What Glasgow East really means

The turnout. What matters about Glasgow East is the turnout.

I don't usually take by-election results all that seriously. By-elections rarely add more than you already know from opinion polls. And in so far as they differ from the polls, it is the polls that tell you more and more accurately.

In most ways, Glasgow East does not depart from this norm. Labour is doing very, very, very badly, but in a General Election it would not lost Glasgow East. The polls differ a bit from this result and the polls are right.

But in one way the by-election result is informative. Labour has done badly in previous contests between elections. It even managed to meet disaster in a national election - the 1999 European Parliament election - and still win by miles the next time.

Yet what characterised these previous defeats was base Labour voters staying at home, unwilling to go out and cast a positive vote for Labour.

Glasgow East was different. In Glasgow East, voters in pretty large numbers did turn out. They rushed out to vote for anyone who could beat the Labour candidate.

In a recent discussion I had on Newsnight, my friend the former Blair adviser Peter Hyman said Labour was "sleepwalking to a massacre".

So they are.

Comments

[Matthew]

What do you think this defeat does for the (London-media, I guess) view that Labour are doing badly because Gordon Brown is Scottish and doesn't understand the concerns of Middle England?

[DISGUSTED OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS]

Who would advise Mr Obama to be seen within 100 miles of 'The Bottler', the man does not need negative publicity at this stage.

[Jeremy Poynton]

Matthew - that's not a view I have heard at all. Quite simply, most folk I know, and many (now ex) Labour voters, find the man unpleasant, a blatant liar, and his government's policies disastrous for the country. The sooner the lot of them are consigned to the dustbin of history the better.

New Labour = New Stasi

[Jon Jones]

If Labour don't have a powerbase in Scotland, it's impossible for them to win a majority in Parliament. Doesn't matter if it's the SNP, LibDems, Conservatives, Greens... this result shows more than ever that Labour is a Scotland-dependent, union-financed party. Another great reason for anyone English not to vote Labour.

[Tony G]

This is a good result for England - Scottish independence moves ever closer and after that England may finally get democracy for England. Who knows, the public may even be stirred into reviewing our relationship with the undemocratic and patronising EU.

[Ken Stephenson]

How long before Scottish Labour M.Ps start jumping the sinking ship to get onboard the SNP lifeboat?

[James Callaghan]

Prudence The Pickpocket is an incompetent dimwit. He has surrounded himself with even less talented incompetents. Britain now has the most inept bunch of dimwits in living memory in charge. He has nothing to fear from them, or it appears, from us.
While he enjoys his 76 day holiday Harriet Hormone will waffle along.
A pox on all of them

[Christopher Kay]

And Labour need not think that they can create an association of their fortunes with that of the economy: currently in the doldrums but soon to rise with the economic cycle. Labour are too far gone for that!
Cameron is of course right: In the absence of effective Government (surely the case) we really do need a general election now.

[GARTH STRONG]

Labour has failed in its government of Britain for one simple reason: It had absolutely no interest in succeeding!

One cannot manage a country successfully unless you passionately love and believe in that country...and have a vision for the country's future that you can enthusiastically communicate...and for which you are willing to work extremely hard.

Labour seems to have nothing but contempt and disdain for Britain..and no sense of vision, mission or responsibility to promote the Nation's best interests.

In some respects, Labour has come closer to defeating Britain than Adolph Hitler ever did!

Gordon Brown appears to have neither confidence in himself nor confidence in Britain and in its future....nor a positive and passionate vision for Britain's future that would enable him to rally, unite and lead the Nation forward. He clearly lacks any appreciation of the tremendous honour and responsibility that have been conferred upon him by being in the Office of The Prime Minisiter of Great Britain: He appears to be bored, unenthusiastic, distracted and imposed upon. Since he clearly has no enthusiasm for his job as Prime Minister, he should resign, quit and get out...NOW!

[MJT]

A massive defeat for the metropolitan liberal elite. And about time too. Roll on an election - let's throw them all out!

