UK General Election, 2017 - Election Day and Results Thread

[politicallefty]

I'll admit for a long time I didn't think Corbyn was the right person to lead the Labour Party. I'm not afraid to admit when I'm wrong, but he's convinced me. And in this case, I'm glad I was wrong. It's not hard at all to see him winning the next general election (not a prediction at all, of course). I'm glad I didn't make any predictions because I fully expected the Tories to hold a slightly increased Majority Government. I also have to say that watching live coverage of the election (on Sky News) was very refreshing for this American.

I do have a question to someone more qualified. What explains the Conservative strength in the Cities of London & Westminster constituency? Apparently, it's highly educated and affluent with a majority of residents being foreign-born, but that's not unique to any particular London constituency. (I suppose, to a certain extent, my question extends to the Chelsea and Fulham constituency as well.) I have a hard time wrapping my mind around modern urban conservatism considering it's almost nonexistent in the US (in terms of voters as opposed to politicians).

[politicallefty]

It's really not surprising at all in the British context (if anything, what's shocking is to see Labour win seats like Kensington). Thank God we have a country where class politics is still a thing.

I know, but class was not a defining characteristic of this election. If anything, that distinction has apparently diminished significantly this election. I'm definitely aware of Kensington, as it was the last seat called with like a 20 vote majority or something like that. Most London constituencies have and continue to vote Labour. I'm just curious as to why such core London seats have such a strong Conservative vote. I don't want to be the one that compares everything to American politics (and I do apologize in advance for the comparison), but it seems like the equivalent of Lower Manhattan being a Republican stronghold. Is it really just that the affluent in that part of London votes heavily Conservative (although apparently with greatly diminished numbers)?

[politicallefty]

I mean, yes, it is. Al or another British poster can correct me if I'm wrong, but, but I really think it boils down to the fact that class is still, if not the, at least one of the defining factors of British political cleavages. It might have been a bit less true this time around (although Al actually suggested earlier that Labour actually made major gains in some working-class areas), but it's still way truer than it ever was in the US.

I don't discount anything you're saying and I'm not trying to offend you or anything, but I was and am hoping for a response for someone with more intimate knowledge of the area. On the previous page, it was shown that the class gap has narrowed from 72 points in 1987 to 15 points now.

If anything, what astonishes me right now, is that age gap. On the one hand, it makes be wonder what would have happened in this country had someone like Bernie led the party into a general election. On the other hand, Corbyn may have beat expectations, but he didn't win. He may indeed be the Prime Minister after the next election, but we'll see how everything goes in the meantime.

Well, part of the reason that the GOP is toxic to Manhattanians is their social conservatism, right? The Tories are not that socially conservative; a majority of their MPs voted in favour of gay marriage, for example. I think the DUP would be closer to the GOP in social issues.

That's a valid point. I know Tory MPs were very closely divided on gay marriage. The DUP doesn't really fit in American politics, but if it did, it would seem to me like some of the more conservatives from the South (as if the Deep South elected a slate of Representatives that supported the Union).