It Wasn’t Because Labour Was Too Left
Gwydion M. Willliams
Below is the full list of seats lost by Labour in the 2019 general election, as given by ‘Labour List’.[A] I added the gains and losses from 2017. Also Labour gains compared to 2015, when the Labour Moderates were not challenging Austerity and Brexit was not a major issue.[B]
In many cases Labour got more votes in 2019 than they had in 2015. But in 2019, most of the Brexit vote went to the Tories.
| Seats | Leave | Remain | Tory Gain (%) | Labour Loss | 2017 gain from 2015 | Special Factors |
| Ashfield | 70.5% | -2.4 | 18.1 | 1.6 | “Ashfield Independents” 2nd | |
| Barrow and Furness | 57.3% | 4.8 | 8.2 | 5.2 | ||
| Bassetlaw | 68.3% | 11.9 | 24.9 | 3.9 | No UKIP / Brexit in 2017 | |
| Birmingham Northfield | 61.8% | 3.6 | 10.7 | 11.6 | ||
| Bishop Auckland | 60.9% | 6.8 | 12.1 | 6.7 | ||
| Blackpool South | 67.8% | 6.5 | 12.0 | 8.5 | ||
| Blyth Valley | 60.5% | 5.8 | 15.0 | 9.6 | ||
| Bolsover | 70.4% | 6.9 | 16.0 | 0.7 | ||
| Bolton North East | 58.1% | 3.2 | 6.1 | 7.7 | ||
| Bridgend | 50.3% | 3.3 | 10.3 | 13.6 | ||
| Burnley | 66.6% | 9.4 | 9.9 | 9.1 | ||
| Bury North | 53.7% | 1.8 | 7.6 | 12.5 | ||
| Bury South | 54.5% | 2.3 | 10.2 | 8.2 | ||
| Clwyd South | 59.9% | 5.6 | 9.4 | 13.5 | ||
| Coatbridge | 61.2% | -3.6 | 7.6 | 8.7 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Colne Valley | 50.1% | 2.2 | 7.7 | 12.8 | ||
| Crewe and Nantwich | 60.3% | 6.1 | 9.7 | 9.4 | ||
| Darlington | 58.1% | 4.8 | 10.1 | 7.7 | ||
| Delyn | 54.4% | 2.2 | 10.8 | 11.6 | ||
| Derby North | 54.3% | 0.8 | 8.7 | 11.9 | ||
| Dewsbury | 57.2% | 1.3 | 7.3 | 9.2 | ||
| Don Valley | 68.5% | 1.4 | 14.8 | 6.8 | Caroline Flint.[C] Anti-Corbyn and voted Leave. | |
| Dudley North | 71.4% | 16.6 | 14.9 | 4.7 | Previous MP quit Labour | |
| Durham North West | 55.1% | 7.5 | 13.3 | 6.0 | ||
| East Lothian | 64.6% | -6.6 | 3.1 | 5.5 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Gedling | 56.3% | 2.6 | 7.8 | 9.6 | ||
| Glasgow North East | 59.3% | -2.4 | 3.5 | 9.2 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Great Grimsby | 71.5% | 12.7 | 16.7 | 9.6 | ||
| Heywood and Middleton | 62.4% | 5.1 | 11.6 | 10.2 | ||
| High Peak | 50.6% | 0.5 | 4.9 | 14.4 | ||
| Hyndburn | 65.8% | 8.9 | 11.8 | 11.2 | ||
| Ipswich | 56.5% | 4.6 | 8.1 | 10.3 | ||
| Keighley | 53.3% | 2.0 | 2.6 | 8.4 | ||
| Kensington | 68.8% | -3.9 | 4.3 | 11.1 | Liberal-Democrat vote doubled | |
| Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | 56.7% | -3.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Leigh | 63.3% | 9.4 | 15.1 | 2.3 | ||
| Lincoln | 57.4% | 3.2 | 6.9 | 8.3 | ||
| Midlothian | 62.1% | -3.7 | 6.7 | 6.2 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 61.6% | 4.4 | 12.3 | 9.8 | ||
| Penistone and Stocksbridge | 60.7% | 4.7 | 12.5 | 3.8 | Previous MP quit Labour | |
| Peterborough | 61.3% | -0.1 | 6.7 | 12.5 | Ignoring a 2019 by-election | |
