Paper anniversary

Paul Francis on the highs and lows of Labour's first year in government

We’re delighted to welcome former Kent Messenger Political Editor

Paul Francis

to the Kent Current. In his first column, he assesses the highs and lows of the party’s first year in office…

It is an anniversary that Labour would probably prefer to have overlooked, but one year on from its election victory, the party has been riven by internal feuding over welfare reform and its leader leeching support as he tries to steady the ship.

Newly-elected governments rarely get much of a honeymoon period - and are persistent in reminding us of that - but the rapid descent in opinion polls has shown just how fragile Labour’s success was and how it was not quite the landslide it seemed.

In the general election, the party - on paper - did well. Among some surprise results was its victory in Ashford, where long-standing MP Damian Green lost out to Sojan Joseph. It also enjoyed success by returning MPs in other Kent constituencies, including East Thanet, Dartford, Folkestone, Gravesham, and Dover and Deal. There was a solid set of results in the Medway towns, where it took all three seats.