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whether there actually is a route back to the traditional Labour core vote now.
I doubt it.
It's important to remember where the Labour movement came from - two world wars X their impact on class structures, and workers having an incredibly low standard of living.
I'm not going to undermine how tough life is for those in absolute poverty, but that is not the majority of the country. The majority have a roof, plumbing, food, electronics, etc. and despite health risks in some industries it is nothing compared to what it was.
Quite simply it's not bad enough, and it probably won't be.
hugo7-
My old man is from Ashington, family all miners etc. Moved to australia in the 60s to escape the oppressive class system (bemused i live here lol).
Growing up there were stories of implausibly evil torys. For his family, being part of the labour movement was such a powerful part of their identity. i feel like this election may represent an inter-generational severance. The poverty is not as grinding as it once was. Once these communities have broken the taboo of voting tory, it will be easier next time.
d_m
It's hard to know how the leave genie could have been put back in its bottle - what works when fighting populism? It's clear that the message that "it's not your fault, it's immigrants - let's get rid of them to fix everything" worked.
I also think that Corbyn, and Labour under Corbyn, didn't seem relevant to working class voters.
I wonder, with a move to a more American society, where the least well off are often the most right wing, whether there actually is a route back to the traditional Labour core vote now.