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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Local elections: why did Labour's possible victories fail to materialise? | Local elections: why did Labour's possible victories fail to materialise? |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Labour’s election postmortem began in earnest amid claims that an inability to manage expectations and a failure to address the concerns of white working-class voters had led to a disappointing showing in the polls. | Labour’s election postmortem began in earnest amid claims that an inability to manage expectations and a failure to address the concerns of white working-class voters had led to a disappointing showing in the polls. |
| Jeremy Corbyn admitted that unrealistic expectations of Labour’s chances had become accepted wisdom and blamed the Conservatives for successfully talking up his party’s chances. | Jeremy Corbyn admitted that unrealistic expectations of Labour’s chances had become accepted wisdom and blamed the Conservatives for successfully talking up his party’s chances. |
| Speaking from Plymouth where Labour were celebrating a rare victory, he said: “In a sign of how worried they are about Labour’s advance, the Tories talked up our chances to unrealistic levels, especially in London. | Speaking from Plymouth where Labour were celebrating a rare victory, he said: “In a sign of how worried they are about Labour’s advance, the Tories talked up our chances to unrealistic levels, especially in London. |
| “The results show they are right to be worried: we came within a whisker of winning Wandsworth for the first time in over 40 years.” | “The results show they are right to be worried: we came within a whisker of winning Wandsworth for the first time in over 40 years.” |
| But others questioned why shadow ministers and key leadership figures had been talking up possible victories which never materialised. | But others questioned why shadow ministers and key leadership figures had been talking up possible victories which never materialised. |
| Key conclusions from a hazy night in English local elections | Key conclusions from a hazy night in English local elections |
| John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, last month predicted that the party was “on the edge of a significant victory” in Hillingdon, where the Tories gained four seats at the expense of Labour. | John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, last month predicted that the party was “on the edge of a significant victory” in Hillingdon, where the Tories gained four seats at the expense of Labour. |
| Corbyn supporters blamed the media for exaggerating their party’s chances of taking London boroughs. | Corbyn supporters blamed the media for exaggerating their party’s chances of taking London boroughs. |
| Shadow cabinet minister Richard Burgon insisted that Labour had enjoyed “a good night”, and blamed the press for building expectations. “We haven’t in living memory run Wandsworth. We haven’t in living memory run Westminster,” he said. | Shadow cabinet minister Richard Burgon insisted that Labour had enjoyed “a good night”, and blamed the press for building expectations. “We haven’t in living memory run Wandsworth. We haven’t in living memory run Westminster,” he said. |
| But some Labour figures claimed the grassroots campaign group Momentum should re-evaluate their campaign strategy, having run an “Unseat” campaign which sent hundreds of members to canvass in targeted boroughs. | But some Labour figures claimed the grassroots campaign group Momentum should re-evaluate their campaign strategy, having run an “Unseat” campaign which sent hundreds of members to canvass in targeted boroughs. |
| One shadow minister told the Guardian: “We will have to ask the question whether sending large groups of people, sometimes from outside an area, can actually antagonise voters instead of inspire them.” | One shadow minister told the Guardian: “We will have to ask the question whether sending large groups of people, sometimes from outside an area, can actually antagonise voters instead of inspire them.” |
| Speaking from the Midlands, where the Tories became the biggest party in Walsall and made gains in Dudley, Jess Phillips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley, said the party has to address issues of concern for white working-class voters in industrial areas who appear to have switched from Ukip to the Tories. | Speaking from the Midlands, where the Tories became the biggest party in Walsall and made gains in Dudley, Jess Phillips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley, said the party has to address issues of concern for white working-class voters in industrial areas who appear to have switched from Ukip to the Tories. |
| “Clearly [Labour] is not reaching out to these voters. Without feeling that we have to have dogwhistle racism on our side, we have got to go out and really listen to those people [who voted Ukip]. Disaffected council estate areas that have been really run down, we really need to be going in and not lecturing them on what is good for them but actually listening to them,” she said. | “Clearly [Labour] is not reaching out to these voters. Without feeling that we have to have dogwhistle racism on our side, we have got to go out and really listen to those people [who voted Ukip]. Disaffected council estate areas that have been really run down, we really need to be going in and not lecturing them on what is good for them but actually listening to them,” she said. |
| Corbyn critic Chuka Umunna called for an internal inquiry into the party’s campaign, warning that the results should have been better at this stage in the electoral cycle under a “divided and incompetent” government. | Corbyn critic Chuka Umunna called for an internal inquiry into the party’s campaign, warning that the results should have been better at this stage in the electoral cycle under a “divided and incompetent” government. |
| “We haven’t gone forwards and if we are looking to form an election-winning majority, we cannot be confident of that happening based on the results yesterday,” the Streatham MP told Radio 4’s World At One. | “We haven’t gone forwards and if we are looking to form an election-winning majority, we cannot be confident of that happening based on the results yesterday,” the Streatham MP told Radio 4’s World At One. |
| Concern over antisemitism allegations had “undeniably” been a factor in areas such as Barnet, he claimed. “We outperformed expectations at the general election last year, but the fact of the matter is that Labour didn’t win the general election,” he said. | Concern over antisemitism allegations had “undeniably” been a factor in areas such as Barnet, he claimed. “We outperformed expectations at the general election last year, but the fact of the matter is that Labour didn’t win the general election,” he said. |
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