[Mike Williams]

Many have commented that New Labour is dead in the water; that the Glasgow East by-election is a major disaster for Labour generally, and Gordon Brown particularly.
If this is so, then we need an immediate death certificate for this failed Chancellor, failed Prime Minister and failed man.
Gordon Brown has led his Labour colleagues into an irreversible decline, losing the trust of the public by continually lying about the taxes raised, and what he has done with your, our, my money.
This former Chancelor had the good fortune to inherit a seriously impressive financial situation, and has frittered it away on nonsensical politically correct schemes and policies that have, in reality, benefitted none but the leftist intellectual "elite".
He has sought to blame "outside influences" in the recent fuel rises, but has known the answer - reduce duty - for many months, and still does nothing to help those who rely on vehicles for their living. All from a man who doesn't even drive, has no licence. So does it affect him personally? No chance.
The rest of the population know what is needed to deal with this situation, a general election, and now please.

[Truth teller]

The problems in the East End of Glasgow is that Scotland discovered oil. Since 1974 the powers that be in Westminster have deliberately disguised the truth of Scotland’s vast oil wealth from the Scottish
public. In conjunction with oppressing the people of Scotland to stop them reacting - this is the reason that deprivation and poverty in Glasgow East and in other areas in the rest of Scotland has not improved very much in 30 years.

Scotland should have been Europe’s third richest country

The Scottish Pound should have been worth a minimum of £1.20 to the English £1.00

The poverty in Glasgow East and other areas of Scotland should have been wiped out years ago

Since then a generation has grown up and they do not even know that Scotland is Europe’s largest
producer of oil, indeed a bigger oil producer than Kuwait.

A generation that does not realise that Scotland’s Oil (worth £12 billion per annum, 32million a day,
£11.574 a second) has been used to bail out Northern Rock and is currently being used to finance the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The web site www.oilofscotland.org contains the TOP SECRET report into Scotland Oil Rich Economy and the recommendations to lie and deceive the Scottish People, as the extract from the report Westminster does not want you to read, below explains...

The full significance of North Sea oil was not immediately apparent and it still remains in large measure
disguised from the Scottish public by the DTI...

If the people of the East End of Glasgow vote in favour of the Scottish Government which they have. The focus on turning around the fortunes of these East Enders will be a top priority in order to showcase the potential of an Independent Scotland governed by non Westminster influenced politicians, who will be demanding that more of Scotland’s Oil money is spent on improving the quality of life in the East End of Glasgow and all the other areas of Scotland that have been neglected by greedy Westminster influenced politicians.

Please help your fellow Scot understand the truth. http://www.oilofscotland.org

Truth Teller
info@www.oilofscotland.org

[albert hall]

Gordon does not understand full stop. He is deluded and living in his own dreamworld. For a decade he has "managed" the economy and is responsible for the mess we are in. With his history of failure how can he claim that he can put the economy right? It will take years of pain and hard work to get it right. Nick Clegg is not capable. So that leave the Conservatives the job; once again!

[peezedtee]

It's not about Gordon Brown. It is about New Labour's policies. People don't like them. They still wouldn't like them with a new leader.

[Bill Harding]

This desperate, unelected liar has two more years to damage this once great country and no-one in his clapped-out, self-protecting party has the guts to stick in the knife. Then again, I hear rumours the Tories will do anything to keep him in power for now, such is his poisonous effect on the weary, depressed electorate.

[Padraig]

Au contraire, this by-election differs markedly from the norm. The SNP had little notice, were starting from way back, did not have a fraction of Labour's resources, either financially or via the media. Labour's base voters have moved away and have stopped listening - it's a death knell for Labour.
Even the rusted-on supporters can no see that there is absolutely no advantage voting for Labour - it would only get worse for them.

As a Scotsman it was really pleasing to see the people of this country standing up to Westminster bullies irrespective of whether they're Labour or Tory.

[Mike Byrne]

I think that Gordon Brown is past his sell-by date brought on because he has surrounded himself with incompetance. We are forever hearing from his lacklustre ministers that they want to learn and move on and that they want to listen. I recently attended a meeting addressed by John Cruddas, MP for Dagenham. He had the perfect opportunity at the end of his address to say to the audience. "You have taken time out of your busy day to come here to listen to me. I would like to take back to Westminster any comments or questions you may have" Did he do this? No, he surrounded himself with a circle of sycophants so that nobody dared make any approach. I think this country needs leaders not learners and it is a pity that we have to wait two years for it to happen. And I am not so sure that it will happen then given the way the Tory party selects it's candidates.

[Merseymike]

I can guarantee that if the North of England ends up being dominated by the south-east and its Tories, that regionalism and devolution within England will become equally unstoppable a force. And not before time.

