Starmer's hollow victory: He won the UK election but not the popular vote
In this op-ed video, Peter Oborne explains how the general election was not quite the great victory it seemed for Keir Starmer.
Labour has secured one of the largest parliamentary majorities in British political history, but with a pitifully low share of the vote.
Labour is set to poll about 34 percent, not even two percentage points more than Jeremy Corbyn scored in 2019 and significantly less than the 40 percent that Corbyn scored in 2017.
To put it another way, thanks to the second lowest turnout since 1885, scarcely 20 percent of eligible British voters support Keir Starmer’s Labour.
Yet, he will end up with approximately two-thirds of all parliamentary seats.
"The collapse in Labour's vote share is the direct result of Starmer’s calculated decision to run a passionless, risk-free campaign aimed at securing the support of big business, the pro-war British establishment, and the Murdoch press," says Oborne.
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Пікірлер: 296
In 2017 when Corbyn was leader he won 40% of the vote share and 12.8 million votes. Starmer as leader won 33% of the vote share and 9.7 million votes. Corbyn was a more popular man.
@ftr841
16 күн бұрын
No he wasn’t. People voted to kick the tories, but still more people voted for teresa may then Corbyn
@firebyrd437
16 күн бұрын
@ftr841 Corbyn got more votes than Starmer, which has nothing to do with May ffs. Starmer isn't popular he's just in office because of the tories
@ftr841
16 күн бұрын
@@firebyrd437 in 2017 people voted tories as they were terrified of Corbyn. Now they aren’t fussed about Starmer so happy not to vote, vote Lib Dem or reform
@RAGSTAluvsDA90z
16 күн бұрын
If there was a UK National vote between Corbyn and anyone else, Corbyn would win, because it's all based on constitutioncy the population of vote doesn't matter
@archvaldor
16 күн бұрын
@@ftr841 Teresa May wasn't investigated by the police. She was actually extremely popular with the electorate before the election campaign started. She would have wiped the floor with Starmer.
Kier Starmer out , Jeremy Corbyn in
@user-lm7gr6dr4c
16 күн бұрын
Corbyn is more popular than Starmer! The result don't cheat.
@gbrsjones11
16 күн бұрын
Unfortunately, not going to happen. The first thing the Labour high treason traitors to Britain did, within 24hrs, was to call Ukraine and pledge more money and more resources for the war, to keep the lost war going! It is absolutely infuriating. First thing should have been money to our NHS. Labour are the same old as the tories, it's going to utterly destroy Britain.
@RAGSTAluvsDA90z
16 күн бұрын
Wish it was that simple
@anshuraj4277
16 күн бұрын
Delusional
@Anti-Peaceforcepolice
15 күн бұрын
Still have opened doors.
Starmer will not last. Yet even the Guardian is drastically underplaying the immediate crapfest facing this profoundly unpopular "leader." Winning 34% of the lowest turnout in modern electoral history is not a mandate, and an overwhelming majority of the UK population still don't want to help Netanyahu and the occupiers. Starmer tied himself to the City who will show their greed more openly now, to austerity which will continue to torment UK children , to war crimes that will inevitably stain everyone associated with them, to the anti-science of Cass which will inevitably lead to more local conflict, more deaths, more misery, and will also stain any major figures on the wrong side of it sooner rather than later. The whole thing is a house of cards. He was not even in politics when Cameron won in 2010, yet somehow he is the hackiest hack who ever hacked. He knows how to destroy and prosecute, he has no idea at all about how to build and govern. So what happens when he has brought Labour as low as the Tories are right now? Will the UK be free of both dinosaurs? Seems almost inconceivable. Better start organizing against Farage right now, though,
@user-po2qb6cm9q
14 күн бұрын
Labour have already hit the ground running. Starmer will prove to be an effective PM. He'll last up to the next election and beyond
Does that mean the Speaker won't be able to ignore Diane at PMQs?
Albanese in Australia did/does the same thing. They must be working to a template. But it’s all about subsidising wealthy corporations and continuing harsh austerity for everyone else. No housing & punishing inflation increasing the cost of everything just to live, suicide rates in our brave secular western societies are through the roof.
@AK-np4rp
16 күн бұрын
As an Australian, I agree with your comments. The only counter is a strong Green vote.
