24mago 14.36 GMT
Labour MP Clive Lewis has called for a “clean break” for the party after the
Gorton and Denton byelection, describing the defeat as “a punch in the
face”.
The Norwich South MP, a prominent left-wing critic of the current
leadership, said:
M4 The byelection result is a punch in the face for the Labour Party and for
Keir Starmer’s premiership.
This government has burned its base, alienated its core vote, sidelined its
activists and stuck two fingers up to the very people we came into politics to
represent - and we’re surprised voters are walking away?
Changing the leader without changing the politics would be a waste of time.
The problem isn’t presentation. It’s direction. We promised change and
delivered continuity. We talk tough but govern timid. We protect vested
interests when we should be taking them on.
Reform is growing because millions feel ignored and taken for granted. If we
don’t offer real change, they’ll channel their anger elsewhere, as they have this
week in Denton and Gorton.
Stopping Reform now has to be the priority. But Labour can’t do that from a
position of arrogance or denial. We will need to work with other progressive
parties.
That means co-operation. It means democratic reform. It means accepting we
do not own the centre-left vote.
None of that happens unless Labour changes fundamentally. Not tweaks. Not
reshuffles. A clean break.
If we carry on like this, we won’t just lose byelections. We’ll lose the country for
a generation.
Clive Lewis is right but his Party will dismiss what he said and carry on as it is.
#CliveLewis #Labour #GortonAndDenton #Greens #GreenParty #BlueLabour #KeirStarmer #Starmer