Reviewing politics
and culture since 1913

Defeat and defection: Tories are down bad

The longer the Conservatives hang on, the worse it gets.


The longer the Conservatives hang on, the worse it gets. Last week Rishi Sunak lost 474 councillors, the constituency of Blackpool south, and Andy Street’s West Midlands mayoral. And yesterday things went from bad to worse for Sunak with a surprise defection to Labour from Natalie Elphicke MP for Dover and Deal.

The Conservatives can’t seem to escape this endless decline in support and popularity. So when did it all start to go wrong, and can they stop the train before it completely derails?

Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, is joined in the studio by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and George Eaton, senior editor.

Read: The Tory doomscroll


Submit a question for our weekly listener questions episode, “You Ask Us”

Subscribers to the New Statesman can listen ad-free in our app. Download it on iOS or Android.

Not a regular podcast listener? Read our guide on how to listen to New Statesman podcasts.

Treat yourself or a friend this Christmas to a New Statesman subscription from £1 per month

Content from our partners
Why Labour’s growth plan must empower UK retail investors
Housing to curate communities
Getting Britain's over-50s back to work