Friday 7 May 2010

Not The Guardian wot won it in Islington South

With a 484 Labour majority in 2005, the Liberal Democrats were very confident of taking Islington South from Emily Thornberry this time.

And then Cleggmania won the blessing of the Guardian leader writers, joined by their Observer colleagues, in declaring this a liberal moment.

Some are sceptical about how much influence such endorsements have over voters. But if The Guardian editorial was going to matter anywhere, then the Islingtonian Guardianista heartland should surely have responded.

Yet Labour has held the seat.

Next Left has spent a lot of time scrutinising the media power of Mr Dacre and Mr Murdoch in this campaign. But, with the LibDems running a "disobey Murdoch" campaign, I hope they have not been hit by a "disobey the Guardian" backlash.

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