Two parties suffered catastrophic defeats in the UK election – but only one of them is facing up to that | Martin Kettle

John Swinney is talking frankly about where the SNP went wrong. The Conservatives kid themselves that a new leader is all they need

After a succession of victories, the governing party got a drubbing in the general election. This autumn, it must set out on the long, difficult road back. Some party members think something fundamental needs to change for success to return. Others seem adamant it was not the party that made the mistake, but the voters.

For many, the answer is not a change of direction. These supporters simply want a new leader, who they hope can do a better job of putting across what are, to them, the unchallengeable and thrilling truths for which the party stands, so that the scales fall from the eyes of the misguided voters. When Labour goes off the rails – and, look, they will say, there are signs of that happening already – there will then be a revival and everything will be hunky dory again.

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