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  Let's not read too much into this. UKIP lost out in Stoke because Nuttal had made himself effectively unelectable, Labour lost out in Copeland because Sellafield workers and their families and friends dont believe Corbyn has changed his mind on nuclear fuel.
  
  On the wider national stage, UKIP are struggling to find not only a credible leader (how they do that in the long shadow cast by Farage eludes me) but also policies that their own members will rally round and support. Funnily enough Labour have a similar problem, with a succession of ex-leaders and senior figures pontificating on a regular basis along with a revolving door approach to the shadow cabinet.
  
  I am firmly of the view that Labour needs to start listening to its traditional core vote rather than the "intellectual" left and framing policies that genuinely address those issues ordinary people are concerned with. There is no need, a la Blair/Brown, to steal the emperors new clothes from the Tories; Labour needs to be different in its offer to the people. They also need to rethink what Social Democracy means in the 21st century, the mid 30's version that has been touted for too long here and across Europe no longer has any appeal.

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