[David Vinter]

Truth is, Gordon was --HOT HOUSED-- into University at age 16, and he really has never properly grown up since.

[The thoughtfuly]

Is this the step-out from Uk or England from the EU? It looks like, because the next UK-votes will win the conservative toris. I am sure. This will be surely verry good for england. but from my view(bavarian), it is not good, because it does destabilice the european union. There is no strong partner at the german side. And europe does need a strong partners in the eu. France is not enough. What is with the freedom of the eastern european countrys? Who does stay on the side of them? Who does garantee them their rights? Who does control the european system, when there is not a strong England in the EU?

From an bavarian pro-england writer who is verry thoughtfull.

[More Truth Telling]

To Truth Teller.

12 billion out of an economy worth 1.2 trillion much of which is based South of the Border.

Do the Math

[Steve In Glasgow]

A traditional Glasgow Kiss for Brown and the neolabour suits sure enough.

[Sanny]

I note that in all the newspaper articles and the various comments thereon particularly those by English who have never visited Glasgow let alone Glasgow East, the constant theme is that the loss of the seat was due entirely to disaffection with Labour. No one gives credit to the SNP and its remarkable progress in showing Scotland what a real Scotland centric government could achieve.

In addition, despite deep muck raking searches they have also proved that they are served by hard working and HONEST politicians. A rarity in these days of corruption and sleaze, as exhibited by the other main parties.

Ask why Marshal stood down. Yes, he was sick – with the stress of the impending investigation into his exorbitant expenses!

To all those in the South and those unfortunate Labourites with their heads in the sand I say: - Scotland is wakening up from its long nightmare of the Union and within five years we will have dissolved this unwanted Union that was forced upon us and maintained by force. The SNP and shortly the SEP are the new political face of Scotland.

[steve]

The Supposed 100 year embargoed CULLEN REPORT - is where the truth is being concealed. Why is there a 100 year embargo? Why Indeed!

[Tom Mein]

I hope that gordon brown feels the same as I do every year when I view the statement from my Prudential Private pension

[antoine torpiano]

Gordon Brown is in denial, permanently, ever since he became PM.How can you ever trust a person who actually sold most of the countries gold reserves at the cheapest price possible. When in actual fact most countries invest in gold and stock up their central banks!!!!!. The man is a looser , and the people around him are even worse than him, because they should have voted him out a long time ago.

[Never, I tell thee!]

Question - "How long before Scottish Labour M.Ps start jumping the sinking ship to get onboard the SNP lifeboat?"

Answer - Never. The SNP are made up of economists, business men/women and accountants, ergo they are doing well in government and understand finances and how to use them properly for the benefit of the people and the economy. Labour are made up of ex-school teachers, old trough guzzlers, failed businessmen/women and the like and I wouldn't trust them with a child's piggy bank let alone the UK's economy!

[Kay Tie]

"The sooner the lot of them are consigned to the dustbin of history the better."

I hope that the dustbin of history has been properly sorted into recyclables (e.g. Frank Field) and landfill waste to be buried for good (e.g. Ed Balls). Even then, it won't be collected for two weeks. And since the dustbin of history contains a microchip there will be a charge based on the weight (just thank God that Prescott isn't an MP any more).

[Leigh Vernier]

I can exclusively reveal that William Shakespeare mobiled his wife the moment he heard this news -
"Love! Labour's Lost!"

[W Nacallum]

Mrs Thatcher and her government in support of the Union steadfastly refused devolution and her party sustained a total wipe out in Scotland from which they will never recover.

Labour on the other hand introduced devolution in an endeavour to shore up their vote in Scotland, and to stop the relentless march of voters to the SNP.

However, the SNP are now in government in the Scottish Parliament, in control of many many councils, have a third of the MEPs, and are now poised to take the majority of Westminster seats come the election.

The realignment of politics in these islands is well underway.

And when Scotland goes independent, as it will, England will gain a good neighbour, because then co-operation on shared interests will have been predicated upon mutual choice and agreement.

[Dave Madley]

Democracy in England, "aye rite" money and lodges speak. Who in their right mind would have a bumped up never had a real job geezer running the country. However it shows that the legal profession are not too clever either.

[John]

Well done Glasgow East. Just who in their right mind would vote Labour again now!

