A failed gamble? How the Tory election campaign imploded

From the moment six weeks ago that Rishi Sunak announced the election in pouring rain outside 10 Downing Street, his campaign has faced a series of setbacks.
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From has seen the backlash triggered by his early return from a D-day commemoration, to a betting scandal in which a Conservative politician was discovered to have bet on the date of the election, the Guardian's political media editor, Jim Waterson, explains how the party's campaign fell apart and whether it stood a chance to begin with
Polls project a record swing to the Labour party, larger than in any previous postwar election. The Conservatives go into election day having lost more than half of their support, and polling more than 10 points below their worst ever previous result
What time will we know who won? Hour-by-hour guide to election night ► www.theguardian.com/politics/...
Ten things to watch as the UK general election results roll in ► www.theguardian.com/politics/...
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#politics #ukelection #generalelection #KeirtStarmer #RishiSunak #Labour #Conservative #ReformUK #LibDems #NigelFarage #EdDavey #GreenParty

[@guardiannews]

What time will we know who won? Hour-by-hour guide to election night ► www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/04/what-time-will-we-know-who-won-hour-by-hour-guide-election-night-2024 Ten things to watch as the UK general election results roll in ► www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/30/ten-things-to-watch-as-the-uk-general-election-results-roll-in

[@billyjo1148]

silly liberals with a silly understanding

[@toddb9313]

The whole point of this campaign was so Rishi Sunak was voted out and not thrown out by the party. He did not want that on his record.

[@donnabarchman7735]

😊

[@TheSuperPsychoKiller]

I think getting humiliated in a general election is worse than getting kicked out by the party.

[@ThePrinceOrtmayer]

​@@TheSuperPsychoKiller He sets fire to the house and walks out the front door with a smirk this way.

[@zam1007]

I can understand the reasoning for your thoughts Todd. But that fact remains that Sunackered is a loser. He wasn't chosen by the Party (truss was the chosen one) nor the country. He was just a placeholder. A token, a tick box excercise. He brought nothing to the table, stood for nothing and is a proven sell out (Johnson's pet Chancellor after Javid).

[@1258-Eckhart]

It did rather look as if the party was about to ditch him in favour of Penny Mordaunt. So he flicked the switch the moment before that could happen. We'll have to wait until probably Penny Mordaunt's memoirs. She had probably already been asked.

[@arseface2k934]

this election was rishi throwing in the towel. at some point he realised nothing will save the tories and he'd rather go back to his easy life with his endless millions in california.

[@Abraham-uk4xy]

That prediction is wrong. He said he will stay as MP in Yorkshire. He is young. I think he can make a comeback.

[@lepetitchat123]

​@@Abraham-uk4xy taking a step down is also a kind of throwing in the towel. Who needs this stress of being a PM when you have a billionaire wife?

[@aandwdabest]

@@lepetitchat123they are richer than the Queen. That says something.

[@petyrkowalski9887]

In the future, the tory campaign and 14 years of power will be taught in universities as a case study on how to get everything totally wrong.

[@BrianMartin-ph7pt]

Now do labour..

[@Budanevey]

​@@BrianMartin-ph7pt It'll only take Labour 14 weeks to get everything totally wrong...

[@BrianMartin-ph7pt]

@@Budanevey I would not give labour 14 hours..

[@snizami]

The future is too bleak for us to be sitting and studying anything.

[@kellypaws]

If we stay out of the EU and make such a complete fud of trying to be imperial Britain, we probably shan't be able to afford any universities.

[@monkeyboy8424]

I'll vote before I go to the food bank.

[@michaelrch]

Vote Green if you want to send a message to the incoming Labour government that you will not be taken for granted.

[@Chevy-jordan]

@@michaelrchLib Dem * green stand no chance

[@michaelrch]

@@Chevy-jordan they don't need to win seats to influence the Labour Party. Labour know that many people voting green are disaffected Labour voters. Just like the Tories knew that most UKIP voters in 2015 were disaffected Tory voters. UKIP got no seats but they did get Brexit. Labour have won because the right wing vote is split down the middle. You should vote for the party that most reflects your values. If you believe in taxing the rich, ending child poverty, reversing the crippling privatisation and defunding of the NHS and taking real action against the existential threat of climate change, vote Green. The Libdems are marginally better than Labour. The Greens are the real deal. You don't need to vote tactically. Vote freely. Vote your conscience.