@PD-fc3og
15 күн бұрын
Yep, they pass along and use the same "manual" after years in the doldrums of opposition. They must bow down on all fours to Murdoch and his lackeys, convince BIG business that nothing will change, and then grovel to the citizens that they are not bad people and can be trusted. Starmer did not need to do this as he could not lose, just keep his trap shut and they'd throw out the Tories. BUT!!!
@James-872
15 күн бұрын
@@AK-np4rpPower corrupts even when those with power have the most humble and decent intentions, there is always a sociopath/ psychopath willing to use terrible methods... this is why we need to start developing self funded open democracy within workplace, communities and eventually wider groups that truly represent us on a wider stage without the hawks pushing for unnecessary conflicts.
Mr Oborne is a voice of reason.
@Nemo59646
16 күн бұрын
Indeed.
@chriskessell4579
16 күн бұрын
If you want answers listen to Barbara learner Spectre and watch Europa the last battle.
@petersmith-yg7me
15 күн бұрын
More like voice of the Sun.
@Gujratiah
14 күн бұрын
@@petersmith-yg7me eh? What are you smoking pal? He's been a right wing journalist/commentator e.g. for daily mail before seeing the light but the sun ? Murdoch's rectum?
@si4632
14 күн бұрын
🤣@@chriskessell4579
Our system desperately needs a shake up fptp doesn’t represent our views. Barb
Starmer is a hypocrite
@HelenaMikas
16 күн бұрын
a huge danger and threat more like...
@andrewwalsh2755
15 күн бұрын
a foreign agent more like... ... I found it amusing that Emily Thornberry, after obfuscating on TV interviews, following Starmers support for Israels war crimes and genocide, was sidelined as shadow attorney General, and the govt job actually given to a Jewish, Zionist, whose sons are in the IDF... ... but when Starmer is told to send the UK to war, as a proxy of Israel, he must have the "right" people in place... to give him the "right" legal opinion... 😱
Thank you Peter Oborne.
Thank you, Peter. Thank you MME.
The audacity of calling hamas resistance a war crime. While israel use of hunger as weapon as "likely breach of humanitarian law." Good bye starmer. And long live the resistance.
@g.p616
16 күн бұрын
Hate speech- Reported to You Tube and the Police.
@Heavenlyrules
16 күн бұрын
@@g.p616 using hunger as a weapon is pro-semite ? Sure is
@vitawater4259
15 күн бұрын
How does October 7 fit into your narrative?
@Heavenlyrules
15 күн бұрын
@@vitawater4259 how does 75 years of land theft and atrocities fit into your victim card ?
@douglasmacari8707
14 күн бұрын
@@g.p616Don't be so infantile. Wind your Zionist neck in.
Really proud of the people who united and created their own community lead politics. Hears to the independents establishment thought you couldn’t do it. Ladies and gentlemen you proved them wrong!
@Hitchhiker007
16 күн бұрын
The independent candidates would have done much better if the Murdoch controlled media hadn't been so biased towards Nigel 'Boring' Farshake 🤬 I don't even have terrestial TV and he was all over my internet feeds.
“Israel has the right” to cut off food, water & electricity to 2 millions of people in Gaza ~ Keir Starmer, October 11, 2023
@lost_boy
16 күн бұрын
Terrible to think we now have a war criminal as our PM.
@gail9299
15 күн бұрын
I know lots of people that voted away from Labour for this reason more than any other. What a twisted mind.
Wise words indeed - but the darker predictions give us all a reason to be fearful and alert
@HelenaMikas
16 күн бұрын
The constant predictions of a huge swing to labour were repeated over & over on & in Murdoch media etc For many that was a sign it must be OK and like sheep they did vote .."Tell a man" anything often enough and he will believe it .That elections was funded and backed by the F O I ..
You're always the Voice of Reason Peter thank you very much for that fantastic video very enlightening. Please don't stop broadcasting these videos we need you to reassure us that democracy is alive and healthy
Kid Starver - Prime Minister - shame
Well said
BoJo's great election victory five yers ago was even more hollow - and the news media were completely wrong back then, in declaring that millions of former Labour voters had swept past the aisle to the Tories. Actually the Tories didn't gain much in terms of real vote numbers - what had happened was that Labour had failed at mobilizing, and millions of "their" voters had simply stayed at home. It seems that both this time and in December 2019, the general voter turnout in the UK was fairly low.