Modern people have realised that any left-wing government never works as it stifles creativity, wealth creation and human rights

Blair changed his unelectable leftish party but in doing so set it adrift from any ideology

The LibDems still have Liberalism and the Tories Capitalism

So now watch Labour has no theoretical justification and must now sink into history

[Brian Hope]

The Labour party is a new world order enabler along with the other two main parties, we are to be taken kicking and screaming into a terrible new world run by bankers for bankers and the ruling elite.

It used to be Government for the people by the people, but alas now it's Government for banksters by banksters and that is our fate unless we all wake up NOW.

[Sally]

Labour have shown nothing but hatred for the English the sooner they all depart the better!
But i fear Cameron is no better as for getting out of the damned EU why put Clark in the position of Europe Minister?
They're all the same just tell different lies.
Westminster needs a massive cull it's become a club too comfy at our cost.
I find politicians nowadays untrustworthy, they say what they think we want to hear.
This is no longer a democracy it's two parties taking their turn at filling their pockets.
Too many Fabians at Westminster for this country to ever thrive now!
We the people want the exact opposite to what they have planned for us all.
Disguises should be removed by force if needs be.

[Douglas Newell]

I suppose a bit of triumpalism for the SNP is to be expected but many of the posts here are quite sickening and out of touch of what I hear in the street. The labour loss was on the back of the most unpopular PM since Thatcher, Oil Crisis, Credit Crisis and Food Price Crisis - it does not mean the masses support Independence despite what Salmond says.

Many people voted against Labour, NOT for the SNP.

[william rodgers]

truth teller.

Your message would be much clearer had you taken the trouble to write in English.

For example what are we to make of this "sentence"?

"If the people of the East End of Glasgow vote in favour of the Scottish Government which they have."

[Derek]

The sooner the Scots get on with it and paddle their own canoe, the better. And if it weren’t for the fact that I live in England, I'd vote SNP as well. Anything to speed the day when the Scottish tail no longer wags the English dog.

[Reiver]

One thing that the London political and media hacks dont seem able to acknowledge, or even comprehend, is the vast political-cultural divide between England and Scotland.

As England rushes back to the tories and the politics and economics of greed and selfishness, Scotland is rejecting Toryism in all its forms and voting for a party and a government that is well to the Left of Labour.

The sooner we finalise this divorce and just accept that we are too different in our values to live together any longer, the better.

England can fully go back to the Victorian era misanthropy, greed, xenopobia and social-elitism of the Tories and New Labour, and Scotland can continue moving forward as a modern, inclusive and progressive social-democracy with the SNP.

[Antony Ward]

I read here a lot of resentment about Scotland being ruled by Westminster. Well I'm English and I'm sick of the last ten years of being ruled by Scottish MPs in Westminster.

[Ronald]

So, Glasgow is in Scotland?

[Lee]

Its incredible how long it has taken for the people of Scotland to wake up and vote against Labour.

I live in South Wales, and it's the EXACT same problem here. For almost a century the people of South Wales and Scotland have voted Labour no matter what. They could put a plank of wood up for election and the Scots and Welsh would vote for it.

They dont seem to grasp the simple concept that Labour KNOW they can neglect their electroal strongholds for generations, and yet STILL the people will vote for them. So they get into power and plough money and resources into the marginal areas in an attempt to stay in Government. And look what happens. They win 3 elections in a row, whilst South Wales and Scotland are as deprived now as they have been for the last hundred years.

And STILL they vote Labour...

I just hope that this result is a turning point, when the Labour voters finally realise that they are taken for granted by the Labour Party and vote for anyone - ANYONE - other than Labour.

[Tony Collins]

Democracy?
What's the word for government by the stupid - Dumbocracy?
NuLab keeps saying it's listening to the people. But it never does.
And it's no good them blaming the latest crises - the 10% tax band, road fund tax, loss of data discs, I.D. cards, the economy. - Whatever.
They don't seem to realise that they are being punished for ten years of destroying british culture with their meddlesome bureaucratic interference, and pandering to baying minority campaign groups.
Ban this. Ban that. Measure and control everything. Unnecessary war in Iraq, oil prices, spying on the public, political correctness. The list is endless.
But somehow NuLab thinks we all have the memory span of fish!