[@SP-lw7mr]

Why don’t you get a job instead?

[@Dynasty1818]

Governments don't control rent, your mortgage which is a private loan, your car payments, food prices, energy prices, or your inability to balance your finances so you don't need a food bank. That's entirely your fault, accept it instead of lashing out.

[@Jonpoo1]

That first speech when it started raining really showed it was doomed. They couldn’t postpone it because so many had a bet on.

[@paulgibbon5991]

And nobody had an umbrella, apparently.

[@kanedNunable]

dont forget, they spend 20m on a new media briefing room that has never been used.

[@bigblue6917]

@@kanedNunable He wanted to look statesman like outside Number 10. Instead he just looked wet.

[@JallenMeodia]

@@kanedNunable It was £2.6Million, now I'm not saying that's not a lot of money and that it wasn't a total waste as I don't think it has been used since Covid briefings stopped, but it isn't £20 million.

[@danjames4086]

​@@JallenMeodia Sports Direct sell umbrellas for about a fiver.😂

[@simulationkoyo]

the lettuce was the best

[@mickmaphari6606]

Knock! Knock! Who's in there? Bazooka! Bazooka who? No, I mean Rocket! Rocket Lettuce! Lettuce out!

[@mrmeldrew693]

Done on purpose Sunak's ticket to California is already booked.

[@MiPointIs]

Agree why else did he donate £3million to a school in California after he donated £1million to his old school?

[@ArmourGX]

This was my thought too, he just wanted to get out of being the PM.

[@arghjayem]

@@ArmourGXyep, he served as PM- now he can sit back relax and maybe earn the odd half a million on the speaking circuit like Blair! 😂

[@MM-xr6tz]

I'd agree with that.

[@owenthomas5103]

he probably has a bet on himself losing.

[@cooley987]

Eu goes right, uk goes left. Its like a seesaw

[@MikeL-7]

The Labour Party is a centre right party that has ruthlessly purged its progressive members and embraced big business and US Imperialism so yeah, not really.

[@iche9373]

If the UK was still in the EU, the European Union would stay centrist.

[@diluteduk]

It's really funny watching Rishi at the moment. It's like he's stood on the deck of the Titanic, watching it sink, and saying that everything is fine.

[@daniel117100]

He’s worth half a billion he’s on the lifeboat already

[@lepetitchat123]

Everything is indeed fine for him😂

[@geofflepper3207]

​@@daniel117100 For half a billion a person can buy one heck of a lifeboat.

[@catalinacurio]

NHS dentists anyone?

[@BrianMartin-ph7pt]

There will be none under labour - but illegal immigrants will still get their on call 24/7 taxpayer funded doctors and dentists. VOTE REFORM!

[@user-ol6rd7pl5t]

They've all been deliberately underfunded to force everyone to go private.

[@rick7424]

​​@@BrianMartin-ph7pt ??? That did not even make sense

[@peterjones6640]

The slide downhill for the Conservatives really started when Cameron called the Brexit referendum. Cameron thought that would firstly appease the right wing of the Conservatives and that he would win a yes vote and could then put the problem to bed for the Conservatives. Instead it had the exact opposite affect.

[@marilynkick2956]

Yes because of 'Grey Money' in the background, and the European Reserch Group, we were all completely conned!

[@jeromefitzroy]

Worst gamble in history

[@user-ol6rd7pl5t]

Tax the greedy to help the needy.

[@ggunga7764]

Yes

[@iche9373]

And establish a wealth limit for the super rich class

[@SimonFrack]

Calling the shelf life of a lettuce an “era” is a bit of a stretch.

[@MrTonyHeath]

There are things at the back of my cupboard which would qualify.

[@geoffreylee5199]

After the distractions and lies of Brexit, no wonder the Labourites won. The Tories went further and further to the right. There isn’t a middle ground in UK politics, interesting to see the jump of support for LDPs. Your Reform party amounted to nothing, being right of the Tories, really.

