campaigning was anti Hindu using pictures of Keir Starmer next to Modi. It's not great.

They lost their deposit. That was certainly catastrophic.

She was joking, no?

No. Thats not the current danger...your approach is too superficial. Its block voting on sectarian grounds which is the worry. Historically its been class that has divided us and why the Labour Party was established. That's changing now as the political system is Balkanising on religious lines in certain constituencies. Labour have obviously been panding to the Muslim vote but they seem to have left Labour to go Green now.

I thought it was because you have first post the post, which distorts the actual vote preferences of the citizens to create false majority governments!

I enjoyed seeing all the media reporting of the new Green MP. She is young, attractive, energetic-looking, a plumber etc.
However I agree with the OP. It's not an indicator of a coming Green government. Possibly Keir Starmer is kicking himself that he didn't allow Andy Burnham (although maybe not). And it was absolutely great to see that horrifying guy from Reform not win. However the turnout was only 47% and it was a by election.
In the General Election in 2024, the turnout in the same constituency was also 47%, so let us assume* more or less the same people voted this week as voted then.
It looks to me as if, a good chunk of those who previously voted Labour voted Green; some of the others who previously voted Labour voted Reform. And Reform picked up almost all the previous Conservative votes.

The real number that stood out to me was the total Conservative wipeout (they lost their deposit).
2024 results here
members.parliament.uk/constituency/4066/election/422

Of course. But the majority of Muslims in that constituency in polling stated that Palestine was a top issue for them. So they voted for the party that was pro Gaza. Same as the Pro Gazan independents. Sectarian voting. Its not something apart from in N Ireland that we have had historically in the UK which is why our politics has historically been reasonably stable.

But the dynamic of that seat - particularly the Muslim / student part is replicated in many other inner city seats. I don’t know a single student or young graduate who would vote Labour after Gaza. It’s a huge issue for that age group - it’s their first world event like this and of course it was played out over social media so they have all watched videos etc. just because it’s not on mainstream news much doesn’t mean younger politically aware adults aren’t still following what’s happening. They feel utter revulsion for the parties that did not speak out.

I agree it’s not necessarily anything to do with the Greens policy agenda if Your Party had stood probably a lot of students would have voted for them. The only thing Labour has done for students is increase how much student debt they will repay so they could give pensioners the winter fuel payments back. You can’t go into a 40% student area and expect to get their vote after ignoring them ever since you gained power. I don’t think Burnham being the candidate would have changed anything.

Yes I'm coming to understand now!

Sorry that was meant as a reply to your comment at 9.02.

This is an interesting perspective. I work with the owners of medium businesses, who were once small businesses. They are all resolute that they would not encourage anyone to start a new business under this government as there is no prospect of growth with the current policies and trajectory.

So Labour might be good for unambitious small businesses, but why do you think this government is better than the last at supporting you to grow your business?

Labour had held that seat for 100 years, that’s the real story. The Greens pushed their pro Palestine stance. It’s not the usual demographic for most of the country.

I can't see that at all. Supporting Palestine transcends religion. I do and I'm not Muslim.

They are dangerous because some Muslim people voted for them. And we all know evil Muslims want to take over the UK, Sharia law etc. etc. We will all be wearing burqas by Easter. Although Easter is now banned because of Muslims.

Oh Im sure they do. Religious solidarity trumps national interest for many groups. But that rather supports the argument for the existence of sectarian voting.