David Lammy said that in the 123 years since 1900, the Labor Party had won only eight times in 32 elections. Photo: Leon Neil/Getty Images
Labour must be “a little conservative” as the general election approaches, says David Lammy.
The Shadow Foreign Secretary said that despite its current lead in the polls , the party cannot get ahead of itself because the British electorate is “extremely volatile” and there are “many swing voters”.
Labour has consistently outperformed the Conservatives since late 2021, with a recent “poll of polls” showing that party about 18 votes. is several points ahead of the conservatives.
But Labor heavyweights such as Lammy remain cautious when discussing the party's prospects of forming a government at elections expected next year.
At the Cliveden Literary Festival on Saturday, he said: “The Labor Party must be guided by the fact that, on the whole, we are not the natural party to govern in this country.”
Mr Lammy told the audience that in the 123 years since 1900, his party had won just eight times by 32 elections, with only three leaders.
“That means we naturally have to be a little conservative in how we approach elections,” he added.
David Lammy's comments show that members of Sir Keir Starmer's inner circle are sensitive to any accusations of complacency. Photo: Labor Party
The Tottenham MP made his comments at a debate entitled “Time for a change: is Labour's electoral triumph inevitable?” organized by Martin Ivens, the former editor of the Sunday Times.
Mr Lammy warned the election was “unpredictable” at the moment and said “people haven't quite made up their minds yet.”
The comments show that members of Sir Keir Starmer's inner circle are sensitive to any accusations of complacency.
Mr Lammy's words also reflect a history of bitter disappointment as the Labor Party failed at the ballot box despite its the chances were discussed before the vote.
In the 2015 general elections, the party lost seats under Ed's leadership. Miliband, despite long leading in the polls during the coalition government.
And, as we know, in 1992, most polls in the run-up to election day predicted that Neil Kinnock's Labor Party would either become the largest party in a hung parliament, or will receive a slight majority, but John Major will win an unexpected victory.
David Lammy has criticized Jeremy Corbyn, saying he is “not sure” he is popular after losing elections in 2017 and 2019. Photo: Jordan Pettitte/PA
Today, Labor's nervousness about the strength of its leadership has led to a cautious approach to policy making.
For example, Sir Keir has refused to commit to ending the two-child benefit cap, while Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, has also watered down a £28 billion green investment plan to bolster the party's financial strength.
There are already early signs of narrowing in the polls, with a Deltapoll published last week showing the Tories have narrowed the gap between the parties from 24 points to 16 points in two weeks.
Labour's share overall has fallen, the poll found. up three points to 44 percent, while the Conservative share rose five points to 28 percent.
Elsewhere in his speech, Lammy criticized Jeremy Corbyn, with the former Labor Party leader saying he was “not confident” in his popularity because he lost in 2017 and 2019. “It's all about winning the election,” he said.
Earlier this month, Mr Lammy proposed strengthening ties between the UK and the EU through a foreign policy reset led by a future Labor government.
< p>Mr Lammy said it was time for Britain to reclaim its place as a key player in world affairs.
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