Bouncing Back? Recovering From Seismic Political Defeat
| Published date | 01 September 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/20419058241282459 |
| Author | Paula Keaveney |
| Date | 01 September 2024 |
30POLITICAL INSIGHT•SEPTEMBER 2024
In July, the Conservative Party suffered
its worst-ever election defeat. The
seismic loss triggered a bout of
public soul-searching. Writing in
The
Guardian
, Tobias Ellwood, former MP for
Bournemouth East, admitted that the
Tories faced ‘a heavy task’ to return to
power. Ellwood, who lost his seat by more
than 5,000 votes, tried an optimistic note:
‘Labour was totally unelectable in 2019. Yet
it reinvented itself to secure a thumping
landslide in just one Parliament’. Many
other Conservatives, who remember the
long march from 1997 to 2010, could be
Bouncing Back?
Recovering From
Seismic Political Defeat
As British Conservatives consider their future in the wake of a
record-breaking loss, Paula Keaveney looks back at political history
to examine how – and if – a party can recover from major trauma.
forgiven for feeling less upbeat.
Right now, the Tories are doing what
defeated parties usually do. Internal
debate. Finger pointing. And, of course,
a leadership contest, due to end in early
November. But how can a party recover
from major trauma? How does it rediscover
purpose? Is recovery possible? Is recovery
even worthwhile?
After defeat
In UK politics, for major parties at least,
© Stuart Boulton / Alamy Stock Photo
Political Insight September 2024 BU.indd 30Political Insight September 2024 BU.indd 3021/08/2024 16:2321/08/2024 16:23
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