@clivet3252
16 күн бұрын
What are you talking about? The turnout in 2019 was the highest since 1992, apart from 2017. This election was the second lowest turnout since 1885. The Tories won the most seats since 1987 and had the highest share of the popular vote since 1979 in 2019. More people voted Labour in 2019 than they did in 2024. Labour lost 2 members of the shadow cabinet and the number of votes Starmer got halved from 2019.
@louise_rose
16 күн бұрын
@@clivet3252 You're wrong on just about everything there, Clive. Check out the voter stats on Wikipedia of you don't believe me - they're from official sources. The Tories gained only around 360,000 votes in 2019 from two years before, that's ONE percentage point in the total popular vote. Quite negligible. The Lib Dems on the other hand increased their size by an impressive 50%, but this didn't translate into any seats won at all - indeed they *lost* one seat! And no, the voter turnout didn't peak in 2019 - it had been 68.8% in 2017 but now landed at 67.3%. The top turnout at any general election since 1992 was in 1997, of course (note: I'm talking about TOTAL voter turnout in %, not just Tory turnout) Actually, it was the Tory vote that halved a few days ago from 2019, from 14 million /43.6% to 6.8 million /23.7%
@louise_rose
16 күн бұрын
@@clivet3252 Hello Clive, sorry you're out of your depth here on most of this. In 2019, the Tories gained a single percentage point (around 360K votes) from the previous polls, that's not indicative of any large sweepstake of former Labour voters. The LibDems, at the same elections five years ago, increased their share of the vote by 50% but this got them nowhere in terms of seats, actually they were down one seat in the Commons. The Tories are the ones who were halved in terms of votes at the elections last week, from 14M to 7M. A couple more of your statements are out of la la land - you can check the statistics for these elections in the articles about them on Wikipedia, that's straight official stats. Shows that I am right. (I replied earlier, but it seems YT swallowed that one for no viable reason - the Tube messing with the comments field is an increasing problem here)
@clivet3252
16 күн бұрын
@@louise_rose I don't know what you're trying to say.
@clivet3252
16 күн бұрын
@@louise_rose I don't know what the Tories being halved in terms of votes has to do with anything. They lost. No one is disputing that.
One of the best real Journalist in Britain today.
Brilliantly summarised.
Of course he didn't win the popular vote, he's very nearly as bad as the ones that just left. He's (Starmer) more Tory than he is Labour, which is a problem when you're supposed to be leading Labour against the Tories.
@HelenaMikas
16 күн бұрын
He is cruel , dangerous , and taking orders from some not in UK .Very nasty individuals too as is he...
@dannywhelan6030
15 күн бұрын
He isn't either, just a puppet reading scripts doesn't have his own thoughts.
@PSYCHIC_PSYCHO
12 күн бұрын
Tory-Starmer and his Pseudo Labour Government.
Peter Oborne talks great sense, as usual.
Nice piece!
This analysis is how I tried comforting myself after another Thatcher election win, but the bastard was still the PM
A Great Briton is Peter
Sir Edward Leigh is Father of the House.
I can't understand Starmer, giving up a seat to his party's opponent, instead of his own party's representative, for him to support Israel?? A similar pattern also seen in the US, Israel's support getting a higher priority than one's own constituents. Quite bizzare.
@sumayyabhorat790
16 күн бұрын
Part of a secret 'coalition' ???
@Gill-pc9nm
15 күн бұрын
I can understand how any war is of concern to other countries, particularly when it is as bad as it is . But what I can't understand, is how it can take precedence over our own countries issues. People native to this country can feel concern and sympathy for other places, but should not have their elections and concerns for our own countries issues, overridden by what is happening elsewhere in the world, as has been the case in this election. And no matter what anyone might say against what I've written here, I am certain that no country anywhere, would do the same for us!
@treelight1707
15 күн бұрын
@@Gill-pc9nm They have strong feelings about it because of the 'direct' involvement of the UK in it. And btw, do you know how much does it cost to send an aircraft carrier over there? Please google it.
Brits know how to organize! Dig it!
The music is annoying.
