The UK with Dems/GOP

[CumbrianLefty]

In reality, even with all else being equal both Wales and Scotland would probably be less receptive to a British GOP than that - but maybe England slightly more so.

Agree that our "Dems" would have an in-built advantage though.

[CumbrianLefty]

In reality, even with all else being equal both Wales and Scotland would probably be less receptive to a British GOP than that - but maybe England slightly more so.

Agree that our "Dems" would have an in-built advantage though.

I wonder though if Wales isn't perhaps a bit like West Virginia. There are similarities beyond the superficial.

Maybe a few, arguably. But my point is partly that both Scots and Welsh can be considered "minority" voters in a way, if you are taking a UK context. So maybe a bit comparable to Hispanics in the US.

(and yes they swung GOP last time, but are still majorly Dem)

[CumbrianLefty]

The Democrats would win in a landslide. The UK might be one of the more right-wing countries in Europe, but it's not that right-wing to support the GOP on any level.

"I haven't actually read the original post in this thread"

[CumbrianLefty]

Though the poorest voters still *tend* to vote Labour in the UK, and Democrat in the US.

Income still matters, certainly much more than ever more amorphous concepts of "class".

[CumbrianLefty]

My best/least worst comparison to Vermont would be places like Stroud or the Peak District where Labour are competitive in places that they aren't elsewhere or to be expected on pure demographics. Therefore, I think Vermont could be competitive between Labour and the Conservatives, though I concede its the sort of place that the Lib Dems could do well and the Greens above average.

AIUI, the Labour strength in Stroud since the 90s has been partly down to the personal popularity of the slightly odd David Drew. Before he came around, it had been perpetually out of reach for Labour, and the Liberals even took over second place in the 80s. It's not really clear, at least not to me, how much of it will stick with Labour once he's no longer the eternal candidate. The Greens are already sniffing around the place. All that said, I suppose the reasons for social democratic (as opposed to Democratic) electoral strength in the real Vermont are not that different.

Drew was and is popular, but this may be a case of correlation not wholly equalling causation.