Labour is predicted a landslide election victory this year, but recent data shows it won’t be anywhere near as easy as in 1997. Is there still hope for the Tories?
Polls Expose Discontent
Recent polls have exposed the discontent among the British public for the current Conservative Government and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
1997 Comparison
Many are comparing the Conservative’s position in the polls to that of the pre-1997 era when Tony Blair and New Labour won by a landslide.
Potential 1997 Landslide Prevented
Although the polls show Labour’s clear lead over the Tories, with a landslide defeat on the cards, certain factors should prevent the landslide from being as large as before.
Economic and Social Context
The economy is now in a recession and there isn’t much hope that the Spring Budget that was recently announced will get the UK out of it.
A Worse Economy Than Ever
Compared with the state of the economy in 1997, Britons are much worse off now with many feeling the struggle of a cost of living crisis and energy bill hikes.
Labour’s Economic History
Labour’s economic history is troubling, with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown being the last UK leader to walk the country into an economic crisis in 2008.
Less of Two Evils?
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer may be in line to be the next Prime Minister, but stats show the public believe he is the lesser of two evils.
Sunak’s Low Rating
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sits far behind Starmer in a recent Ipsos confidence poll, with only 20% of voters saying they would vote for the current Conservative government.
Reasons for Tory Woes
Confidence in the Conservative government is low due to racism allegations disagreements within the Party and the government’s current handling of the economy.
Record-Low Seats for Tories
The Ipsos poll showed that, if a general election were to be called in May, the Conservatives would secure a record-low of just 25 seats in the UK.
Confidence in Starmer
Although confidence in Sunak is low, confidence in Starmer as the potential new Prime Minister isn’t much worse off as the country battles an economic crisis.
Labour’s Deficit
The Labour Party experienced a two-point deficit from the previous polls, showing that the public is becoming increasingly concerned about Starmer being Prime Minister.
Nearly Half of Voters Show Discontent
The poll also showed that currently, 48% of those surveyed admitted they had a lack of confidence in Starmer if he were to take over as Prime Minister.
Data Analysis
Public First data has analyzed the economic and political state of the UK compared with 1997 when Blair ousted the Conservatives in record fashion.
Public First Show Economic Despair
The data recorded by Public First showed that the members of the public are in more debt than in 1997, with property prices making young people less confident about ever affording a house.
Data Shows Britain Changing for the Worse
Public First’s Director, Tom Hamilton, compared the difference between the 1997 election and now, revealing, “This data shows how Britain has changed since 1997.”
1997 Economy an Easier Ride
Hamilton argued that the economy in 1997 was easier for Labour to take over, “If Labour wins a 2024 election there will be no golden economic legacy for Keir Starmer to inherit,” he said.
Factors of a Bad Economy
Hamilton also pointed out the three main factors that make this current economy worse than in 1997, “With lower growth, higher inflation and worse public finances than in 1997,” he said.
Labour’s Biggest Challenge
Hamilton predicted that things are going to get worse before they get better for Labour, “with the public expecting the economy to get worse not better, governing after the next election will be a challenge.”
A Difficult Task
Although Labour will almost certainly experience another landslide victory, these statistics show that it won’t be as easy as before.
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The post This Isn’t 97 – Starmer’s Fight for a Labour Win Is Far from Over first appeared on Edge Media.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Martin Suker.
Oscar Davies, an expert in US and UK politics and sports, is renowned for his sharp and engaging writing style, appealing to a broad spectrum of readers.