Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Find out how to listen to other BBC stations

Episode details

Radio 4,15 Jun 2017,28 mins

Labour's Election Result: A Successful Failure?

The Briefing Room

Available for over a year

The election was supposed to be a disaster for Jeremy Corbyn - but wasn't. How did Labour turn around its fortunes? Despite coming second and falling 64 seats short of an overall majority, the Labour party increased its share of the vote by nearly ten per cent. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are in crisis and the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister is now being seriously contemplated by people who described him as un-electable just eight weeks ago. David Aaronovitch speaks to leading experts in political history, psephology (the study of elections) and media analysis to understand who voted Labour and why. They explore the influence of changing voter demographics, party leadership, Brexit and social media and asks whether we should view Labour's performance as a success or a failure?

Programme Website
More episodes