Posted: Dec 15, 2019 10:25 am
Thommo wrote:The electorate is the people of the nation(s) who were eligible to cast a vote, or who did cast a vote. Those people as a whole did not move away from remain parties, or towards leave parties. The only party in the election who can justifiably be said to have been *punished* (if there is such a thing as a will of the people in an election that was so regionalised and complex, having marked a turning point in division between a split on party and class and a division based on pro or anti European and immigration sentiment) was Labour. But Labour did not run on a pro remain platform anyway.
Thank you for that considered reply. I apologise for my reply made in frustration at your dismissive remark.
Of course there is no dispute that the popular vote didn't really move from numerous opinion polls over the last few years.
If you define "punished" in terms of popular vote share you are certainly correct.
If I define "punished" as not electing MPs, which I think it perfectly reasonable, then parties speaking out for remain and against the withdrawal agreement can indeed be said to have been "punished".
Labour was offering another referendum with options of remain or a soft exit - remaining in a customs union, possibly retaining regulatory alignment and free movement and making payment to the EU. Many, many Labour MPs declared they would strongly campaign for remain. Lots of leavers would see the Labour offer as BRINO and not True Brexit. So we disagree on voter perception of Labour's position on remain/"real Brexit".
It was notable that Labour collapsed in it's leave voting heartlands without gaining in lots of remain constituencies and the most ardent remainers in the LibDems took a beating while the party overall gained one seat.
If you see in that no verdict on Brexit we can just accept there is a difference of opinion.