Thanks to all the people who didn’t vote were stuck with this white version of rishi Sunak now 👍
@HelenaMikas
16 күн бұрын
Please keep colour out of it and wait ,Starmer is horribly evil, arrogant and cruel ..( what you have in your genetic make up ) Doesn't actually matter ....
We need to keep a spotlight on decisions that many politicians would like to go unnoticed so that ordinary people can KNOW. It is our duty to inform ourselves in order to be protagonists of our, not their, but our future
I wonder when the Labour Party stopped being a workers' party. I should look into that.
@PSYCHIC_PSYCHO
12 күн бұрын
Labour ceased being a Socialist party when Blair became it's leader and turned it into a Centrist political party; but Starmer has turned it into Right-Of-Centre, so what we have now is a Pseudo Labour Government.
British , I live in Germany and have said a win for Starmer would have people regretting . To all who voted Labour don't repeat the Brexit bleat ie You didn't know what. you were doing .Many loathed Sunak because of his wife's wealth. I am neither Tory no labour but have no jealousy only a fear that Britain is finished and in the hands of we know who.
@PSYCHIC_PSYCHO
12 күн бұрын
Neither Sunak or his wife deserve their wealth; it was handed to them.
Well summarized
One reason for low turnout is photo ID.
💯% true
The state of uk poltical affairs summed up perfectly. A sorry state with a glimmery of hope stemming from the independents
Time to changed the election laws, everyone must vote, and none of the above should be on the paper. MPs should come from the town they represent. Barb
This man talks sense...... A real English gentleman
@ep5019
15 күн бұрын
Because he tells you what you want to here? Starmer is anything but center right.
If you ask this man what his political leaning would point towards, he would probably say Conservative. Yet he speaks thoughtfully & carefully because his knowledge of history & issues such as the Middle East is very extensive. The more I listen, the more I value his judgement. One of the best commentators around right now.
Peter Oborne spot on analysis once again. My father was, like Oborne, an investigative journalist. And I like to think he would have admired Oborne a great deal, given his own truth to power approach which he pursued at great personal cost.
These independents and Green Party MP’s just elected sent Starmer a message that your not invincible you can’t walk all over us you can’t silence the majority
The UK uses the First Past the Post (FPTP) system, which means the winner takes all. For example, Given there are five popular parties in England, each fielding one candidate per constituency, it’s evident that the winning party often secures its position with a lower vote share. This is particularly true as the second and third parties often have substantial support in certain areas. Another factor is tactical voting, used to balance FPTP. In this election, for example, the aim was to punish the Conservatives by voting Green or LibDem in areas where Labour was unlikely to win, or vice versa. Thus, the vote share is less important than which party is chosen to govern.
Thundering and ground breaking narration Sir❤❤❤
These characters only care about once thing: power and how they get it is irrelevant.
@koala6016
16 күн бұрын
Don't forget the $.
The Tories robbed Corbyn of the father of the House title on a technicality
We are fkd.
Starmer 🤮
Well presented 👏🏼
It would be more pleasant to listen to this informative speech without the disturbing background sounds. Anybody agrees? Thank you anyway.
The turnout was low because of the voter id requirement.
Voting should only be for the indigenous. I would not expect a vote if I went to live in another country.
@LiaJ-ez6rz
15 күн бұрын
Hello. If you start a campaign for British people living all over the world to lose the right to vote where they live, I can find people to support you. Best wishes.
@Gill-pc9nm
15 күн бұрын
I agree with both of you!
Thank you Peter. Your comments are always erudite and thoughtful,
Unfortunately, I read that Corbyn will not be father of the house because a Tory pushed his way to the front of the queue the day of signing in.
Absolutely right.
Why did Bangladeshis kept voting Labour? I am a Bangladeshi myself so I am just curious.
Great Peter Osborn as he always is. Thanks
Excellent analysis 👍
What is the far right he keeps talking about?
Excellent! 🙏🤲☝️❤️
Brilliant piece!
This often happens with First Past the post. Nothing new.
Oh dear 😢 so so sad.
The UK is hooped
In basic terms, what you are saying is we have a Govt no-one wants!
Like Ren says in his song Money Game 2, "it doesnt matter if they hate you if they all say your name".
