Well, that was a shock. A Conservative majority has been toppled, a resurgent Labour party led by a emboldened leader has risen with gusto – and the electoral map of Britain has been redrawn.
Progressives waking up this morning should be cheered. The number of MPs in parliament who oppose this hardline Tory government has increased, and our combined voices will be heard far louder in the next parliament.
But we face serious challenges too. This desperate Conservative government will reach out to the hardline DUP – a party that denies climate change, opposes abortion and is openly homophobic. Theresa May was right to warn about a “coalition of chaos” – her party is about to try to create one. And it’s a stark reminder of the inequity of our electoral system that the DUP will take 10 MPs to parliament with fewer than 300,000 votes, while my own party returns just one MP with over half a million.
Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen next, but here are the facts. Over 52% of people voted for Labour, Lib Dems, Greens, the SNP or Plaid Cymru. In numerical terms that’s a progressive majority, yet we’re facing the Tories strong-arming their way into Downing Street. Though the Tories look likely to ask the Queen for permission to form a government, they do so in an incredibly weak position – with a leader whose arrogant, negative campaign failed on its own terms.
Progressives need to be ready to offer something different – by agreeing to work together wherever possible and enable a Labour minority government if such an opportunity presents itself. The Lib Dems in particular cannot sit this one out – if they fail to countenance working with other progressives they will bolster the Tories.
I am proud to have been re-elected with an increased majority, and winning over half a million votes in the midst of an extreme two-party squeeze is not an insignificant achievement. Though I’m deeply sad not to be joined by other Green MPs, I am truly proud that we started this campaign by looking to work with others to best beat the Tories. It’s at times like these when stepping aside can be as brave a move as stepping forward. We brought issues forward in this campaign that others ignored: from the climate crisis to the positive case for free movement and a four-day working week. We looked to the future and offered a direct contrast with the Tories’ Little Britain.
So, what next? My first aim is to work with others to try our best to stop a lurch to the right from a Tory-DUP alliance. I’ll resist a Tory government, and vote against any Queen’s speech it proposes. If Labour puts forward its own Queen’s speech, then I’ll certainly be looking to influence it. I take my seat in parliament representing half a million people who voted to defend free movement, protect the environment and defend our public services – I will strain every sinew to make sure those their voices are heard.
Though the rising tide of rightwing politics was defeated last night, we cannot and should not claim this as an outright victory. Instead we must consider this as a turning point, and the beginning of something, not the end. The politics of this country has been utterly transformed in the past two years. What happens next is down to all of us.