John McDonnell says he is to blame for Labour's "catastrophic" loss in Thursday's election, saying he "owns this disaster". The shadow chancellor apologised for "not being able to articulate" the party's campaign message ahead of the poll, which saw Labour lose 59 seats.But he also blamed the "media portrayal" of current leader Jeremy Corbyn for the losses.Both he and Mr Corbyn have said they will stand down early next year.Labour suffered its worst election result since 1935 and saw its vote share fall by eight points, while the Conservatives won a Commons majority of 80 - the party's biggest election win for 30 years - sweeping aside Labour in its traditional heartlands.Mr Corbyn apologised to Labour supporters in two articles in the Sunday papers, calling it a "body blow for everyone who so desperately needs real change in our country".He said he was "sorry that we came up short and I take my responsibility for it", but insisted he remained "proud" of the party's campaign. … [Read more...] about General election 2019: John McDonnell sorry for ‘catastrophic’ election result
Labour election wins
Boris Johnson goes north to celebrate crushing election win
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged Saturday to repay the trust of voters in the working-class hearland of northern England who rejected the Labour Party and helped give him an 80-seat majority at this week's election. Speaking to cheering supporters at a cricket club in Sedgefield — the constituency once held by Labour former prime minister Tony Blair — Johnson acknowledged the seismic shift that helped sweep him to victory in Thursday's election. "I know that people may have been breaking the voting habits of generations to vote for us," he told supporters. "And I want the people of the northeast to know that we in the Conservative Party and I will repay your trust." In a victory speech outside 10 Downing Street on Friday, Johnson called for an end to the acrimony that has festered throughout the country since the divisive 2016 Brexit referendum, and urged Britain to "let the healing begin." Johnson's campaign mantra to "get Brexit done'' and … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson goes north to celebrate crushing election win
General election 2019: Welsh MP tells Tories to repay voters’ faith
A senior Welsh Conservative MP says the party needs to "repay that faith" shown by voters in north Wales who helped Boris Johnson win a big majority.David Jones said there was "a huge amount of resentment" in north Wales of a Labour Welsh Government which he claimed had not delivered for people. The Clwyd West MP said the shared prosperity fund to replace EU grants should be run by Westminster.Ex-Plaid Cymru leader Lord Wigley said the wrong priorities would be backed. The Conservatives gained six seats from Labour in Thursday's election, five of them in north Wales.Mr Jones, a former Welsh secretary and Brexit minister, told Sunday Supplement on BBC Radio Wales voters in traditional Labour strongholds had turned their backs on the party. "The poison of the coalmine closures and what happened in the immediate post-industrial period is now ebbing away," he said. "People in Wales look at Cardiff and see a remote Welsh Assembly Government that has not really delivered for them in north … [Read more...] about General election 2019: Welsh MP tells Tories to repay voters’ faith
General election 2019: Let the Labour leadership battle commence
Brave infantrymen in the muddy trenches of the Great War would hurl themselves onto the barbed wire to allow their comrades to march over their backs and advance towards the guns of the enemy. Can you imagine doing that? No, me neither.It's maybe no easier to see why there's already a line of Labour politicians preparing to join the battle to succeed Jeremy Corbyn. Boris Johnson's 80-strong House of Commons majority by any normal standard could be big enough to repel Labour's next advance in five years. It's reasonable to imagine that another leader could come and go before Labour recaptures the territory it has lost, assuming it ever does. Whoever wins the coming leadership contest will first have to triumph in the struggle to map Labour's course through the field of battle; to decide how deep a shade of red the party's battle flag should be (just to torture the metaphor a little more). Labour leadership takes blame over election result Corbyn 'sorry' over Labour's heavy election … [Read more...] about General election 2019: Let the Labour leadership battle commence
Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis explains who you should vote for in general election
Who wins this week's general election could have a massive impact on how much money is in your pocket. From when and how Brexit happens to manifesto pledges about free broadband for all, a lot of cash could be at stake. Here, financial expert Martin Lewis explains how to decide which party you should vote for depending on your priorities. The Money Saving Expert founder said: "It's the biggest consumer decision most will make this year. "Who governs impacts the money in your and everyone else's pockets - never mind the fact it can change the whole flavour of our society. "Unless you're a party loyalist, the decision isn't easy - you need to factor in Brexit, your local candidates, party policies and their leaders. "This time the choice is more stark than I can remember - with huge waters between the parties." Here are his tips for making that all-important decision... Find out which parties' policies match your views A few clever tools, that attempt to be independent, can help. … [Read more...] about Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis explains who you should vote for in general election
