Labour triumph in West Lancashire by-election
Spectator (UK)MAY 2023
UK Special Election: Labour Flips 2 Conservative-Held Seats
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The Spin
Narrative A
With a national election coming up later this year, Sunak is desperate for a miracle. Sunak, the fifth Conservative leader since 2016, was already trailing 10-20 points behind Labour in opinion polls over the past couple years. Friday's results solidified how dire the situation is for the Conservatives.
Narrative B
Labour looks on track for a big win in the general election in a few months, but it shouldn't get too far ahead of itself. Israel's war in Gaza has reignited some systemic antisemitism within the party, which is the type of problem that could derail a party's best-laid election plans.