Is a more left Labour government what people want?

Restore Britain is even more right wing than Reform.

I do, but I'm not most people I don't think. I don't hold same the views as most people seem to on benefits and immigration.

I'm not necessarily sure that "more left" or "more right" is what people are actually voting for (ah, I see someone else has made the same point while I was writing this), nor that the labels/identities themselves are especially helpful. As we can see, it's broadly about half and half of the country on one side or the other. However, what is deemed "right" and "left" at different times and by different people, even within the same parties, can vary massively. It can also vary by social class

I would say, as a poster above said, "competence" is a key ask at the moment. Most people want a degree of stability and less infighting of whoever's in government. Higher standards from politicians across the board. To be able to TRUST that politicians will deliver to the electorate what they say they can. We just don't have that from anyone right now.

But also:

Policies that deliver reality and evidence-based, tangible, measurable improvements & changes for people on the ground. And not just for middle class or wealthy people (of the left or right).

For the average working citizen to have any of their concerns, both local and national, listened to and taken seriously, problems identified and reasons for them examined and dealt with intelligently, robustly, fairly with solutions offered that actually work for the largest number of people.

A working infrastructure

A sense that fairness and justice is being delivered. (what people mean by that will differ, but that's what should be up for debate)

Secure, safe housing & being able to have a decent standard of living

Making better use of our resources (eg our home-grown crops) with less reliance on other countries for what we could provide ourselves

A fair system of welfare (I don't believe in punishing those at the bottom or assuming everyone's a "scrounger" - but nor do I believe that the welfare system should be taken the piss out of.)

A working system of healthcare that delivers for the majority of people

And yes, to be able to have a sense of pride in our country and to have high hopes for our future going forward. (So this doesn't necessarily just refer to a rigid idea of 'patriotism' or harking back to the supposed past). We need to be a Britain for the future.

If it is hysteria to regard Holocaust deniers and people who think Nigerians should be melted down to fill potholes as far right, then yes I have bought into hysteria.🙄

The centre ground is where they have been and - as much as I think its the sensible place to be - they are losing votes to the left and to the right.

Starmer has tried pandering more to the right, but it hasn't worked. Trying to claw back the left is the only viable course.

Most people probably want a decent fairly centre government

My point is, if labour go more “left” how are they going to appease all those in favour of the right? Surely the centre ground is all labour can do to give them a chance of staying in power.

Who is more far right than reform that you could have voted for?

This is it.

We have an aging population, and most economic challenges have a global component.

Voters dont want more immigration, but want to maintain high public spending (particularly on pensions).

People are drawing lines in the sand, and screaming for "solutions" that would only exacerbate the problems.

Labour dont have the answers, but are trying to plug holes in the ship. The more extreme parties - Reform and the Greens - either want to blow more holes in it, or just wish things better.

Well Farage has already shown he will be just like Trump lining his own pockets and those of his mates like the Harbournes of this world

If you think this is as far right as possible you've clearly bought into the hysteria.

You’ve got it all wrong.

26%

and it's a local election, which are always a bit batshit and very rarely reflect what the electorate does in National elections.

Ah, thanks.

But there is no money to spend🤷‍♀️

Working and middle class voters don’t want to pay more tax, and there’s no easy ways to tax the super wealthy.

The UK is already in far too much debt which is costing billions a year in interest. We can’t borrow more

The Boris wave of 2 million (mainly) African and Asian immigrants was to try to scribe growth in the economy but people done want any more imnigrants

Theres no easy answers🤷‍♀️

It's the wrong question IMO.

I think people want an economy that works for them and to feel well-defended and to feel pride in their country.

I think any party who could persuade the electorate that it could deliver those things would get in.

For all the talk of a loveless landslide, Labour did get a big victory. I think because people thought they would deliver the above.

Now, they think Labour can't. And, whatever the reality, the optics are that Starmer is a cronyist and a grifter.

So now it's "they can't deliver what we need, and they're just as corrupt as the last lot. And less entertaining to boot."

I think the revulsion is disappointment.

People in Westminster talking about left and right are using the wrong framing, imo.

As much as I agree with you on Corbyn, I don't agree with the premise the Labour Party needs to move to the Centre.

The overton window in England has been shifted so much that there is no place for a "centre" party. Reform pulling 26% of the vote, and the corresponding rise in Green support as a counterweight means that a centrist party is just going to be left standing with their knickers around their ankles while the Left v Right narrative goes on over their heads.

The Labour party as is, is effectively a Centre party, and it's getting them absolutely nowhere because they are not seen as sufficiently robust in rebutting the wildly inaccurate claims of Reform re Welfare, Immigration and so on, but at the same time they are also seen to be too "soft" on these issues by right-leaning folk because they have failed to communicate that since they took office in 2024 year on year net immigration has fallen and the Welfare bill has been cut.

Labour are also dealing with a hostile media that has a vested interest in supporting Right-wing narratives, but they are hopeless communicators themselves, and do not do themselves any favours in that regard. They can't go more "Centre" because it would just be perceived as yet more of the same wishy-washy stuff that is currently comprehensively failing them.

Most people dont actually care about left or right. They just want a party that will make their lives better.
Unfortunately we seem to have politicians that are massively out of touch and totally self serving.

If people want a “left” government, why have so many voted Reform in local elections? Reform can hardly be described as “ left”?

No, that chart is for England only.

Eta: Would be interesting to.know what the others are though.

Weren’t around half the seats in England won by Green/Labour/LD?

That 10% "other" will be mostly left-wing parties (Plaid, SNP).

I think they should stop giving themselves wage increases and put money into things people want such as being able to get a doctor's appointment like you used to be able to Spend money fixing roads and pavements They should be making places accessible for disabled Much smaller classes in school I've no idea what's left or right Id just like to see changes that improve people's lives

Well, its what I want. A Labour government that just tries to be Tories Lite is not what I want. I want a government that spends money on health, policing, education, social care, and prisons, and taxes people and corporations fairly. I really can't see what the problem is with this.