Local election results were good enough, for now, say LabourList readers

Labour performed sufficiently well in the local elections, according to LabourList readers. More than 55 per cent of respondents said Labour had done moderately well, and a further 17 per cent of readers said the party had done “very well”, meaning 72 per cent of readers rated Labour’s results positively.

Significantly fewer people felt Labour had not done well, with 18 per cent saying the party had done poorly and only nine per cent saying the party’s results were very poor.

Labour had varied results across the country, losing significantly fewer council seats than anticipated, with a net loss of only 18 seats. In Wales, the party won more seats than had been predicted, winning 29 assembly members – only one fewer than their highest ever total. However, Scottish Labour fell to third place in Holyrood, winning only 24 MSPs.

Labour won all four mayoral elections in Liverpool, Salford, Bristol and London. Sadiq Khan won in London with the biggest personal mandate of any politician in British political history.

Now the elections are over, LabourList readers believe the EU referendum should be the priority for the party. Nearly two-thirds, some 64 per cent of readers, said the party should put campaigning on the vote ahead of other activities.

Just under 30 per cent disagreed, perhaps wanting to focus energies on the Tooting by-election or domestic campaigns.

Since the election, a raft of Labour big names have spoken out on the importance of a Remain vote next month, with Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman, Ed Miliband and leader Jeremy Corbyn all making speeches, and shadow Chancellor John McDonnell expected to make the case for remain this week.

Some readers disagreed with new mayor Sadiq Khan, who criticised Labour’s local elections slogan of “Elections are about taking sides. Labour is on yours”. Just over half (52 per cent) said the phrase had a positive effect during the campaign.

After Khan’s election he said Labour’s election slogan was counter-productive, saying the party should not try “divide and rule” tactics. Some 20 per cent of readers agreed, saying the slogan had a negative impact.

The new mayor said Labour does better when it reaches out to people who do not traditionally vote Labour and instead chooses a big tent approach.