| Redcar | 67.7% | 12.8 | 18.1 | 11.6 | ||
| Rother Valley | 66.7% | 4.8 | 16.0 | 4.5 | ||
| Rutherglen and Hamilton West | 62.4% | -4.5 | 3.0 | 2.3 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Scunthorpe | 68.7% | 10.3 | 15.3 | 10.3 | ||
| Sedgefield | 59.4% | 8.4 | 17.1 | 6.2 | ||
| Stockton South | 57.8% | 3.8 | 7.4 | 11.5 | ||
| Stoke-on-Trent Central | 64.9% | 5.6 | 8.2 | 12.2 | ||
| Stoke-on-Trent North | 72.1% | 7.0 | 14.3 | 11.0 | ||
| Stroud | 54.1% | 2.0 | 4.9 | 9.3 | ||
| Vale of Clwyd | 56.6% | 2.3 | 8.7 | 11.9 | ||
| Wakefield | 62.8% | 2.3 | 9.9 | 9.4 | ||
| Warrington South | 51.1% | 1.3 | 6.1 | 9.3 | ||
| West Bromwich East | 68.2% | 8.5 | 16.7 | 7.8 | ||
| West Bromwich West | 68.7% | 10.9 | 12.5 | 4.7 | ||
| Wolverhampton North East | 67.7% | 11.4 | 13.0 | 6.7 | ||
| Wolverhampton South West | 54.4% | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.1 | ||
| Workington | 61.0% | 7.5 | 11.9 | 8.8 | ||
| Wrexham | 57.6% | 1.7 | 9.9 | 11.7 | ||
| Ynys Mon | 50.9% | 7.7 | 11.8 | 10.8 |
There were also some seats where Labour got more votes when losing in 2019 than they had when winning in 2015. It was in part the Tories getting Brexit or UKIP votes:
Except in Scotland, the bigger the Leave vote, the better for the Tories and the worse for Labour. The table below is sorted by Leave vote.
| Seats | Leave | Remain | Tory Gain (%) | Labour Loss | 2017 gain from 2015 | Special Factors |
| Stoke-on-Trent North | 72.1% | 7.0 | 14.3 | 11.0 | ||
| Great Grimsby | 71.5% | 12.7 | 16.7 | 9.6 | ||
| Dudley North | 71.4% | 16.6 | 14.9 | 4.7 | Previous MP quit Labour | |
| Ashfield | 70.5% | -2.4 | 18.1 | 1.6 | “Ashfield Independents” 2nd | |
| Bolsover | 70.4% | 6.9 | 16.0 | 0.7 | ||
| Scunthorpe | 68.7% | 10.3 | 15.3 | 10.3 | ||
| West Bromwich West | 68.7% | 10.9 | 12.5 | 4.7 | ||
| Don Valley | 68.5% | 1.4 | 14.8 | 6.8 | Caroline Flint. Anti-Corbyn and voted Leave. | |
| Bassetlaw | 68.3% | 11.9 | 24.9 | 3.9 | No UKIP / Brexit in 2017 | |
| West Bromwich East | 68.2% | 8.5 | 16.7 | 7.8 | ||
| Blackpool South | 67.8% | 6.5 | 12.0 | 8.5 | ||
| Redcar | 67.7% | 12.8 | 18.1 | 11.6 | ||
| Wolverhampton North East | 67.7% | 11.4 | 13.0 | 6.7 | ||
| Rother Valley | 66.7% | 4.8 | 16.0 | 4.5 | ||
| Burnley | 66.6% | 9.4 | 9.9 | 9.1 | ||
| Hyndburn | 65.8% | 8.9 | 11.8 | 11.2 | ||
| Stoke-on-Trent Central | 64.9% | 5.6 | 8.2 | 12.2 | ||
| Leigh | 63.3% | 9.4 | 15.1 | 2.3 | ||
| Wakefield | 62.8% | 2.3 | 9.9 | 9.4 | ||
| Heywood and Middleton | 62.4% | 5.1 | 11.6 | 10.2 | ||
| Birmingham Northfield | 61.8% | 3.6 | 10.7 | 11.6 | ||
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 61.6% | 4.4 | 12.3 | 9.8 | ||
| Peterborough | 61.3% | -0.1 | 6.7 | 12.5 | Ignoring a 2019 by-election | |
| Workington | 61.0% | 7.5 | 11.9 | 8.8 | ||
| Bishop Auckland | 60.9% | 6.8 | 12.1 | 6.7 | ||
| Penistone and Stocksbridge | 60.7% | 4.7 | 12.5 | 3.8 | Previous MP quit Labour | |
