Expert Comment: Are we witnessing the end of two-party politics in Britain?
Professor Jane Green, Professor of Political Science and British Politics in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Director of the Nuffield Politics Research Centre, and Co-Director of the British Election Study, alongside Dr Marta Miori, UK Politics Impact Research Fellow at Nuffield College, have outlined what this week's elections could reveal about a fundamental change in British politics for ITV News, using YouGov data to break down whether Labour and the Conservatives are facing a fight for political survival.
For over a century, Labour and the Conservatives have dominated British politics. That is all set to change. Challenger parties such as Reform UK, the Greens, Plaid Cymru and the SNP are heading for some of their best, if not their best ever, results in this week's devolved elections in Wales and Scotland and the local elections in England.
So what on earth is going on? Using exclusive data from YouGov, Professor Jane Green and Dr Marta Miori have worked with ITV to lift the lid on the huge changes happening in British politics.
In the below video, they explore the big question of whether Britain's political landscape is about to change forever, and whether this week's elections could start a chain reaction that sweeps away the Labour and Conservative two-party system for good.
“It is possible we are at a tipping point, where voters are rejecting the two traditional parties on a scale never seen before, and may not return to them in future. Votes for challenger parties are usually higher in local elections, because in general elections people see themselves as voting for a government; Labour and the Conservatives have until now been viewed as the only viable contenders. One reason these local elections matter so much is that they could be another sign that the challengers are no longer challengers, and that voting for them in a general election would no longer be a wasted vote. That is a game-changer for Labour and the Conservatives.”
Watch Professor Jane Green's analysis on ITV News: 'What you Need to Know'
This is about more than this week's elections. It is about Labour and the Conservatives fighting for their political survival. The data shows that their traditional voters are still voting along ideological lines, so things are far less chaotic than they might look. But with the once-challenger parties now becoming viable options, there is a real risk for Labour and the Conservatives that their decline in support is terminal.
Are we watching the beginning of the end for the two parties that have dominated British politics for the last 80 years? Will voters cross the rubicon, voting for new challengers within their bloc and not looking back? Or will they fall back on the safety of the past when the next general election comes around?
Watch Professor Jane Green's analysis on 'What you Need to Know', available on the ITV News YouTube channel.
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