[evelyna]

they are now a laughing stock. people will start to throw tomatoes at them soon. doesnt Prudence the Pickpocket realise the resentment that thousands of agency workers (mainly low paid women)and others have towards him ? gordon the bully.... - never again labour. you want everyone (except the elite) dependent on benefits which will lead us to a single income set by govt. national socialists = abandon hope

[derek]

While I do enjoy Brown's wel-deserved discomfiture, I also wonder why it is only now that commentators are unpicking his poor decsions at the Treasury. They've had over ten years to to criticise his folly on pensions, gold, 'welfare to work' etc.

[Doug Blaney Glasgow]

Mos people in Scotland do not want independence, but they support the SNP because all other parties are London controlled. Pity the North of England because London gets more per head in revenue from the Treasury than the North of Enland

[Maitland, Glasgow]

Independence for Scotland is on the way thank goodness and England will indeed get a good neighbour and not a cause for complaint. After 300 years, as the SNP slogan says "it's time" - for Scotland to be a real country again and not a deprived region.

[Maitland, Glasgow]

Independence for Scotland is on the way thank goodness and England will indeed get a good neighbour and not a cause for complaint. After 300 years, as the SNP slogan says "it's time" - for Scotland to be a real country again and not a deprived region.

[ruth]

The SNP won this by election despite the pro labour bias in the "scottish" media. The voters of Glasgow east sent a clear message not just to gordon brown but to the entire labour party that their time is up. We now have an SNP government in Scotland which has done more for the Scottish people in one year than labour did in several decades.

[Dougie Connor]

For you 'Truth teller'

Scotland has bank rolled London and the Home Counties, in particular, since the 1970s. The oil wealth is potentially vast. This is partly because of the new Atlantic fields which will be exploitable in the next few years. Scotland has been ripped off and lied to for years. The irony of the situation is that the Scots, a sharing people who like to help the world in general, will be prepared to let MOST others have it at a slightly reduced rate. But not for free. We can also lead the world in renewables.

[Peter Thomson]

Here's my take on this:

Labour have failed the people of the Glasgow East for around 50 years and folk are fed up with being Labour's deprived and suffering masses. Especially as internet access and freedom of information releases have shown them why. Maybe the people of Glasgow East are fed up with being victims and want something better than being labelled the sick and violent heart of Glasgow - I know I would.

Labour, The Union and Westminster equals the same old, same old for them while the SNP offers something fresh and more importantly hope for the future. Unionists should worry about the number of Labour and Unionist voters put their cross against the SNP candidate and did not simply stay at home.

Scotland in the last year has changed, our economy is clearly not dependent on the City of London, we have the potential to be one of Europe's financial centres and already have one of the worlds biggest banks. We have excess power and energy resources, for example only 10% of Scottish located oil and gas production is actually used in Scotland or when Longannet in Fife went off line, unexpectedly, trains stopped running in the SE and London and computers on Oxford shut down.

So maybe the 'Little Englanders' on this thread may wish to think more carefully what they wish for or are they up for a nuclear plant in their back yard?

[P. Fasciolo McKay]

Should Scotland ever get away, how would the UK's nulcear arsenal be divided up?

[will]

Truth teller
£12 billion per annum, and you think that will wipe out poverty in scotland? you do understand that the british ecconomy is worth about £1.3 trillion, that makes north sea oil worth less than 1% of the british economy. How do you explain the fact that the tresury takes about £36 billion in taxes from scotland and yet there is £48 billion of public spending there. So at best while the price of oil is stupidly high scotland might break even, but that is only if they got all of north sea oil( which is debatable.)and the oil price stayed as it is now. and that is before you consider the fact that north sea oil is running out and production has fallen every year since 1999.

If scotland wants to break even, without english subsidy they would have to massively cut government spending (which would be no bad thing) or massively increase taxes.

Maybe the scots and the british all together should once and for all realise that the addiction to public spending doesnt help anyone, and if we as a country are to achieve what we are capable of, we should be left to run our lives our selves.

[Ian Jones]

Scotland wants its oil wealth? By most estimates oil reserves are declining and not all of the North Sea belongs to Scotland anyway - it could be argued that it belings to the UK and the dissolution of the Union would need to lead to a distribution of the wealth of the UK to its constituent states. There are slums in England as well, and a large scottish population south of the border. When the oil runs out is Scotland going to expect England to fund its parliament and its services?
Be careful what you wish for.