| Blyth Valley | 60.5% | 5.8 | 15.0 | 9.6 | ||
| Crewe and Nantwich | 60.3% | 6.1 | 9.7 | 9.4 | ||
| Clwyd South | 59.9% | 5.6 | 9.4 | 13.5 | ||
| Sedgefield | 59.4% | 8.4 | 17.1 | 6.2 | ||
| Bolton North East | 58.1% | 3.2 | 6.1 | 7.7 | ||
| Darlington | 58.1% | 4.8 | 10.1 | 7.7 | ||
| Stockton South | 57.8% | 3.8 | 7.4 | 11.5 | ||
| Wrexham | 57.6% | 1.7 | 9.9 | 11.7 | ||
| Lincoln | 57.4% | 3.2 | 6.9 | 8.3 | ||
| Barrow and Furness | 57.3% | 4.8 | 8.2 | 5.2 | ||
| Dewsbury | 57.2% | 1.3 | 7.3 | 9.2 | ||
| Vale of Clwyd | 56.6% | 2.3 | 8.7 | 11.9 | ||
| Ipswich | 56.5% | 4.6 | 8.1 | 10.3 | ||
| Gedling | 56.3% | 2.6 | 7.8 | 9.6 | ||
| Durham North West | 55.1% | 7.5 | 13.3 | 6.0 | ||
| Bury South | 54.5% | 2.3 | 10.2 | 8.2 | ||
| Delyn | 54.4% | 2.2 | 10.8 | 11.6 | ||
| Wolverhampton South West | 54.4% | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.1 | ||
| Derby North | 54.3% | 0.8 | 8.7 | 11.9 | ||
| Bury North | 53.7% | 1.8 | 7.6 | 12.5 | ||
| Keighley | 53.3% | 2.0 | 2.6 | 8.4 | ||
| Warrington South | 51.1% | 1.3 | 6.1 | 9.3 | ||
| Ynys Mon | 50.9% | 7.7 | 11.8 | 10.8 | ||
| High Peak | 50.6% | 0.5 | 4.9 | 14.4 | ||
| Bridgend | 50.3% | 3.3 | 10.3 | 13.6 | ||
| Colne Valley | 50.1% | 2.2 | 7.7 | 12.8 | ||
| Stroud | 54.1% | 2.0 | 4.9 | 9.3 | ||
| Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | 56.7% | -3.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Glasgow North East | 59.3% | -2.4 | 3.5 | 9.2 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Coatbridge | 61.2% | -3.6 | 7.6 | 8.7 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Midlothian | 62.1% | -3.7 | 6.7 | 6.2 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Rutherglen and Hamilton West | 62.4% | -4.5 | 3.0 | 2.3 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| East Lothian | 64.6% | -6.6 | 3.1 | 5.5 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Kensington | 68.8% | -3.9 | 4.3 | 11.1 | Liberal-Democrat vote doubled |
You get the same picture if you sort by the severity of Labour loss.
| Seats | Leave | Remain | Tory Gain (%) | Labour Loss | 2017 gain from 2015 | Special Factors |
| Bassetlaw | 68.3% | 11.9 | 24.9 | 3.9 | No UKIP / Brexit in 2017 | |
| Ashfield | 70.5% | -2.4 | 18.1 | 1.6 | “Ashfield Independents” 2nd | |
| Redcar | 67.7% | 12.8 | 18.1 | 11.6 | ||
| Sedgefield | 59.4% | 8.4 | 17.1 | 6.2 | ||
| Great Grimsby | 71.5% | 12.7 | 16.7 | 9.6 | ||
| West Bromwich East | 68.2% | 8.5 | 16.7 | 7.8 | ||
| Bolsover | 70.4% | 6.9 | 16.0 | 0.7 | ||
| Rother Valley | 66.7% | 4.8 | 16.0 | 4.5 | ||
| Scunthorpe | 68.7% | 10.3 | 15.3 | 10.3 | ||
| Leigh | 63.3% | 9.4 | 15.1 | 2.3 | ||
| Blyth Valley | 60.5% | 5.8 | 15.0 | 9.6 | ||
| Dudley North | 71.4% | 16.6 | 14.9 | 4.7 | Previous MP quit Labour | |
| Don Valley | 68.5% | 1.4 | 14.8 | 6.8 | Caroline Flint. Anti-Corbyn and voted Leave. | |
| Stoke-on-Trent North | 72.1% | 7.0 | 14.3 | 11.0 | ||