Don’t ever remember you advocating for a change in how we vote
👍🏽 Pertinent reflection of the Facts 🙏🏽
The popular vote refers to the majority of the votes cast. Yes he did win the popular vote.
Next election we will have Nigel❤❤❤
Well said Peter. Sunak just wanted out of the shit show that was the CONservatives! 😂
I assumed that it was general knowledge that this election was a weak election with abysmal voter support?
Not 100% sure Jeremy is actually Father of The House, Peter. Think it might be Tory Edward Leigh
You can’t use results under the undemocratic FPTP system to mean anything at all under a sane system, unfortunately.
A large parliamentary majority is real power, not hollow at all. The centre left scored 53% of the popular vote, Labour, Lib Dems + Greens , even without Plaid and the SNP. There is usually a centre left majority of 52%+ across the UK , and this time has worked against the Conservatives and extreme right. Labour polled more votes in 1951 and the Conservatives and worn out Churchill still took power. There are however in my view warning signs with the loss of 5 seats to go to the faith sectarian vote on Gaza, and upper class London nihilists like Faridge & Tice getting elected to parliament with their dangerous Deform cult Co. Ltd . It is the FPTP system, and in the long term Proportional Representation that is desirable to keep the current Tory nutters out of power permanently. Let's judge by results and see if it's managed decline, or the start of a real turnaround with infrastructure and skills investment. However things work out, the Labour party must re-engage with the working class, and undermine the private school system to raise standards , teaching pay and status of teachers across the country, especially in Wales and Scotland that have fallen behind.
maybe yu should think about creating a democracy?
This is FPTP, like it or not.
I checked and apparently Corbyn won't quite be father of the house because Sir Edward Leigh will be (as he was sworn in earlier on the day they were both sworn in).
Peter, do the Qataris not insist on you being sober when you're reading out their bulletins.
Oborne has gone full mental jacket.
@totalfreedom2408
16 күн бұрын
that would be Labour Party
From Barbra Castle to Adnan Hussain - a Pakistani sectarian rooted in the bigotry and backwardness of his community. The Palestinian authority endorsed Craig Murray an experienced diplomat, a proven humanitarian etc. The only thing good about Mr Hussain is that he is local. But he is a young man and what was noted about his campaign was he was surrounded by ex Labour Jack Straw men - the previous Mp and foreign Secretary. Don't be surprised if he follows the Labour party line. A lot of people suspect he is independent in name only !
Thank you for this. Very good understanding of our present situation. Barb
Oh No. Bitter and twisted. Conservatives had the option to change the voting system for years and did nothing. Live with it.
👏👏👏
Great video
Has there ever been a newly installed PM that was as personally unpopular as Starmer is now? It’s striking that the leader of a party that has just won a massive majority scores so low in just about every approval rating. He’s going to need some big wins soon or things might go south very quickly.
MEE needs to add sign language to their videos would help spread the word better
And six months later...mmmmmm
There is ocean of difference between situation of UK and EU of 20th century , even late 20th Century and present and that is the very reason why center right will move towards more right if not far right while center left apparently moves to center right. It is for the left parties of UK and EU to understand and recognise the need for such shift and public support behind it. It is also important for right wing parties of UK and EU to decouple the situation inside those places and response needed to address those from support for Netanyahu's genocide in Gaza. If all people see in everything of politics is right and left they will fail to address many crucial factors and fail many people in the process. This is not bad , this was needed in UK and EU
Labour have 5 years to turn things around. That's all that matters. First 2 years trying to do it. Following 3 years trying to make things look good for next election.. They call it democracy. Yeah right 🙃
🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸✊🏿✊🏽✊🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸☝️
Sadly, JC isn't father of the house, it's some Tory who joined on the same day but signed in first
TOSSA.
Labour paid the price?! First election win since Blair. Their strategy worked really well. they have a huge parliamentary majority. Its up to them to use that, but moving to the center and having a boring campaign worked magnificently
Thank you for your brilliant report that shows how indecent are our mainstream politicians and Starmer embodies them!
👏
❤
What a lot of sore losers. The tories are out, get over it
Have heard Edward Leigh pips Jeremy Corbyn to be father of the house?
The "alternative"? medias strapline.... "Starmers hollow victory". This isn't original at all. Sounds more mainstream to me.🤔🤨🙄.