There are so many interesting facts and arguments arising out of the election that failed to elect anyone, that it’s difficult to know where to begin. The first thing, I suppose, as deeply frustrating as the last few days have been, is to look at the positives, and there are several.
Firstly, and most importantly, it’s impossible to argue that the British electorate has given a strong endorsement to the Tory manifesto. In terms of a mandate, there is no evidence that they have won an ideological argument or earned a satisfactory amount of support to govern. Of course, the same is absolutely true of Labour and the Lib Dems, too. What this means is that, thankfully, the Conservative Government which will presumably be formed in the next week or so, will be scarred from the beginning by compromise and unable to pursue its most severe policies unchallenged. Whether it reaches a pact with the Liberal Democrats or not, it will be lucky to get through the next 18 months without having to call another election.
Secondly, although many of us were hoping for an improved Lib Dem return at this election, their dramatic underperformance may actually help, rather than hinder, the emergence of a three-party system. Their bubble undeniably burst, and the momentum they conjured up early in the contest certainly seemed to dissipate, but their performance simply highlighted the glaring deficiencies of our electoral system. The fact remains that they received 23 per cent of the votes but just 8 per cent of the seats. I’m no fierce advocate of PR, as it happens, but the facts are unarguable; something in our electoral system needs to change. Ironically, if the Lib Dems had done as well in the election as the opinion polls implied, they would have got a fairer deal and the need for them to continue fighting for PR would be less pressing. As it is, there is a real chance of a popular movement emerging for electoral reform, which is an extraordinary thing.
(The qualification to the above statement is that I really really hope that the LDs do continue fighting for electoral reform. Judging by Clegg’s performance over the last couple of days, I have my doubts. But this post is about the positives, so…)
Another positive: Labour weren’t decimated. They were humiliated, yes, but it could have been so much worse. In the end, I thought that Gordon ran a rather heroic campaign, blighted though it was by terrible bad-luck and several seemingly immovable objects in Labour’s path (chiefly Ashcroft’s millions, the unpredictable if shortlived period of Clegg Mania, and the increasingly concerning Murdoch press). The evidence of this election does not indicate that Labour have earned the pariah status many were so keen to land them with, and their barnstorming performance in the local elections actually bodes well for the future. What they transparently need to do now, of course, is dust themselves down and act with dignity. They may even be a very very slight chance, too, that their role in government is not yet over (although it does look like a Lib-Con alliance is almost certain).
Even more positively, there were a slew of lovely results across the country. Nick Griffin was comprehensively routed in Barking, Caroline Lucas won convincingly in Brighton Pavilion. George Galloway got his arse kicked, and a bunch of people who didn’t deserve to be elected saw justice comprehensively done – no seats for Esther Rantzen, Phillipa Stroud or Nigel Farage. The BNP’s overall vote went down and they are now, finally, finished (surely).
Most satisfyingly of all, it’s been a complete pleasure and a privilege to have spent the last month encountering person after person who is engaged and enthused by politics. This has been a totally and utterly bizarre election, and it’s yielded a result I’m far from happy with, but it was a joy to take part in. People really do care, I think, and even when I’m minded to disagree with them, I’m happy that the wave of apathy surrounding politics seems to have abated, for now at least.
