The challenge for local Lib Dems, Labour and Greens is to ensure Compass is part of a wider electoral strategy for their parties, rather than become the dominant political strategy. On this evidence alone it appears Greens and Labour have no strategy beyond Compass and are incapable of winning seats in Waverley unless Lib Dems don’t contest them too.
Given the very narrow margin of defeat in this by-election, and that on any other given day they may well have taken the seat, the same cannot be said of the Lib Dems however, who at least demonstrate they have the potential to win local seats in a more crowded market.
Beyond this, Compass has wider challenges beyond the local, and informed by the national picture. It’s all well and good presenting a “progressive alliance” in face of a deeply regressive and unpopular Conservative administration, but the world is now very different following July 4th. How does Compass respond to a Labour government that is, and will increasingly be doing, unpopular things? How does it hang together if Lib Dems attack the Labour government from an economic liberal perspective? How does working with an increasingly Corbynite/authoritarian Green Party square with the current Labour and Lib Dem positioning?
Given the challenges for all parties in getting enough people to stand as candidates an element of the three parties not cancelling each other out in future Waverley wide elections still feels likely. However, at this juncture point, and when some leading Compass figures now appear free from party constraints, allying to Compass over party would be a mistake.
Well done Daniel by 11 votes!
Colin
The best candidate for the local community won.
The challenge for local Lib Dems, Labour and Greens is to ensure Compass is part of a wider electoral strategy for their parties, rather than become the dominant political strategy. On this evidence alone it appears Greens and Labour have no strategy beyond Compass and are incapable of winning seats in Waverley unless Lib Dems don’t contest them too.
Given the very narrow margin of defeat in this by-election, and that on any other given day they may well have taken the seat, the same cannot be said of the Lib Dems however, who at least demonstrate they have the potential to win local seats in a more crowded market.
Beyond this, Compass has wider challenges beyond the local, and informed by the national picture. It’s all well and good presenting a “progressive alliance” in face of a deeply regressive and unpopular Conservative administration, but the world is now very different following July 4th. How does Compass respond to a Labour government that is, and will increasingly be doing, unpopular things? How does it hang together if Lib Dems attack the Labour government from an economic liberal perspective? How does working with an increasingly Corbynite/authoritarian Green Party square with the current Labour and Lib Dem positioning?
Given the challenges for all parties in getting enough people to stand as candidates an element of the three parties not cancelling each other out in future Waverley wide elections still feels likely. However, at this juncture point, and when some leading Compass figures now appear free from party constraints, allying to Compass over party would be a mistake.