Writing on LabourList Diane Abbott says Labour can’t “out-UKIP UKIP” on immigration to win back supporters who are switching to the purple people’s army, so they should do the opposite. Bear in mind that Jeremy Corbyn has appointed Abbott as Labour’s official spokesperson on immigration…
Her strategy is to win progressive pro-immigration voters back from the Greens, SNP and LibDems..
SNP and LibDem voters are closer to Labour supporters on immigration, much closer. (The Greens are not included in the chart below, but their supporters have a net 48 per cent favourable attitude to immigration). On this issue they are perhaps the closest to Labour supporters’ views. These are among the voters Labour should find it easier to win over, or win back.
One snag. There are not enough of these pro-immigration voters that could be peeled off from rival “progressive” parties to give Labour victory. She will however drive even more Labour voters to UKIP….
UPDATE: Michael Dugher has laid into Diane Abbott as being “wilfully naïve”:
“I’m sure Diane wishes to grow the Labour vote, rather than stick with the defeats of 2010 and 2015 or, worse, risk taking the party further backwards. But this ‘no compromise with the electorate’ attitude is the political equivalent of the charge of the Light Brigade and it can only bring disaster for Labour.”
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