[@kathleentanti4387]

Delighted that the Tories are out. Disgusting behaviour for 14 years of lining their own pockets and targeting the poor.

[@MrDavey2010]

Sunak will be packing for California this morning!

[@kacper-8847]

Last six weeks. More like last decade.

[@rishavganguly92]

14 years tbp.

[@sayedkhalilullahmonib3363]

I believe it’s not about campaign of Tory. It is all about failure of the past they did take UK out of Europe and also they had horrible leadership the combined of all those made Tory to lose. UK must join Europe back otherwise they will go down very drastically in few years

[@TC-th1ey]

The question is do Europe want the UK? Therefore any new deal will be much worse than arrangements in the past.

[@unaitxo]

Not in Starmer's lifetime [sic]

[@the_mastermage]

We will take you back, just you won't get your previous special exceptions. Basically you are getting the Euro as currency.

[@TC-th1ey]

@@the_mastermage No not the Euro, anything but the euro!

Time to help the working class

[@ggunga7764]

Big time

[@byromtaylor6482]

England is f - its too late the country has gone and nothing great about britain anymore

[@Simon-pg1bm]

If the working class cared about their situation they would vote TORY!

@@Simon-pg1bm insane comment are you captain one eye

[@ryanmcmahon2422]

THE WASTED MONEY ON TRACK AND TRACE, AND THE PPI SCANDAL, SHOULD BE MADE TO BE GIVEN BACK TO THE TAX PAYERS .

[@rrbh]

Track and trace is for parcel deliveries ! 37 billion pounds was wasted/ stolen on TEST and TRACE.

[@Budanevey]

@@ryanmcmahon2422 Labour wanted to spend more...

[@wandersonfrancisco8494]

I think the seed of Tories downfall started during the referendum campaign when David Cameron supported Britain to stay in the EU and Boris used the referendum to gain political power supporting Brexit. When Brexit won, an internal civil war started and the Tories became more concerned about individual power than a unified government party. I never voted for Labour, but I am now considering. Even though I don't think is a great option, it is the lesser evil, because at least they will not waste time fighting each other.

[@finnjay6149]

I've given up the "lesser evil". I'm voting for smaller parties that will actually benefit the working class, even if they won't win at least it shows that we won't stand for the Tories or Labour any more.

[@iche9373]

The Tories are coded to fail because they are Tories

[@thomHD]

The election was a very very minor gamble compared to the gambles of austerity and Brexit.

[@kal77uk]

Austerity is the Tory word, Labour started it in 2007...look who is in power again!!

[@thomHD]

@@kal77uk Tightening budgets in the context of a global financial crisis is very different to always-ideological cuts and post-Brexit malaise. If you're disatisfied with the levels of spending I hope you've voted Lib Dem.

[@mike-myke22]

Popcorn and beer tonight.

[@johnlock1605]

People are fed up with conservatives and Labour is offering nothing. Lets see what today brings.

[@brianconnor9988]

Ultimately, it’s the Tories that have really won because Labour is now Tory-lite in policy terms, e.g. no tax rises for the very rich, no rejoining the single market.

[@user-ol6rd7pl5t]

As long as it's not Reform I don't care.

[@daniel117100]

@@brianconnor9988if Labour just gave the workers what they want, less immigration, they wouldn’t have to pretend to not be socialists, but Londoners loath the working classes

[@MrTonyHeath]

Nothing? Wait and see.

[@martinholmes-ue9ko]

The Guardian- stating the obvious in a posh way, as always.

[@sciencelab7597]

I don’t think we’ve ever seen a campaign implode like this before. And it’s all self-inflicted. It’s quite shocking, really.

[@arthur1670]

No it did not, you make it out like it was working at the start 🤣🤣🤣

[@patmartin9727]

Boris has a lot to answer for. He was the ruination of the Conservative Party.

[@MiPointIs]

Labour’s six first steps 🌹Delivering economic stability. 🌹Cutting NHS waiting times. 🌹Launching a new Border Security Command. 🌹Setting up Great British Energy. 🌹Cracking down on antisocial behaviour. 🌹Recruiting 6,500 new teachers.

