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In reply to the discussion: Hopefully, Jeremy can use the closeness of this result to argue for a clear break with Blairism [View all]Ironing Man
(164 posts)its certainly true to say that the loss of the old Labour heartlands in the North and the Midlands to 'Leave' is an enormous backlash against what could be described as the Blairite version of Labour - southern, middle class and 'liberal' - its also been an utter repudiation of the Corbynite take on immigration.
some Labour people will try and tell you that 'immigration' as an issue is shorthand for everything from School places, hospital waiting time, house prices and jobs, and to some degree that is correct, but on the doorstep in the Labour heartlands of the Midlands, i can tell you that 'immigration' is shorthand for little else but really nasty, racist, xenophobic hatred.
quite how people who spout 'Britain First' memes and values can call themselves Labour voters/supporters is beyond me, but they do - and when you try and dig a bit deeper, you find very little that could be described as Causal - there isn't a back story of rents going up due to new comminuties moving in, or schools being full, or hospital waits going up because of an increase in population. its just good, old fashioned xenophobia and worse.
from where i sit, the tories have lost a PM who will be replaced by a more popular one, Labour however have lost half our electorate.