Research identifies 15 ‘tragedy councils’ where opposition parties ‘need to work together to get the Tories out’
Progressive parties have been called upon to build an alliance in order to oust the Tories in the upcoming May elections, after new research revealed an overwhelming number of Tory-run councils won on less than 50% of the vote in the last elections.
Labour’s lead in the polls should not lull voters into a “false sense of security”, the political pressure group Compass has warned, after research by the organisation found that 83% of Tory majority-run councils up for re-election in May were won on a minority share of the vote when last contested.
Due to the First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system, the Tories were able to win 15 out of 18 councils with less than 50% of the vote at the last elections. Meaning more than half of voters voted for other parties, however the Conservative party still won a majority.
These councils have been called ‘tragedy councils’ by Compass, which has called on Labour, Greens and Lib Dems in these 15 key councils to work together in order to push the Tories out of power in the upcoming local elections.
Compass said the current “crooked” voting system can punish progressive parties whilst benefiting the Conservative vote on a minority share. Research showed the Conservatives won on average 60% of the seats on the 15 ‘tragedy councils’, with just 46% of popular vote.
Election analysis has predicted the Conservative Party could lose 500 council seats in the May 2 elections, when millions of voters cast their ballots and 107 councils face re-election. But the ‘democratic deficit’ suggested by the new research has led to the call for greater political cooperation.
A Compass spokesperson said: “At the local elections last year, voters went to the ballot box with one clear priority: getting the Tories out. Even though party HQs refused to openly endorse electoral pacts and cross-party working, progressive voters showed they were one step ahead.
“At these next elections progressive candidates should stand where they are best placed to win and activists should go to their nearest marginal ward – that way we get the Tories out of councils now and send a signal that cooperation is the future of British politics.”
The 15 ‘tragedy councils’:
- North East Lincolnshire
- Thurrock
- Basildon
- Epping Forest
- Harlow
- Rushmoor
- Havant
- Reigate and Banstead
- Adur
- Dorset
- Gloucester
- Walsall
- Solihull
- Dudley
- Redditch
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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