[@GG-hi5if]

1. Already there 2. Going down 3. Reorganising border force 4. No one has explained what it will do 5. London looks nice 6. Across a country of 70 million? Hahaha

[@bigblue6917]

@@GG-hi5ifYou torys are your imaginary world. Meanwhile in the real world people are waiting 18 months for appointments while 4 in 5 locums cannot get work. And before you try to counter what I wrote here this comes from personal experience not tory lies.

[@monkeychu420]

Reform

[@Sicario-Sunny]

@@GG-hi5if 🤣🤣🤣 delusional bot.

[@stevedavy2878]

@@monkeychu420 Just a word. The people behind it are just Tories with a new badge, not gerring fooled by that rebranding

[@SandraKindreich]

The last 14yrs have been chaotic

[@Steven_Rowe]

It wasn't a failure gamble, the Tories know full well they can't win. I would go so far as to say that Sunak knows he will loose his seat so he can bow out and fade into anonymity. If he does keep his seat he will step down an fall on his sword as leader. It was never out money as he is mega rich.

[@jontalbot1]

I am not sure Sunak believed he could win just there was no reason for him to think things would get any better.

[@SP-lw7mr]

Negative comments about Labours last term are being taken down by YT. Needless to say it was the beginning of the end. People have short memories.

[@herbetone]

Well said.

[@McCloudious]

Sunak really doesn't want to be there.

[@K0msur]

Nah, it wasn't a gamble. I personally think something was found out about Sunak or some senior Tory MPs that the party judged it couldn't survive (more partygate stuff? I couldn't say). Think about it: why would Sunak announce the election in the pouring rain with very little warning? It's not like the day he was announcing it was a nice, sunny day, and it just happened to start raining mid-speech; it was miserable all day. Sunak could have waited overnight. Either that or his party basically said "you have to do this now, or we're removing you tomorrow".

[@m0nopoly]

Population are sheep.

[@knightshade2654]

As an American, this election has been a great deal of fun to watch. I am a bit jealous of your parties' leaders compared to ours.

[@haroldwillrich8135]

Sunak reminds failed US governor Bobby Jindal never to be heard from again.

[@aleccap5946]

A new corner shop opens in Bradford by former PM 😂😂😂😂😂

[@thethirdman225]

I had this idea that Sunak saw Labour’s vote slightly decreasing, while Reform’s was going up, to the point where they were now almost on equal footing with the Tories. Not wanting to let Reform become the major Conservative Party and with a wish to save the furniture, I think he saw it as the least worst option. I don’t think anyone expected the betting scandal or the Reform canvassing debacle on ITV.

[@dot222able]

Sunak didn't want to win, he did everything he could to throw the fight. He deliberately handed power to Starmer. I feel rather uneasy about why he would do this.

[@billybatts8283]

When you look at everything certain Tories have done it's not a gamble if they work for the same people at the WEF as Starmer and Labour.

[@peterkirby2771]

Today is kick a Tory Day , we’ve been waiting 14 years to kick the Tories out . Vote Tactically

[@Dynasty1818]

In a month it'll be kick a Labour day as they're not going to improve a thing.

[@widecat1404]

​@@Dynasty1818at least they don't have as many active criminals as the Tories do

[@SirNigel60007]

We need Labour to deliver on their manifesto as many racist Labour voters drift to Reform

[@rad4924]

Not that I expect for even a moment that the Tories will win, surely you should wait until the polls close to post their eulogy? Surely this is some sort of breach of election rules.

[@trevellyanblack4101]

Catching most of his cabinet unawares, Sunak seems to have called the election unilaterally, displaying an incredible amount of incompetence. He could have limped on until the Autumn in the hope that the economy would improve, but more importantly, could have spent the summer preparing for a GE with his cabinet in the loop.

[@banditalley9592]

Don't count your chickens. It might not go as much in Labour's favour as the polls suggest - I hope I am wrong though

[@chinaman1]

I don't think it was a failed gamble. I think he just wanted to get out of No. 10 ASAP. Now the country is other people's problem.

[@gavinbarnes6310]

Does feel like it’s been 6 weeks already

[@Rick-xp5sy]

It’s over now, Labour have got what they wanted but it won’t end well, Europe is changing fast especially in France so Britain needs to sort out the economy and fast.

