Ecuador’s election wasn’t free — and its people will pay the price under President Noboa

TAKE yourself back to May 2017, and a moment of hope we shared. In the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing, the memorial crowd spontaneously sang Don’t Look Back in Anger.
Theresa May’s snap election had looked a certain bet. Then the Labour manifesto was launched. Bold social democratic policies captured the imagination: public ownership of rail, mail, water and energy. Strong on workers’ rights and reversing austerity. From 20 points behind, we were closing rapidly. Then came the attack on May 22, a suicide bomber murdered 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert, 1,017 others were injured.
Political orthodoxy predicted a “rally round the flag” effect would consolidate the Tory vote and halt Labour’s progress. But Labour defied orthodoxy, and in the spirit of that Manchester crowd, said if you want a peaceful Britain, you have to work for a peaceful world. With 41 per cent of the vote, Labour came close. But not close enough.



