Mike Wright

TL;DR: Reform have reached a decisive tipping point where FPTP is has heavily favoured them in a way only Labour and the Tories have seen before.

Also, in electoral terms, FPTP is your best friend… until it’s your worst enemy.

We compared this year’s locals to 2013, when UKIP hit its high watermark in equivalent council elections.

Then the Tories enjoyed a more than 10-point winner's bonus, with Labour getting a 2.9-point one.

This compares to UKIP suffering the heaviest penalty, -13 points

The Conservatives are now also faring roughly similar to the Greens under FPTP, suffering a -3.5-point penalty to the Green’s -4 points.

Interestingly, Labour, who received a massive winner’s bonus at the general election, suffered the heaviest penalty at the locals, 8-points, with their almost 14% of the vote yielding just 5% of council seats.

FPTP tends to give parties who come top, even by a marginal amount, a ‘winner’s bonus’.

So on May 1st, Reform got an almost 10-point bonus, meaning they received 40% of the council seats available on just 30% of the vote.

Here’s a full rundown

Farage's Reform UK reached a 'tipping point' - and it's worrying news for Labour Analysis of the local election results by the Electoral Reform Society shows Reform getting an almost 10-percentage point 'winner's bonus' in their haul of council seats last Thursday compared to thei...

Latest @electoralreform.bsky.social analysis shows these local elections were the first time in modern political history that the First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system has favoured/boosted a party other than Labour or the Conservatives

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

South Korean presidential version of dismantling a Corby trouser press

Then had to explain to a baffled family from Colorado the backstory and that while Elgin had a rationale, the whole ‘Ottoman’s aren’t diligent custodians of the Parthenon’ pretext had probably expired. Esp now the Athenians have built one of the greatest museums in Europe just for the frieze.

Went to Athens for the first time this summer and when I did the tour of the Acropolis, the guide started by asking us where we all came from. My stomach knotted.

When she got to me I said the UK, prompting stoney silence that was only eased by promising ‘not to take anything’ while up there.

The UK would also look confident and magnanimous rather than petty, which is how us clinging to the marbles comes across internationally. Would be smart politics and diplomacy, as well as the right thing to do.

Was in Athens for the first time this summer and the strength of feeling over there quickly comes over. If we handed the marbles back, there would be a real outpouring of joy and we could easily work a deal where Greece happily loaned us some of their incredible antiquities in return.

Progress made on returning Elgin Marbles, Greece claims The comments came before a meeting between Sir Keir Starmer and the Greek prime minister, but No 10 said the topic of the marbles is not on the agenda

Such a daft row here over the marbles, we will give them back at some point. Question is when and how.

Having a portion of the Parthenon Marbles here makes as much sense as tearing off a quarter of the Mona Lisa and showing it in the Tate.

Think this is a stress dream I had once

Been following the campaign, one obvious difference to our GE is there has been a much more detailed and robust debate over policy. Three big parties have had to really duke it out and make strong offers.

Stands in contrast to Labour’s minimalist manifesto and paltry debate here.

Irish general election: exit poll reveals race too close to call Sinn Fein holds narrow lead over rivals while the ‘Godfather’ and a host of independents threaten to steal in

Fascinated by how little coverage there has been of the Irish election so far. The only country we share a land border with and if Sinn Fein top the poll or make it into govt it has profound implications for the UK.

Main interest has been that an ex-gangster is standing as an indie…

First night of conference season just feels like a leaving do for my circadian rhythm.

The strongest foundation for any legislature (primary or revising etc) is that its members are chosen by and accountable to the people who live under the laws it makes.
Change my mind...

Then there's this classic: the hope reform won’t happen, not because it isn't much-needed and long, long overdue, but because it’s hard.

Tbf, is partly the reason the UK is still a democracy that has people legislating by birthright in the 21st century.

Enjoyed argument that hereditary legislators are a counter balance to having a chamber almost completely chosen through political patronage (i.e. how friendly you are with a Prime Minister).

Or maybe we could just have some form of democratic chamber?

The absurdity of the situation really hits you when you read it in black and white

The last of the Lords Britain’s new leader Keir Starmer is determined to reform the archaic House of Lords — but it could come with a hidden price.

Really good read from Politico on the impending battle over Lords reform and the move to scrap the 92 hereditary peers. The UK being a country that still appoints legislators by birthright in 2024...

A couple of highlights:

www.politico.eu/article/the-...

Colleagues also sharing A level results day stories. Moral of the story seems to be that it’s best to underachieve, have an existential scare then massively overcorrect for the next few decades by becoming far more successful than your peers who got better grades.

Just learned a research colleague did javelin for A level (not an option I was aware of). Interesting data point.

Why didn’t they just call it Twitter, name’s going…