[@johannesnicolaas]

"Do those people have a death wish...??" stinging question, the best!1

[@xcoder1122]

Tories: We've always lied to you, we've done nothing to improve any situation, and we're completely incapable of running a country - hmmm.... I see no reason why people should not vote for us.

[@darkuser9992]

Am I the only person who saw the whole point of the election as a coup de grâce....rather than slow death

[@salakhadoos3544]

So it’s not abt a country that would rather vote another Caucasian but would never vote a -1st brown PM. It all comes down to skin Color, UK showed its absolute true colors, the country never wanted a brown PM. They’d rather rot with the labor party as it was our white. For all the gravy you can spout, if you look at the data from 2019 to now 2024, constituency to each other, the turnout #’s and how many abstained, well the country would always want to elect a white guy than a central conservative.

[@shaunblackford3282]

Lizz trust caused tbe tories along wirh boris johnson to lose to to labour

[@luke62k93]

Not 1 tory cared,no more now, unusual.

[@tinfoilslacks3750]

"Tories under fire after stating party's core values verbatim"

[@Justin-jh4ym]

RIshi had enough and is onto pastures new. He knows the UK is doomed.

[@notjustforhackers4252]

They refused to do what people voted for. End of conversation.

[@petercrane2065]

Nobody in the right mind would want to be on Starmers side

[@tflp1950]

This is such a pointless video, here are 3 big political things that have happened that everyone knows about. The end. No meaningful insight at all.

[@MikeL-7]

Big Society!

[@stephfoxwell4620]

It imploded four years ago. Two weeks to flatten the curve they said.

[@Caoimhin1909]

Never seemed to get off the ground. Don't think it imploded so much.

[@DangerAngelous]

Tories gotta up their meme game if they’re going to take on the mighty Nigel Farage

[@Red_Schuhart]

Mmm yes it definitely had nothing to do with policy, no way!

[@markgt894]

Give it 5 years, and Labour will be out

[@markgt894]

@Shaun-kh7ic KZbin really needs to remove all these bots

[@johnmunro4952]

2:30!! 100%!!

[@istherenofreename]

Let's rejoice in this final day of Tory rule - Things Can Only Get Better!

[@user-zc4yd9ss7h]

Thanks Rishi for doing the right thing and calling the election early. Brilliant decision.

[@JusticeGlobal]

Throw him out immediately. Wonder where all your money is gone? Triple rogue and corrupt folks will never deliver what's right.

[@Eyeswideopen100]

Why is anyone surprised at the status of the Tories, these jobsworth started a ear eith Russia for no reason and are been pummeled 😂

[@edshotsdotcodotuk]

Sunak has been tanking this on purpose so he can leave the UK and just work the circuit in America.

[@ghandi409]

Nobody would ever say it and the guardian and its readers would never admit it in a million years. But he lost due to racism.

[@bigblue6917]

Sunak's problem is that he is politically inept. He is what you get when you are promoted well passed his ability.

[@atfernando1]

They wanted to lose. I'm a bit worried about the why.

[@loneranger114]

That indian who was pm without an election was finally DISCARDED AND BUSTED ✌️✌️👍👏👍🤣🤣🤣

[@shaunblackford3282]

Pure respect to mr sunak the first ethnic man to run england he must hold his head up high his iq is second to none but his big mistake is rhat he should of made mrs patel his right hand side kick instead of a woman who had her own hidden agenders miss patel is the or should be the one to control the tories long live the king

[@anthonystar]

Yeah The People Have Spoken Call a snap election with no proven tenure and performance on record That's what u get even if u rich n privileged Sunak 😘😘

[@TheSinzy]

And still noone talks about elephant in the room - the war in Ukrain.

[@bakhithajoseph5999]

Gamble mean

[@macau.friend]

As someone more used to the US election system, I find it fascinating and even baffling that someone can just dissolve a parliament at will… and also that the election date is subject to such dissolution. Isn’t it just better to have a fixed term and a fixed election date to eliminate any uncertainty?

