Four days on from Keir Starmer’s landslide victory, Westminster is still soaking up the results of the general election. With the Labour leader safely ensconced in 10 Downing Street with a working majority of 181, the Tories are licking their wounds following their worst-ever defeat.
The Conservatives’ greatest comfort is that they have managed to remain the official opposition – but research from Focaldata on the pattern of voting sets out the challenge ahead: namely, that the Tories lost ‘a huge amount of their middle-aged voters’. The survey of more than 52,000 respondents finds that Tory voters under 40 tended to switch to Labour whereas those over 40 plumped for Nigel Farage’s Reform party. Later today, the Conservative party board is expected to meet and discuss a timeframe for selecting a new leader.
For now, the focus is on keeping up a sense of momentum for the first 100 days
To say the political landscape has changed is an understatement.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in