| Durham North West | 55.1% | 7.5 | 13.3 | 6.0 | ||
| Wolverhampton North East | 67.7% | 11.4 | 13.0 | 6.7 | ||
| Penistone and Stocksbridge | 60.7% | 4.7 | 12.5 | 3.8 | Previous MP quit Labour | |
| West Bromwich West | 68.7% | 10.9 | 12.5 | 4.7 | ||
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 61.6% | 4.4 | 12.3 | 9.8 | ||
| Bishop Auckland | 60.9% | 6.8 | 12.1 | 6.7 | ||
| Blackpool South | 67.8% | 6.5 | 12.0 | 8.5 | ||
| Workington | 61.0% | 7.5 | 11.9 | 8.8 | ||
| Hyndburn | 65.8% | 8.9 | 11.8 | 11.2 | ||
| Ynys Mon | 50.9% | 7.7 | 11.8 | 10.8 | ||
| Heywood and Middleton | 62.4% | 5.1 | 11.6 | 10.2 | ||
| Delyn | 54.4% | 2.2 | 10.8 | 11.6 | ||
| Birmingham Northfield | 61.8% | 3.6 | 10.7 | 11.6 | ||
| Bridgend | 50.3% | 3.3 | 10.3 | 13.6 | ||
| Bury South | 54.5% | 2.3 | 10.2 | 8.2 | ||
| Darlington | 58.1% | 4.8 | 10.1 | 7.7 | ||
| Burnley | 66.6% | 9.4 | 9.9 | 9.1 | ||
| Wakefield | 62.8% | 2.3 | 9.9 | 9.4 | ||
| Wrexham | 57.6% | 1.7 | 9.9 | 11.7 | ||
| Crewe and Nantwich | 60.3% | 6.1 | 9.7 | 9.4 | ||
| Clwyd South | 59.9% | 5.6 | 9.4 | 13.5 | ||
| Derby North | 54.3% | 0.8 | 8.7 | 11.9 | ||
| Vale of Clwyd | 56.6% | 2.3 | 8.7 | 11.9 | ||
| Barrow and Furness | 57.3% | 4.8 | 8.2 | 5.2 | ||
| Stoke-on-Trent Central | 64.9% | 5.6 | 8.2 | 12.2 | ||
| Ipswich | 56.5% | 4.6 | 8.1 | 10.3 | ||
| Gedling | 56.3% | 2.6 | 7.8 | 9.6 | ||
| Colne Valley | 50.1% | 2.2 | 7.7 | 12.8 | ||
| Bury North | 53.7% | 1.8 | 7.6 | 12.5 | ||
| Coatbridge | 61.2% | -3.6 | 7.6 | 8.7 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Stockton South | 57.8% | 3.8 | 7.4 | 11.5 | ||
| Dewsbury | 57.2% | 1.3 | 7.3 | 9.2 | ||
| Lincoln | 57.4% | 3.2 | 6.9 | 8.3 | ||
| Midlothian | 62.1% | -3.7 | 6.7 | 6.2 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Peterborough | 61.3% | -0.1 | 6.7 | 12.5 | Ignoring a 2019 by-election | |
| Bolton North East | 58.1% | 3.2 | 6.1 | 7.7 | ||
| Warrington South | 51.1% | 1.3 | 6.1 | 9.3 | ||
| Wolverhampton South West | 54.4% | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.1 | ||
| High Peak | 50.6% | 0.5 | 4.9 | 14.4 | ||
| Stroud | 54.1% | 2.0 | 4.9 | 9.3 | ||
| Kensington | 68.8% | -3.9 | 4.3 | 11.1 | Liberal-Democrat vote doubled | |
| Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | 56.7% | -3.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Glasgow North East | 59.3% | -2.4 | 3.5 | 9.2 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| East Lothian | 64.6% | -6.6 | 3.1 | 5.5 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Rutherglen and Hamilton West | 62.4% | -4.5 | 3.0 | 2.3 | Scottish Nationalist gain | |
| Keighley | 53.3% | 2.0 | 2.6 | 8.4 |
The media want Labour to do a panicky retreat from all of its socialist policies. Not really justified by the facts.
[A] https://labourlist.org/2019/12/the-60-seats-labour-lost-in-the-2019-general-election/
[B] Voting percentages from the Wikipedia entry for the seat.
Labour Affairs Magazine 