Ian O’Doherty: As Labour prepares for victory, it’s like 1997 all over again, minus the optimism

Labour leader Keir Starmer on the election trail in Oxfordshire. Photo: PA

Ian O'Doherty

I remember the day well. It was May 1, 1997. A Thursday, as I recall. Why do I remember such a distant date so clearly and so distinctly when I can’t remember things that happened last week?

Well, that was the night when the UK changed. After more than two decades of Tory rule, Tony Blair’s New Labour swept aside the old guard with a majority of 179 seats, bringing them to a grand total of 418 seats overall. It was the most comprehensive election victory Labour had ever enjoyed.