The State of It The end of the Labour party as a going concern in electoral politics?
Feb 27, 2026
Steven Swinford, Political Editor at The Times, offers sharp analysis of party strategy. Patrick Maguire, Chief Political Commentator at The Times, brings Westminster insight. They discuss Labour's catastrophic by-election showing, demographic realignments, campaign mistakes, Andy Burnham’s exclusion, internal left-versus-centre battles, and the rise of Reform and the Greens reshaping British electoral politics.
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Labour's Safe Seats Are No Longer Secure
- Labour's electoral dominance looks terminal after Gorton and Denton where they fell to third in a seat held since 1931.
- Patrick Maguire warns the Greens took 40% in one of Labour's 40 safest seats, signalling wider realignment across cities, Wales and Scotland.
Labour Losing Its Traditional Voter Blocs
- By-elections exposed Labour losing core demographics: parts of the working class and ethnic minority (including Muslim) voters.
- Steven Swinford notes the Greens have become the repository for left, liberal and Muslim protest votes, especially over Israel-Gaza salience.
Three Campaign Errors That Cost Labour
- Labour made three tactical errors: blocking Andy Burnham, ignoring the Greens in messaging, and misplaced confidence about the numbers.
- The hosts recount briefings that claimed victory even the morning before, showing a disconnect between HQ and ground reality.