adam wrote:But the entire point here is that 2017 suggests how close to success this came. If that hadn't happened, if the experience of the leadership was a string of frankly disappointing national rounds of local polls, very poor EU elections and then this GE then there would be no argument. But that didn't happen.
The 2017 manifesto was restrained by moderating forces. The 2019 manifesto was clearly the radical offer Corbyn and McDonnell had wanted all along.
The 2017 campaign benefited from some of the experience of previous campaigns. By 2019 the old guard had moved on and Corbyn appointments and ruling body were firmly in charge.
The EU elections were barely fought, good long standing Labour MEPs were given no support, the results were dire.
Although it was clear PR and Brexit was going to impact Labour heavily in the EU vote, it's the way the campaign was poorly, almost negligently run, that I'm getting at here. Labour no longer felt like the heavy hitting professional force it once was. And this GE their presence locally was the weakest yet. Back in 2010 there were Labour posters up all over the village. No more. Perhaps GEs aren't fought with posters anymore, but whatever they are fought with now Labour sure as hell haven't got enough if it. For all the incredible membership numbers, our local activist base has dwindled, run almost single handedy now by our lovely local Labour councillor who receives as much support as ever in local elections but was unable to rouse that support for Labour in the national vote.
So, while everyone else will no doubt concentrate on policies and personalities, when asking what went wrong perhaps a little thought needs to be given to organisation, professionalism, experience and what's been happening at the local level. The electoral machine appears to be working in the cities, the apparatus to elect Labour mayors seems to be working for the national vote, but once you get out of the main cities Labour appears to be in serious decline and a new figurehead and set of policies is unlikely to change that on its own.