Description
How do you start an electoral earthquake? Head to the Red Wall and you might just find out. Covering some sixty seats stretching from the Midlands up to the north of England and across to Wales, the wall is constructed of the old coal, steel and manufacturing constituencies that were the bedrock of Labour victories for years. Assumed to be a stuck-in-their-ways, loyal-to-a-fault foundation for Labour, the Red Wallers changed all that on 12 December 2019 when they elected Boris Johnson, turning their constituencies blue. Here, renowned pollster and commentator Deborah Mattinson takes the issue by the horns, asking why these proudly working-class voters were tempted by the 'posh party' and questioning if they will ever again make their way back to the Labour fold. With brand-new research, including expansive interviews with Red Wall constituents, Mattinson guides us through the lives of the left-behind, finally giving them the opportunity to speak for themselves. Written at one of the most turbulent periods in modern memory, this is a timely, far-reaching analysis of how we got to this point and where we can go next. One thing is certain: the Red Wallers have the power to change history.
About the Author
The last general election saw the Conservatives win their highest vote share in forty years, while Labour slumped to their lowest seat total since 1935. At the heart of this electoral earthquake was the so-called 'Red Wall', some sixty seats stretching from the Midlands up to the north of England. Working-class voters in these old coal, steel and manufacturing constituencies had been the bedrock of past Labour victories, but all that changed on 12 December 2019 when Boris Johnson turned the Red Wall blue. Who are the Red Wall voters and why did they forgo their long-standing party loyalties? Did they simply lend their votes to Johnson to get Brexit done - or will he be able to win them over more permanently? And as the Labour Party licks its wounds, how were those votes thrown away and what, if anything, can be done to win them back? And how will the pandemic and the government's reaction to it change the voter's outlook on party politics in the future? Will everything be the same after it has passed? This book sets out to answer those questions by putting them to the people who will decide the next election. Deborah Mattinson, pollster and strategist, veteran of nine elections, uses a programme of focus groups and in-home ethnographic interviews in seats such as Workington, Don Valley and Redcar to build a vivid portrait of Red Wall voters. She identifies their likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, values and attitudes, where politics fits into their lives and what kind of Britain they want for themselves and their families.
Reviews
"In this devastating new assessment of the fall of Labour's Red Wall, Deborah Mattinson unpicks our most recent history with deftness, clarity and piercing awareness. Matching engaging description with immense research and, above all, convincing argument, she finally gives voice to the 'long forgotten', definitively reporting how the Red Wall turned blue." - Ayesha Hazarika "Deborah Mattinson has long been a shrewd and sympathetic analyst of voters and their motivations. Rich with real voices, Beyond the Red Wall is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what drove so many in Labour's heartlands to desert the party in 2019 - and what it might take to win them back." - Heather Stewart "While others theorise about why lifelong Labour voters in the Red Wall seats switched to the Tories in such vast numbers, Deborah Mattinson takes the radical approach of going to ask them. What they said is frank, forthright and fascinating. This calm, compelling account by someone who has seen Labour at its best and worst reveals the real people behind the polls. It will make for difficult reading for both parties, but after years of neglect they expect to be heard - and no party can expect to win without listening." - Matt Chorley "Politics is always personal. The conversations here bring to life the changing mood among the individuals who gradually lost faith in Labour and granted the Tories a thumping majority. The warning to all politicians - voters don't belong to you." - Laura Kuenssberg, political editor, BBC "A meticulously researched, frank and thoughtful guide to the United Kingdom's new swing voters, what drives them and what that means for our politics." - tephen Bush, political editor, New Statesman "Deborah Mattinson brilliantly deconstructs the Red Wall, brick by brick, using her own research and expertise, helping us to understand this overlooked group and what makes it tick. For our leaders, learning the lessons of Beyond the Red Wall will be key to whoever wins the next general election." - Christopher Hope, Daily Telegraph
Book Information
ISBN 9781785906046
Author Deborah Mattinson
Format Hardback
Page Count 352
Imprint Biteback Publishing
Publisher Biteback Publishing
About the Author
The last general election saw the Conservatives win their highest vote share in forty years, while Labour slumped to their lowest seat total since 1935. At the heart of this electoral earthquake was the so-called 'Red Wall', some sixty seats stretching from the Midlands up to the north of England. Working-class voters in these old coal, steel and manufacturing constituencies had been the bedrock of past Labour victories, but all that changed on 12 December 2019 when Boris Johnson turned the Red Wall blue. Who are the Red Wall voters and why did they forgo their long-standing party loyalties? Did they simply lend their votes to Johnson to get Brexit done - or will he be able to win them over more permanently? And as the Labour Party licks its wounds, how were those votes thrown away and what, if anything, can be done to win them back? And how will the pandemic and the government's reaction to it change the voter's outlook on party politics in the future? Will everything be the same after it has passed? This book sets out to answer those questions by putting them to the people who will decide the next election. Deborah Mattinson, pollster and strategist, veteran of nine elections, uses a programme of focus groups and in-home ethnographic interviews in seats such as Workington, Don Valley and Redcar to build a vivid portrait of Red Wall voters. She identifies their likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, values and attitudes, where politics fits into their lives and what kind of Britain they want for themselves and their families.
Reviews
"In this devastating new assessment of the fall of Labour's Red Wall, Deborah Mattinson unpicks our most recent history with deftness, clarity and piercing awareness. Matching engaging description with immense research and, above all, convincing argument, she finally gives voice to the 'long forgotten', definitively reporting how the Red Wall turned blue." - Ayesha Hazarika "Deborah Mattinson has long been a shrewd and sympathetic analyst of voters and their motivations. Rich with real voices, Beyond the Red Wall is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what drove so many in Labour's heartlands to desert the party in 2019 - and what it might take to win them back." - Heather Stewart "While others theorise about why lifelong Labour voters in the Red Wall seats switched to the Tories in such vast numbers, Deborah Mattinson takes the radical approach of going to ask them. What they said is frank, forthright and fascinating. This calm, compelling account by someone who has seen Labour at its best and worst reveals the real people behind the polls. It will make for difficult reading for both parties, but after years of neglect they expect to be heard - and no party can expect to win without listening." - Matt Chorley "Politics is always personal. The conversations here bring to life the changing mood among the individuals who gradually lost faith in Labour and granted the Tories a thumping majority. The warning to all politicians - voters don't belong to you." - Laura Kuenssberg, political editor, BBC "A meticulously researched, frank and thoughtful guide to the United Kingdom's new swing voters, what drives them and what that means for our politics." - tephen Bush, political editor, New Statesman "Deborah Mattinson brilliantly deconstructs the Red Wall, brick by brick, using her own research and expertise, helping us to understand this overlooked group and what makes it tick. For our leaders, learning the lessons of Beyond the Red Wall will be key to whoever wins the next general election." - Christopher Hope, Daily Telegraph
Book Information
ISBN 9781785906046
Author Deborah Mattinson
Format Hardback
Page Count 352
Imprint Biteback Publishing
Publisher Biteback Publishing
