James Manning/PA
‘Tactical voting is not a one-way street’. That was the summary provided by Alastair Campbell on Sunday, as he weighed up the latest polling results from Clacton. The constituency has, among others, Nigel Farage running for office.
ALSO READ: More poll woes for Sunak with warning Tories face ‘extinction’
The hard-right Reform leader is currently 10 percentage points ahead of his nearest challenger, leading with 37% in the latest Survation poll. The incumbent MP, Giles Watling, is in second place – but the Tory representative is facing a fearsome forecast.
Needing a large swing in public opinion to retain his seat, Watling is also contesting against Labour’s Jovan Owusu-Nepaul. He’s currently on course to receive 23% of the vote – and it is creating quite the discourse in political circles.
Seeing Farage as a bigger threat to democracy than the current Conservative candidate, it has been suggested that traditional Labour voters in Clacton should bite the ultimate bullet – and switch to the blue rosettes this time around.
Though unthinkable for most, it’s a plan of action that is endorsed by former Labour supremo Alastair Campbell. The one-time spin doctor agrees that, in an incredibly unique situation, voters should be ‘motivated to stop Nigel Farage’ however they can.
“Tactical voting is not a one way street. Nigel Farage is a uniquely dangerous force, a populist able to exploit problems without affording solutions and who in his defence of Trump shows contempt for the rule of law and the role of fact in public debate.”
“If I lived in Clacton, and I was able to vote there, I would definitely be motivated by stopping him just as I would be motivated on every other constituency by kicking out the Tories.” | Alastair Campbell
