GE24 voting behaviour: the rise of the independents

Further evidence of the fragmentation of the two party system

It's interesting to note the increasing divergence between politics in the USA and the UK. One way we can see a real difference between the two systems is with regards to party politics. In the US, there is an increasing polarisation in the party political system, with voters, and politicians moving further away from the centre ground, but binding more closely with the two main parties. In the UK, there is lots of evidence in recent years of the two party system collapsing. GE24 served to underline this. The Labour and Conservative parties received the lowest combined share of the vote in living memory, and there was widespread diffusion of votes to emerging parties. Furthermore, it used to the case that you could count the number of independent MPs on the finger of, well, no fingers. This year, five pro-Palestine independents managed to grab constituency victories. to effectively become the sixth biggest 'party' in the House of Commons. Who are they, and how did this happen?

Questions on the video:

1. How did Shockat Adam react to his unexpected victory as an independent MP?

2. What was the reaction of Jonathan Ashworth, a Labour candidate, when he realized he would not be part of the new government despite their landslide win?

3. Why have some former Labour supporters switched their allegiance to independent candidates like Shockat Adam?

4. What is the main issue that resonated with voters in this election, particularly in areas with large Muslim populations?

5. Despite the complexity of the Gaza issue, what does Shockat Adam believe he can realistically deliver for his constituents?

6. What message did Mr Adam's victory send to established political parties according to him?

7. Why do Labour activists feel that the party hierarchy ignored warnings about losing support from once loyal Muslim voters?

8. How did Adnan Hussain overturn a Labour majority in Blackburn and what does this result indicate for the new government?

9. What challenges did high-profile Labour MPs face in this election, such as Jess Phillips and Wes Streeting?

10. In Leicester, how did the election results reflect the complicated relationship between Labour and British South Asian communities?

Correct answers:

1. Shockat Adam reacted with shock and described it as "absolutely manic" after his startling victory.

2. Jonathan Ashworth looked on as his party won a landslide but knew he would not be part of the new government, becoming a high-profile political casualty.

3. Former Labour supporters switched their allegiance due to the stance of independent candidates like Shockat Adam on Palestine, which resonated with them.

4. The main issue that resonated with voters, especially in areas with large Muslim populations, was the candidates' stance on Palestine.

5. Despite the complexity of the Gaza issue, S Hussein Adam believes he can provide a voice for people who feel unheard rather than solving the crisis.

6. Mr Adam's victory sent a message that people are fed up with established parties and the binary narrative of Labour and Conservative being the only options.

7. Labour activists feel that the party hierarchy ignored warnings about losing support from once loyal Muslim voters, leading to electoral losses in urban areas.

8. Adnan Hussain overturned a Labour majority in Blackburn by just 132 votes, indicating potential problems for the new government regarding contentious issues like Palestine.

9. High-profile Labour MPs like Jess Phillips and Wes Streeting faced challenges in retaining their seats, with reduced majorities and allegations of harassment during campaigns.

10. In Leicester, the election results reflected the complicated relationship between Labour and British South Asian communities, with a predominantly Hindu area seeing a loss to the Conservatives.