Rural and coastal communities need convincing that the Government can deliver for them
The Government has at best underwhelmed and at worst alienated large parts of the electorate. Labour was elected on a manifesto of change and in many instances people see a continuation of the same or in some cases the situation has deteriorated.
The cost of living crisis continues to weigh on households, immigration is out of control and the health of the NHS remains a going concern.
Labour’s victory at the previous General Election was astonishing not just for the size of the landslide but also for the diversity of seats it won. But with that comes a responsibility on the Government to deliver a broad electorate. Otherwise its majority will disappear in a blink.
Polling from the Fabian Society shows that for rural and coastal voters immigration is the biggest issue and they now believe Nigel Farage would be a better Prime Minister than Sir Keir Starmer.
It highlights two things. One is that the Prime Minister needs to do a better job of connecting with the electorate. The other is that immigration is an issue that needs to be tackled head on.
There has been a lot of tinkering around the edges but even if it does deliver marginal improvements, the public will not be convinced by Labour of this issue.
It would be churlish to say that Labour has no achievements to shout about in its first year in Government.
The polling by the Fabian Society found that the top three achievements listed by voters in rural areas were the creation of an extra five million NHS appointments, the announcement of improved employment rights for workers and the beginning of bringing the railways into public ownership.
More worryingly for this Government was the fact that 39 per cent said there were no significant achievements. That is why Labour needs a reset.