Amidst Tory Defeats 3rd Way Warns Against Placing Faith In The Party System for change

The entrenched two-party system in the UK often presents voters with a choice between the lesser of two evils, and the prospects for substantial change through parliamentary processes appear bleak. This was the message from the Third Way think-tank after recent by-election defeats from the Tories.

A statement from the director of the Third Way think-tank, Pat Harrington, said that genuine transformation is more likely to be instigated by cultural and technological advancements rather than relying on the theatrics of parliamentary politics. He also said: “it’s crucial to remember that change can also manifest through other avenues, such as industrial action by workers and legal actions on behalf of the people. Such approaches will achieve more than playing a parliamentary game where the rules are rigged against ordinary people”.

The recent electoral setbacks, including two by-election defeats, have placed the Conservative Party, led by Jeremy Hunt, in a precarious position. Rumours swirled that Hunt might refrain from contesting his seat in the next general election to avert a potentially humiliating loss, reminiscent of the “Michael Portillo” moment from the 1997 election, when the then-Defence Secretary lost a seat he had previously won by a significant margin in 1992.

While a spokesperson for Hunt officially denied these speculations, the fact remains that the Conservative Party can no longer disregard the significance of their recent by-election defeats. Both Tamworth and Mid-Bedfordshire witnessed resounding victories for the Labour Party, with the latter overcoming a substantial 24,664 Tory majority to secure the seat for the first time in history. Notably, this result marked the largest numerical majority ever reversed in a by-election.

Tamworth also witnessed a considerable swing from the Conservatives to Labour, the second most substantial since 1945. These election outcomes underscore the vulnerabilities of the current government and the potential for widespread discontent to undermine its authority. However, it’s essential to recognize that there is a lack of significant enthusiasm for the Labour Party among the electorate. In Tamworth, the Labour vote saw only a minor increase compared to 2019, while in Mid-Bedfordshire, it remained somewhat lower than the 2019 figures. Labour prevailed primarily due to the substantial decline in Conservative votes, which dropped by over 20,000 in Tamworth and over 26,000 in Mid-Bedfordshire.

Anticipating further by-elections and potential defeats, the political landscape remains uncertain. The upcoming contest in Blackpool South involves Tory MP Scott Benton, who is awaiting sentencing by the standards committee in connection with a lobbying scandal. This may soon be followed by another by-election in Wellingborough, where a parliamentary watchdog has determined that the incumbent Tory MP, Peter Bone, engaged in “many varied acts of bullying and one act of sexual misconduct” towards a staff member.

Though it’s likely that the Tories will see further electoral defeats does anyone still believe that Labour will deliver the radical change needed in our country?