[Jim Easby]

Labour governments only last until they have run out of other peoples' money. This lot have just done it a bit faster once they had spent the nest egg left by the Tories in 1997. The slump has prevented them slowing the inevitable oblivion for Nulabor by taking away the prospect of more economic growth to tax. The SNP have reminded them of what they used to stand for and how long until Scotland runs out of cash with the SNP's "old Labour" policies?

[Edmund Burke]

I find it difficult to understand the movement for Scottish "independence", as supported by some contributors to this thread. Unless my knowledge of history is upside-down, the Union of England and Scotland was the work of a Scottish king (James VI) who inherited the English throne (becoming James I of England) and who, being a canny Scot, decided he would save a lot of money by choosing London as the administrative capital of his United Kingdom. Why, then, this Scottish Nationalist image of England as a ruthless imperialist?

[Josh]

God, the UK gets the government it deserves. The stupids aren't at the top (well, there too) - they're the people who will knee-jerk against Brown because they can't remember what the Tories were like.

It doesn't matter who's in power. They all just bumble along as best they can, trying to pander to the idiot electorate.

[Ed]

Remember the night Portillo lost his seat? That overwhelming sense of satisfaction that everyone felt? I don't think that Labour has yet realised that every current Labour MP is now a Portillo and regarded with equal disdain. Everyone I know (me included - despite being a party member for many years) feels the same... anyone but Labour.

We're on the way to an equivalent to the Canadian Tory wipe out.

[anne]

Scotland's attitude is,as ever,what belongs to England belongs to us but what belongs to us is our own!England NEEDS to be independent.I am sick to death of the vitriol spewed forth from the Scots.Take a visit to Corby(IN ENLAND)mostly populated by Scots.and referred to,by them,as 'Wee Scotland'. Fiercely ani-English,I trust they will all be moving back to their own country soon?

[Jamie]

Yeah, it's a terrible thing having Scotland run by Westminster.

Um...what nationality are Brown and Darling again? Hypocrisy in the extreme yet again, from a part of the country comprising 70% of all welfare scroungers.

[biddy]

Jings there's a lot of anti-Scottish vitriol going on here. It is interesting to ask why it is that Scotland produces so many politicians, but that's another story. Scotland has changed since the SNP came to governance - quite simply people feel empowered. There is a sense that things can change, that the machine of the parliamentary process can turn a little bit faster and that we all can be part of it. I hope somehow you will have it in England too - we all deserve it. Our whole political system is changing and the old two party ping-pong match is an irrelevance. People in Glasgow East knew that when they voted last Thursday.

PS: Cameron is a grand old Highland name - it'll be a while before you can eradicate Scotland from your political landscape, whatever the outcome is at the next election!

[Cllr Ken Tiwari (ndependent)]

I always congratulated our media, for it's twisted language?
Please remember there's no safe-seat in the country, any more!
If the government does it's work,
what they promis to do, genunily??
All politician promising heaven,and
they could'nt even clean up, the
streets Glasgow-East areas from-
crime saturated-kerbs?

[Bystander]

If the Scots, in favour of the break up of the UK, think this means independence, they are completely delusional, unless they also intend to leave the undemocratic, bureaucratic dictatorship called the EU.

[Mack]

The disgusting state of many parts of glasgow is solely due to the councils and local politicians that run the place.
Labour often played the same game in the 80s to deprive the city folk in a bid to drive out Thatcher.
Its a shame that people cant distinguish between what the government does and what the local council does not.
The only benefit of devolution is more prime-ministers, more beaurocrats and more corruption (if thats possible). Oil, oil oil!. What fool believes that we (the scots) would ever see the cash from this oil. More than kuwait? - have you seen how their poor are neglected and deprived. Get real! The UK needs to shape up, not split up.

[Aquila]

#Edmund Burke. You certainly are no historian. James 1 and v1 was a full hundred years before the Union of Parliaments in 1707. The reasons for that union can be summed up in terms of lack of democracy and patent bribery on the part of the English Government to remove the 'Scottish Problem'. The people revolted against the union, but the representatives fuelled by the failures in Darien and personal agrandisment jumped ship.

[Denis]

labour took the Catholic Irish vote for granted. Unfortunately for them these voters have woken up to the contempt in which they were held by Labours savagely anti-Catholic, urban, chattering elite.