The shame of Labour’s liberal supporters

There are many reasons why I am suspicious of the Conservatives’ current lead in the polls. The Tories may have peaked too soon. Labour voters flirting with the Liberal Democrats could return the more they see of Jo Swinson. Many Conservative target seats, while Brexity, have voted Labour since there was a Labour Party to vote for. Landlines still dominate over mobile phones in the sampling methodologies of some pollsters, under-reflecting younger and poorer voters. Labour supporters and Remainers are more likely to turn out than Tories and Brexiteers and a million more voters have joined the roll than did prior to the last election, which just reeks of young people.

But my scepticism that Labour is about to be routed rests ultimately on a realist’s reading of history: how often, when presented the choice, do people stand up for the Jews instead of looking the other way? One man better placed than most to answer that question is Sir Richard Evans, professor emeritus of history at Cambridge.