Wipeout for Labour in Hartlepool

NRFT but I don't know that Labour is losing their heartlands because of identity politics. I think they are just generally totally disconnected from what their ex-core voters want in life.
I know a very wide range of people, just by virtue of having been raised in one type of environment, travelled a lot, had a lot of jobs, so I talk to people from all walks of life, and the middle class lefty types (who make up a big chunk of Labour) generally have the wrong idea about the working class, which I see reflected in Labour comms:
Basically Labour see the working class as "vulnerable", in need of welfare and protection. They look at poor people and talk about safety nets and benefits, (which people DO need, and God knows the last 10 years has been carnage in their services that provide that support), BUT they never talk about aspirations, helping small business, getting ahead. The idea is that the poor will be looked after, but not elevated. They can have safety (as long as they do what they are told), but not big dreams.
I am not saying this is necessarily Labour policy, but it is the way Labour come across.
In reality, working class people don't only care that their Universal credit is paid on time, they also care about having their own small business, buying a house, being able to get a good job. Yanno, just like middle class people! We all want the same things ultimately-good income, good schools, nice house, safe communities.
NOT that I would vote Tory, but I can see why people did, because the sense with the new style Tories is that they are pragmatic, where as the current Labour lot just seem to see the Working class as an unruly mob who need "educating" and can't think for themselves.

I do wonder sometimes quite how the recent votes might have gone had labour not (seemingly intentionally) alientated women as much as they have. Its possible the results would not have looked too much different, but I do feel a significant change in stats might have occured around the time they started witchhunting and kicking members out for caring/speaking about womens rights..and then it never got any better..

I know a lot who didn't vote Labour this time as they say Starmer is basically a Tory though. Among those I know, it sems thats more likely to be the reason, however I suspect women are less likely to give their reasons if its chance to lead them to be doxxed and abused for doing so..

The council estate where Emily Thornberry grew up is ...

Bellfields?

*Emily never used any epithet at all. It was David Cameron and the media who put words in her mouth. Had that photo and comment been tweeted by a Conservative or UKIP, no-one would have batted an eye, probably would even have reacted with approval.

I actually think Emily Thornton’s biggest mistake was acknowledging the tweet at all. She should have done what less honourable politicians do and just ignored the fuss until it died down. That strategy has worked wonders for Boris Johnson, after all!*

This isn't the case. She posted it on Twitter and it blew up there, before it was picked up on by senior Tories. There was much discussion at the time about the disconnect between ordinary voters and the "liberal elite" ahead of Brexit - so it was misguided if it wasn't intentional.

Many people are Tory because they think the capitalism it promotes as a political philosophy is the best system for everyone. I think they're wrong, but that's a difference about the best way to a good outcome, not a difference between the good guys and the bad guys.
Well said. Students (and others who never grew up) might enjoy shouting "Torieeeees are eeeeevil" but in reality virtually all politicians want the same things for society (health, happiness, prosperity etc.), they just disagree on how best to achieve it.

The council estate where Emily Thornberry grew up is a large area of deprivation in Guildford. They were one of the first areas in the country to get a Sure Start Children’s centre (remember them?).
It was, and still is, considered a rough area that people avoid.
It doesn’t make much difference who her father was: he paid no maintenance. That’s why they were there.

Are posters really trying to claim that deprived council estates only exist in the North? How out of touch!
How is it disingenuous of her to have me mention her background, but not for other posters to point out the backgrounds of, say, John Major or Michael Gove?

Emily never used any epithet at all. It was David Cameron and the media who put words in her mouth. Had that photo and comment been tweeted by a Conservative or UKIP, no-one would have batted an eye, probably would even have reacted with approval.

I actually think Emily Thornton’s biggest mistake was acknowledging the tweet at all. She should have done what less honourable politicians do and just ignored the fuss until it died down. That strategy has worked wonders for Boris Johnson, after all!

Labour are a lost cause. Taken over by the hard left and full of corbynistas. They've lost all credibility with voters. Starmer is fighting a losing battle

Ah thanks Sunset - just ignore me everyone.

Historic Labour losses in County Durham too (my part of the world). Also not quite unexpected to those who had their ears to the ground.

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19289353.labour-lose-majority-durham-county-council-first-time-100-years/

The labour candidate was part of the CCG and co-authored a report in 2013 that recommended removing critical care etc from the hospital, which subsequently happened.

Emily Thornberry grew up in a council estate herself*
But her father was a lawyer who worked for the UN, and she ended up living in a council house when he and her mother divorced.

And that tweet came at a time when 'white van man' was seen as an unflattering epithet. It was tone deaf, at the very least.

LOJ has accused Keir Starmer of scapegoating the working classes, and throwing women under the bus !

He's such a charlatan and one of the activists who's obsession with US cultural battles is undermining the party.

regarding why Labour lost the vote, I live near here and the Labour candidate was responsible for removing all A&E Services from Hartlepool which meant the nearest A&E was either North Tees in Stockton, or James Cook in Middlesbrough.

Commissioning of NHS services are not in the control of constituency MPs). Maybe he supported it, but he really won’t have been responsible. The local NHS Trust to do the standard shifting of beans that the modern NHS has to appear to be ‘efficient’ will have done that. They will have consulted with that council, local MPs, CCGs etc.

[quote SunsetBeetch]Ahahahaha! LOJ has actually accused Keir Starmer of scapegoating the working classes, and throwing women under the bus !

That's cheered me right up

twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1391088591149928451?s=20[/quote]
Proper LOL here.
LOJ has had an irony bypass.

Remainer

This is why globalists and corporations love identity politics. Indeed. And never forget the old adage "divide and rule". Has always worked pretty well for the rich and the powerful.

Or was the candidate imposed on them? If he was then scrap that post.

I assume the selection was at constituency level and nothing to do with the senior leadership? But it shows the size of the job that Starmer's dealing with when the people you should be able to trust make decisions like that.

Yes Sakura pretty ironic that people being critical of the voters of Hartlepool don't even seem to know what they are talking about, yet are calling them thick and politically illiterate.

I've seen people (including professional gobshite Terry Christian) still spinning the Cayman Islands tax haven story,and nobody is telling them that Angela Raynor got it wrong either.

There's no way I could take Labour and its supporters seriously seeing how they conduct themselves,and I expect that goes double for the people of Hartlepool.

(I'm Bishop Auckland constituency: the ex Labour MP here tried to make a come-back and got her arse handed to her.)

Sakura that makes perfect sense. It's also noticeable that there was a very low turnout suggesting a lot of people withdrawing their vote rather than swinging enthusiastically for the Conservatives.

*Hartlepool was Peter Mandelson's constituency under Blair. Mandelson was a slightly effete, sharp suited boy from Hampstead.

Accents and the like really aren't the issue.*

Quite. And Madelson would never have treated his constituents like "thick, racist plebs".

I think some are incorrect regarding why Labour lost the vote, I live near here and the Labour candidate was responsible for removing all A&E Services from Hartlepool which meant the nearest A&E was either North Tees in Stockton, or James Cook in Middlesbrough. Thousands of constituents battled to save the closure yet he still closed it, so why did Starmer think putting a already hated man in the town, back in knowing what everyone thought of him?