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Article: No strings attached
- Article from:
- New Statesman
- Article date:
- May 12, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright New Statesman Ltd. May 12, 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Stephen Brasher on why the notion of the faithful party voter is a thing of the past
Poor old Gordon Brown. Under his leadership, Labour's election results are the worst in maybe 40 years, the "core vote is in meltdown" and the "heartlands are in revolt". But he should try not to worry too much: it isn't all his fault. People like to think that areas of Britain are inherently Labour or Tory - and even the Lib Dems have long-term "strongholds" now. These ideas of political loyalty are often based on stereotypes of the "northern working man", the "Tory Home Counties banker" or the "Celtic fringe".
But many of these redoubts are now cracking in the face of Britain's increasing political ...