Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn discuss the potential split of the Conservative and Labour vote. They explore the influence of political events on elections, the Liberal Democrats' involvement in coalition talks, the issue of vote splitting, and the impact of 'The West Wing' on UK politics.
The Conservative Party is facing a split in their vote due to supporters moving to Reform UK, which can be addressed by focusing on immigration and targeting international students.
The Labour Party is also experiencing a vote split with supporters moving to the Greens, but the potential threat of a new left party led by Jeremy Corbyn is unlikely as he has lost support and influential figures like Len McCluskey.
Deep dives
Tory vote split
The Tories are facing a split in their vote, with some supporters moving to Reform UK. Rishi Sunak is trying to address the issue by focusing on immigration and targeting international students. However, the demographic associated with Reform UK is limiting for the Conservative Party in the long run.
Labour vote split
The Labour Party is also facing a vote split, with some supporters moving to the Greens. However, the potential threat of a new left party led by Jeremy Corbyn is unlikely as he has lost support and the backing of influential figures like Len McCluskey.
West Wing
The panel members share their thoughts on The West Wing, with Polly expressing her disillusionment in her current political career, finding it less inspiring compared to the ideals portrayed in the TV show. Peter enjoyed both The West Wing and The Thick of It, finding the latter's satirical take on politics more relatable.
Political influences
The panel members discuss how political TV shows like The West Wing and The Thick of It may have influenced their perceptions of politics. They acknowledge the entertainment value of such shows, but emphasize the distinction between the idealized portrayals on screen and the complexities of real-life politics.
Will Nigel Farage and Reform UK split the Conservative vote, and could Jeremy Corbyn launch a new left-wing party to take votes from Labour?
Political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss local elections, access talks, and have they ever been inspired by The West Wing or The Thick Of It?
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