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

[DangerQuakeRhinoSnake]

All this fuss about one Green win - I really don't think it's massively significant given the local demographic and the upcoming local elections will be the real test.

As if the Greens are going to get anywhere near power! Not going to happen.

@sadmillenialshes passionate but I’m sad they used pro Palestine as a hot topic to harvest votes! This is why they will never be the party for me!

you need to learn the difference between legalisation and decriminalisation...

Nope it doesn't. Good thing none of these are green policies!

Not my politics at all, but I really admire the hard working winner. A woman, in trades, with a real job. We need more people in politics like that on all sides

Never assume anything about anyone as you know what they say!

Anyway either way it is a bad policy.

Although...Speaking to BBC South East ahead of his party conference, Zack Polanski said he agreed with a Kent Green councillor, who earlier this year called for the legalisation of all drugs, including class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine.

It doesn't necessarily indicate much for GE voting - people are more likely to protest vote/take a chance on something different in a by-election.

On the other hand, I think it does mean something in that it shows protest voting doesn't have to mean a swing to the right, and that the progress of all voting isn't inevitably rightward. And might suggested to Labour they'd be better off trying to be more like the Greens than more like Reform with people who are likely to vote for them at all.

Illegal migrants would be allowed to stay in the Uk even if their application failed. No immigration detention. New arrivals have access to NHS on day one and get paid a wage with no requirement to work. Aim is for no borders.

Zac Polanski has called for the legalisation of all drugs. Speaking to BBC South East ahead of his party conference, Zack Polanski said he agreed with a Kent Green councillor, who earlier this year called for the legalisation of all drugs, including class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine.

But maybe they do support Palestine? All the parties here do.

I think it's heartening that reform didn't win should serve as a massive wake up call to the other parties to buck their ideas up.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

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

Yes I'm coming to understand now!

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.

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.

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

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!

She was joking, no?

They lost their deposit. That was certainly catastrophic.

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.

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.