The European press on our election

[Workingman]

I have never voted Labour, but I always sort of admired them because they nearly always chose 'one of their own' to represent them; then came Blair.

I am not sure where Labour can go without reinventing itself, TBH. It can't go back to Attlee, Wilson and Callaghan nor Blair. It tried modified Blairism with Brown and Milliband and got nowhere. Corbyn sort of went into Wilson mode and it almost worked, but then Momentum broke the elastic.

One thing you can say about the Conservatives is that whichever way they flow they do tend to stick, mostly, to their core values. Nobody knows what Labour's core values are anymore.

[medsec222]

I feel more optimistic than pessimistic at the moment. Boris Johnson has a monumental task in front of him, both in trying to unite the country and living up to the trust that voters, including former Labour voters, have placed in him. Nothing could have been worse for the country than the last three years, with a paralysed Government and Members of Parliament from all sides, including the Speaker, who have done everything possible to overturn and derail a democratic process. It just wouldn't do - remainers and leavers alike could not stomach the trashing of democracy. Jo Swinson is a perfect example of this.

[Suff]

WM, who says I actually like Johnson?

Will he get one job done? I believe he will. Will he do anything totally irreperable by another government with a strong majority? I don't think so as that is how our government works.

Johnson is a warning and both parliament and the people need to heed it.

When you ask the people for an answer and they respond, you cannot ignore it and you cannot bribe the people to accept something else.

Our parliament has been like a chimps tea party for far too long and the people have just put a stop to it.

Johnson is that price.

Now we have to pay it.

WM, I agree that Labour is now an unknown. Not because the party does not stand for something, it does. It is more that the party leadership no longer reflects what they stand for. It is going to be harder to remove Momentum than Militant because Momentum now controls the executive.

Meds, I agree totally. Swinson was a classic example, promising a minority of the people that she would overturn a democratic vote by twisting the first past the post system. Hopefully they will all have learned their lesson and will never try to do this again

When the noise fades and the analysts step in, one thing will become clear. The message that the people have told the government what to do and the government will do as they have been told; is the most powerful message of all.

It is, after all, the very essence of a parliamentary democracy.

I remember the 2017 campaign and what was said when Corbyn promised to abide by the decision of the people. It was said that Labour voters didn't need to vote Tory because Corbyn would not block Brexit.

We now know that the parties which promised to abide by the will of the people were lying and were working to get what they wanted, ably assisted by the press.

This time people had the evidence of actions and not words. They voted accordingly.

Now it is time to make the very best of the decision the people have made. After all we have been ringside spectators on the very worst for over 3 years.

[Kaz]

I think I need a lie down! Suff, I agree with every word of that!

[Workingman]

I am rather worried about a country that has no effective opposition, which is where we are now - today. Labour and the LibDems have a duty to all of us to rebuild.

With local elections coming up in May 2020 Labour has some hard thinking to do.

There are about 170 different elections taking place from councils - local, unitary and district - to mayors to police and crime commissioners to the London Assembly. Labour has a majority in nearly 85% of the different councils, though that does not translate into 85% of the 2,400 or so different seats up for grabs. On its current trajectory it is facing a wipeout.

Given that reality does it?
1. Act swiftly to remove Corbyn and crew to give a new team time to bed in and hope for a "new manager" bounce at the elections
2. Take its time, reflect, then get the best new team possible in and take the upcoming walloping on the chin
3. Put in a 'B' team to cover the elections and then install its preferred choices and give them a focused and 'baggage free' run for a few years unencumbered by elections etc.

Labour, especially Labour, has to get its next moves right or we will be in for a tough decade or more. I would go for 2. but with this lot I fear a knee-jerk and more of the same old, same old.

[Suff]

I think I need a lie down! Suff, I agree with every word of that!

Sorry Kaz, I hope you recover soon..

[Suff]

I don't disagree WM. Parliamentary democracy does not work without a functioning opposition.

Labour and the Lib Dems need to sort out their relationship with the people and get back in there.

A solid working majority was all that was needed. The extra simply leads to megalomania. No matter who is in charge.