Normale Ansicht

Empfangen — 26. August 2026 ⏭

The Guardian
Andy Burnham should rip up our undemocratic first past the post system – even if some in Labour disagree | Neal Lawson
Rearguard reactionaries may try to block the idea of a national commission into proportional representation, but we should want more not less democracyA poll in the Mail on Sunday at the end of June was remarkable. It had not just Reform as low as 21%, but also Labour and the Tories. It was remarkable because it starkly demonstrated the fragmented landscape of the UK’s electoral terrain, as well as the electoral weakness of its main players.Polls since have varied, not least with the Burnham bou
26. August 2026 um 16:00

Andy Burnham should rip up our undemocratic first past the post system – even if some in Labour disagree | Neal Lawson

26. August 2026 um 16:00

Rearguard reactionaries may try to block the idea of a national commission into proportional representation, but we should want more not less democracy

A poll in the Mail on Sunday at the end of June was remarkable. It had not just Reform as low as 21%, but also Labour and the Tories. It was remarkable because it starkly demonstrated the fragmented landscape of the UK’s electoral terrain, as well as the electoral weakness of its main players.

Polls since have varied, not least with the Burnham bounce, but this week’s YouGov voting intention figures put Reform, Labour and the Tories on 23%, 22% and 20% respectively (although it almost no longer matters which exact figure applies to which party). Add in the Greens and the Liberal Democrats on 13% apiece, the SNP dominating Scotland and Plaid Cymru Wales, then Restore UK and independent candidates and you have an unprecedented variety of options laid out before the British electorate.

Neal Lawson is director of the cross-party campaign organisation Compass

Empfangen — 19. Juni 2026 ⏭

The Guardian
This major Makerfield victory has made it inevitable: it’s now time for Keir Starmer to step aside | Neal Lawson
Andy Burnham’s positive vision has struck a powerful blow to Reform – but the PM risks diminishing the impact by clinging on in No 10Neal Lawson is director of the cross-party campaign organisation CompassThat tingle of emotion you felt when you awoke today? That is the long-lost feeling of progressive hope. That it comes from Makerfield is all the more remarkable. Reform has been defeated in a seat that it should have won at a canter – trailing Labour, even when its voteshare is combined with t
19. Juni 2026 um 07:08

This major Makerfield victory has made it inevitable: it’s now time for Keir Starmer to step aside | Neal Lawson

The Guardian

Von: Neal Lawson

19. Juni 2026 um 07:08

Andy Burnham’s positive vision has struck a powerful blow to Reform – but the PM risks diminishing the impact by clinging on in No 10

Neal Lawson is director of the cross-party campaign organisation Compass

That tingle of emotion you felt when you awoke today? That is the long-lost feeling of progressive hope. That it comes from Makerfield is all the more remarkable. Reform has been defeated in a seat that it should have won at a canter – trailing Labour, even when its voteshare is combined with that of Restore. It finished second there in the 2024 election and it recently won all of the council seats. If Reform had faced any other politician, its candidate, Robert Kenyon, would be heading to Westminster.

But Reform was up against Andy Burnham, probably the only Labour candidate who could have held Makerfield. He is the only candidate for the party’s leadership who can defeat Reform, and the causes of Reform, and bring in a new era of progressive government. To say there was a lot riding on Makerfield would be a massive understatement.