Labour Largely unchanged as UK Politics changes for good

As Gordon Brown was forced into keeping the cabinet largely unchanged, the electorate it seems had already made up their minds a day before that they would vote almost anything other than labour. The big winners were the single issue parties such as the Greens, the BNP and most notably UKIP. Even tiny parties such as The Christian Party picked up 3% of the vote in London alone. Whilst the Labour vote
was expected to collapse it seems that in the light of the Mp's expenses scandal people have registered their disdain by voting for the party that most closely reflects their particular area of concern. The blow for Gordon is that they do what he has been incapable of doing; namely getting their message across. These European elections have only been given significance in the context of a General Election given the scope of Labour's defeat. However a more subtle point, that will be troubling for all the main parties is that people will no longer be voting strictly
along party lines. As people can get information online on a specific candidates
detailed voting intentions on every issue they will refuse to vote for prospective Mp's put up by mainstream parties. They will instead opt for independents or single issue parties. A Euro-sceptic Tory will not vote for a pro-European Tory put up in his or her constituency. Information which in previous years the voter either didn't have or didn't bother with. The power of the political whip will decline as the information age ushers in a new era of micro analysis for each candidate.
Brown will remain safe as long as the premiership is seen as a poisoned chalice by any potential plotter. A year is still a long time in politics, but Labour will
be kicked out 'big style' if they cannot communicate the simple fact that they have the best policies to deal with the recession. Tory failure to have any policies
of note on the economy meant that in real terms their share of the vote increased only by 1% in these European elections even amidst a Labour meltdown.