Labour is nostalgic for two-party politics. That cosy, simple time is over – let it go | John Harris
John Harris argues that the Labour Party's nostalgia for a two-party political system is misplaced as the UK has firmly entered a fragmented multiparty era. Recent polling and electoral trends indicate that no single party can secure a commanding majority, making cross-party cooperation an inevitable necessity for future governance. The author suggests that Labour leader Andy Burnham must abandon the desire to return to a simpler political past and instead adapt to the complex reality of modern British politics.
- ▪Recent YouGov polling places Labour at 23%, the Conservatives and Reform UK at 21%, the Greens at 14%, and the Liberal Democrats at 12%.
- ▪Electoral models predict a hung parliament with Labour holding only 241 seats, which would force the party into cross-party cooperation.
- ▪The author contends that the UK's complex society and economy have rendered the traditional two-party system obsolete despite the continued use of first-past-the-post voting.
- ▪Labour's conference slogan 'Hope Again' is criticized for reflecting an ingrained nostalgia for past electoral dominance rather than addressing current political fragmentation.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — Politics |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/27/labour-party-two-party-politics-reform-andy-burnham |
| Publication time | Sun, 27 Sep 2026 11:57:37 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-27T12:05:41.286Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-27T12:05:41.286Z |
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Andy Burnham travels on the new Royal Daffodil Mersey ferry on Saturday as the Labour party gathers in Liverpool for its annual conference. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenAndy Burnham travels on the new Royal Daffodil Mersey ferry on Saturday as the Labour party gathers in Liverpool for its annual conference. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesOpinionLabourLabour is nostalgic for two-party politics. That cosy, simple time is over – let it goJohn HarrisOur fragmented political model will endure for the foreseeable future – and Reform will benefit from it until Burnham learns that cooperation is keySun 27 Sep 2026 07.57 EDTLast modified on Sun 27 Sep 2026 07.58 EDTShareAs I wrote last week, whatever its current troubles, Reform UK has hardly…
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