BRITISH GENERAL ELECTION - 4TH JULY

The Liz Truss result was a bonus. Many shredded lettuce references to be made.

Once the attention moves on from the Tory humiliation and personal loses, the big result is the shockingly low popular vote for Labour. 33.9% of the popular vote - on a turnout that is down nearly 8%.

It means that if the Tories select a popular leader, they have a real chance of returning to office in the next election.

Labour will have to do things in this term if they want to get re elected.

There will now be a battle within the Conservative party as to who retain the Conservative name. The ultra right wing section epitomised ny Priti Patel and Jacob Rees Mogg or the centrist lead by Jeremy Hunt. Its probably worth 50 seats longterm to which ever side wins. I expect that whichever side wins they will root out the influence of the other side

Yeah, can't understand why RTE are getting their knickers wet over the 'Fall of the House of Paisley'!

The Shinners will crow from their heap about border polls and so on. But if you look at the vote split, it's roughly 1/3rd Nationalist, 1/3rd Unionist and 1/3rd Others. So not much change really.

Very good election for Sinn Fein, all their marginal seats were held comfortably and they've given themselves the shot of making a gain next time out.

Great to see the odious Galloway given his marching orders so quickly.

From Tim Shipman on X:

"There’s a weird delirium seizing Tories this morning. Worst election result ever but they can sniff an opening with Starmer’s low vote share. “This is the shittest landslide ever” one says “We can get back in five years”. If this view is widespread it may change who they pick for leader"

Is there a popular potential leader available from the reelected Tory MPs? One that will engage the British public.

Jeremy Hunt maybe, although I think he was defeated buly Johnson in a leadership campaign before wasn't he?

Yes, it was far more that the Tories 'lost' the election rather than Labour 'winning' it.

But there is a major chance for Labour and Starmer to grow into the role and win a second term. The Tories seem far more divided and unstable (even now with the smaller rump version).

Yes, Reform totally cannabalised the Conservatives vote.

Richard Curtice on BBC said about two thirds of Conservative party seat losses attrributed to Reform being in the race - that's approx 160 seats Reform prevented the Conservatives from retaining/possibly retaining.

I would have guessed a bit less than that number because I think whoever voted Reform, a lot would not have gotten over their disgust at the Conservative party's abysmal record.

This was most definitely not a popular voter sentiment shift to Labour, but there you go the seats are what count.

Labour should really take their 'poor' vote share on board though.

It'll all depend on what the tories and Reform doing going forward. If they stay separate it'll splinter the right vote and labour will go through by default (kind of like yesterday).

If they get into bed together it could be a short stint in government for Labour. The UK electorate just loves a right leaning vote, I think.

Good result for Labour.

Not near the 40% Jezza got in 2017 but decent none the less.

The lack of ideological difference between the parties means people stay at home.

It's Going to be the same here for our election I would think.

This is far from a disaster for the Tories. The predictions had them below 100 seats.

The Tories will oppose any move to change the electoral system because they know they can get back in with a 12% increase in their vote.

So the issue of PR isn't going to come up at all. Both major parties are against it.