![Dawn meetings and discipline How Labour stuck to its programme and secured victory](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175106/1720234926/articles/nvBl9GJ6C1720242820825/DAWN-MEETINGS-AND-DISCIPLINE-HOW-LABOUR-STUCK-TO-ITS-PROGRAMME-AND-SECURED-VICTORY.jpg)
"It is going really well," Tony Blair told them. "I'm not betting on it but..." His audience burst into laughter, the Tory betting scandal still fresh in their minds.
Yet the former prime minister also wanted to reassure the exhausted but excited crowd of about 100 party officials that the role they were playing to bring Labour "back from the brink of extinction" and within touching distance of power was crucial.
"When you get in, there's so much more you are able to do. A whole set of possibilities open up," he told them.
By any measure, Labour's campaign was a huge success, with the party's laser-like focus on winning votes where they mattered, taking dozens of swing seats, rather than piling up support in its safest constituencies, and securing what one aide described as "Starmergeddon".
"It has been by far the most disciplined and impressive campaign I've worked on by some distance," said a veteran of several Labour election contests. "The campaign we've talked about from the start is exactly the one we've run. Even in the trickier moments we've had real clarity of purpose. Keeping that discipline, even if not the sexiest thing in the world, has been absolutely central to that."
The drivers of that approach have been the party's two campaign chiefs - Morgan McSweeney and the veteran Labour MP Pat McFadden - who have been spending more than 14 hours a day in what they jokingly refer to as "the cell".
One campaign insider said: "They have that ability to think clearly about where we are, rather than getting caught up in the moment. Pat's temperament suits that perfectly." McFadden has been described - ironically-by another colleague as a "ray of sunshine".
This story is from the July 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 06, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![Orbán: Trump's 'Detailed Plans' Would End Ukraine War Straight After Election](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/1Ylgwo6xQ1721190527928/crp_ORBN-TRUMPS-DETAILED-PLANS-WOULD-END-UKRAINE-WAR-STRAIGHT-AFTER-ELECTION.jpg)
Orbán: Trump's 'Detailed Plans' Would End Ukraine War Straight After Election
Viktor Orbán has claimed in a letter to a top EU body that Donald Trump has "detailed and well-founded" plans for peace between Russia and Ukraine a claim likely to inflame tensions about the Hungarian prime minister's diplomatic freelancing.
![IDF Strikes Kill At Least 60 People Across The Gaza Strip](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/PTcK_Dh7R1721190644383/crp_IDF-STRIKES-KILL-AT-LEAST-60-PEOPLE-ACROSS-THE-GAZA-STRIP.jpg)
IDF Strikes Kill At Least 60 People Across The Gaza Strip
At least 60 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip yesterday, health officials said, including in an attack on a school sheltering displaced people and another on an Israeli-designated "humanitarian zone", as ceasefire talks appeared to stall once again.
![Israel-Gaza War Internal Pressure Mounts On Starmer To Shift UK Policy](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/VxuEW59o61721189907797/crp_ISRAELGAZA-WAR-INTERNAL-PRESSURE-MOUNTS-ON-STARMER-TO-SHIFT-UK-POLICY.jpg)
Israel-Gaza War Internal Pressure Mounts On Starmer To Shift UK Policy
The first internal pressure on the Labour government to shift Britain's policy on Israel came yesterday, when Labour Friends of Israel said that the UK should restore funding to the UN's Palestinian relief agency, Unrwa.
![Southgate was the ambassador England had needed all along](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/BDPrYh9W81721191712950/SOUTHGATE-WAS-THE-AMBASSADOR-ENGLAND-HAD-NEEDED-ALL-ALONG.jpg)
Southgate was the ambassador England had needed all along
Departing manager proved the impossible job could be cracked with patriotic virtues of modesty and empathy
![Hampton holds firm as England secure summer finals place](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/ZZhxx-rS81721191498241/HAMPTON-HOLDS-FIRM-AS-ENGLAND-SECURE-SUMMER-FINALS-PLACE.jpg)
Hampton holds firm as England secure summer finals place
They got there - just. England are going to the 2025 Women's European Championship in Switzerland to defend their title, after securing automatic qualification with a nervy goalless draw in Sweden.
!['Colin's not a champion': punchy Woods swipes back at Montgomerie](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/0nlzollWF1721191394723/COLINS-NOT-A-CHAMPION-PUNCHY-WOODS-SWIPES-BACK-AT-MONTGOMERIE.jpg)
'Colin's not a champion': punchy Woods swipes back at Montgomerie
Former world No 1 dismisses retirement talk after Scot suggests he should walk away
![Trump 2.0 Ex-president's return could damage global economy](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/aL7YoXp811721191207334/TRUMP-20-EXPRESIDENTS-RETURN-COULD-DAMAGE-GLOBAL-ECONOMY.jpg)
Trump 2.0 Ex-president's return could damage global economy
Opinion polls conducted since the weekend suggest Donald Trump's narrow escape from the attempt on his life in Pennsylvania has made his return to the White House more likely. Until now, little attention has been paid to what Trump 2.0 would mean for the US and wider global economy. That will now change.
![Harland & Wolff still awaiting decision on £200m bailout](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/NbzJmLn_x1721191124695/HARLAND-WOLFF-STILL-AWAITING-DECISION-ON-200M-BAILOUT.jpg)
Harland & Wolff still awaiting decision on £200m bailout
Harland & Wolff, the owner of the Belfast shipyard that built the Titanic, has said it is still awaiting a government decision on a £200m intervention despite signs that the Labour government is due to reject the financial lifeline.
![Senior North Korean diplomat defected to south while in Cuba](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/BVN5ylEXa1721191024609/SENIOR-NORTH-KOREAN-DIPLOMAT-DEFECTED-TO-SOUTH-WHILE-IN-CUBA.jpg)
Senior North Korean diplomat defected to south while in Cuba
A North Korean diplomat based in Cuba defected to South Korea in November, becoming the highest ranking envoy from his country to escape to the south since 2016.
![Kagame is elected to fourth term in Rwanda with 99% of the vote](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1768601/89tFMQhsr1721190734972/KAGAME-IS-ELECTED-TO-FOURTH-TERM-IN-RWANDA-WITH-99-OF-THE-VOTE.jpg)
Kagame is elected to fourth term in Rwanda with 99% of the vote
The Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, is gearing up for a fourth term in office after winning a thundering 99.15% of the vote in an election where only two challengers were allowed to run against him.