[@shankarbalakrishnan2360]

We human may be fascinating characters but why do we fail so much❤❤🎉🎉

[@informedchoice2249]

They were going to lose they knew they were going to lose so they just said what they thought would be the most appropriate things.

[@lyudmilakutsenko7045]

Are you allowed to publish about the election at the day of the elections?

[@J-wm4go]

The embargo only starts when the polls open

[@lyudmilakutsenko7045]

It is interesting how Keir Starmer became a DPP.

[@chesterbobs]

In my mind it was only broadcast tv/radio that were prevented. Could be wrong.

[@lyudmilakutsenko7045]

In such case, Labour party will pay on its own for the next elections.

[@rahuldahoob]

Apparently so!!

[@michaelrch]

Interesting to note how people on the left are expected to fall into line and vote Labour even though the party has dropped all its left policy. Meanwhile people on the right vote the way they want to and get Brexit or indeed a new party that actually represents their views. You don't have to like the right to notice that their political strategy actually works.

[@paulgibbon5991]

The voting public demonstrated with Corbyn that they don't want a leader who's overtly left-wing. The left has an unhealthy love for principled and heroic losers.

[@anthonystar]

👍👍✔✔😃😃

[@ks_ig2728]

Something something Labour something something

[@fpdhu]

Vote Reform! I want to be able to get a job and afford rent again...

[@extremegrieferbible]

And that's why you vote for Farage; the guy who lied to you about how great Brexit would be. Genius.

[@Martinbeef]

Sunak was such a fool.

[@englishstark6100]

The question is Why he called it knowing the fact that the Tories had no chance just doesn’t make sense but probably orders from WEF

[@Gerrygambone]

To the Bay City Rollers song ' Bye Bye Tories bye bye

[@virtualpilotflightsimulati645]

His got his prime minister pension it’s all he was after

[@harveysmith100]

In 14 years all those Tory MP's have gotten a lot richer whilst the majority of UK citizens have gotten poorer. In 49 days Liz Truss lost the UK economy 30 billion. That was our money. We have to pay more tax to fill that hole. Meanwhile she now picks up over £120'000 pension as an ex Prime Minister. 49 days work and she gets that every year for the rest of her life.

[@user-cn2uh1jy4e]

@@harveysmith100 Rishi has had 2years . Why do you give him a free pass?

[@harveysmith100]

@@user-cn2uh1jy4e My first line reads, "All the Tory MP's." That included Rishi who has made himself and his wife's family in India considerable richer.

[@cup1966wow]

I mean we need to pay more tax because of lockdown, Liz Truss thing is really just a blip and every economist says we fully recovered form that a few months after it. No long term affects. Lockdown is what caused huge amount of borrowing though.

[@harveysmith100]

@@cup1966wow Just a blip? 30 billion. Wow, that was some blip.

[@cup1966wow]

@@harveysmith100 I mean actually have a look where that £30 billion number comes from. £20 billion is associated with the tax changes, stamp duty and national insurance. The other £10 billion is an estimate on how much we would have to borrow in future. But it's purely an estimate. So for 2/3 of it you aren't paying for tax for because that's actually from the tax cuts.

[@AchyutChaudhary]

*I don’t understand…given the highly unpopular decision of Brexit & its consequences (with a majority willing to rejoin now) - why is the former ‘Brexit’ Party suddenly surging in the polls against the also rising EU support? 🤔*

[@kal77uk]

The Brexit negotiation was a Tory failure. Labour wont rejoin as it would mean going against their left leaning ways. The EU is a center right set up.

[@RiwenX]

Rashid Sanook.

[@Budanevey]

It imploded because tories stopped being tories and their voter bloc noticed...

[@anomite121]

what does that mean

[@Budanevey]

@@anomite121 The tories had an 80 seat majority to pass all sorts of tory policy. They passed none...

[@user-cn2uh1jy4e]

They become Labour lite.

[@Budanevey]

@@user-cn2uh1jy4e In the analysis tomorrow they'll probably come to the conclusion they should have gone further left...

[@michaelrch]

It failed because the ideology and policies doesn't work. Labour unfortunately have adopted the same ideology and policies so expect the failure to continue. Vote Green.

[@ChickityChicken]

Fools, its because Rishy knows whats coming in October WW🌳