A fascinating history of how the unfolding drama of each election from 1900 to 2024 has shaped the Labour Party and modern Britain. This is an essential guide to how left-wing politics succeeds or fails through an accessible, highly readable and timely history of Labour’s performance in the 33 British General Elections since 1900. There have been 8 hung parliaments resulting in coalitions. Labour has won power 12 times; the Conservatives outright on 14 occasions. The final chapter of the book analyses the landslide result of the General Election on 4th July 2024. When Rishi Sunak announced the 4 July 2024 General Election, the Labour Party had been out of power for almost fifteen years and lost four consecutive elections since 2010. These were turbulent times defined by austerity, a Scottish independence referendum, Brexit, and the rise and fall of Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson. Now, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Labour Party is back in government. How do the lessons of the past show us how Starmer can maximise his victory and deliver the change promised in Labour’s manifesto? With exclusive insights from former leaders and Prime Ministers – including Gordon Brown and Neil Kinnock – Victory at the Ballot Box delves deep into the secrets of long-forgotten campaigns, traces the Party’s roots, examines the strategies, leaders, transformative moments and missteps which have defined Labour’s success at the ballot box and shaped modern Britain.
