Why is Labour way ahead in Britain? The US Democrats may want to inquire

Labour, which may have been the most far-left major party in the Western world, has executed a massive course correction.

Houses of Parliament (Dan Perry photo)

Most elections are weirdly close affairs, with publics all over the world seemingly split down the middle on every choice and issue. But since the British just have to be different, almost all agree that the Conservatives will be crushed in the vote set for July 4.

That's why it is fascinating Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the Conservative Party even announced the election last week. He could have hung on by law through the end of the year, still has a strong majority in Parliament, and is trailing in the polls by over 20 percent—yet he did the sporting thing. Imagine that happening in the U.S.—or anywhere.

The sharp-eyed may notice it's also odd that Labour—which can be loosely compared to the U.S. Democrats—is waltzing toward a coronation. Local electoral models give the Tories (as the Conservatives are universally referenced) about a 1 percent chance of retaining their parliament majority. That certainly bucks the trend around the world, where liberal democracy is under assault by authoritarians, fake democrats, and populists of every stripe.

After all, former President Donald Trump is in pole position in the United States. The hard right is in power in Italy, India, and Israel, and ascendant in Germany, France, and Sweden. And just last week, it was announced that a coalition government effectively led by ultranationalist firebrand Geert Wilders will be established in the Netherlands, a country many people still mistakenly think of as liberal.

How can the U.S. Democrats learn from Labour and replicate its success (if just in the polls)? After spending a few weeks back in Britain, I see considerable overlap on two issues: the culture wars and immigration. The local experience with each of them is interesting and may contain some lessons.