Conservatives Hammered in Local Elections

[Pete]

I must admit I had no idea how this would go. Obviously the Cons would take a knock or two, mid-term and all that - and everyone knew the LibDems wouldn't do well as a result of their tacit approval of Con measures under the coalition. But I wasn't prepared for the Labour advances, I didn't think they had a strong enough profile to do so well.

Anyway, the figures up to now are:

Councils

Conservatives: 26 - down 11
Labour: 49 - up 21
Lib Dems: 3 - down 1

Councillors

Conservatives: 549 - down 272
Labour: 1,087 - up 456
Lib Dems: 211 - down 128
Plaid Cymru: 32 - down 11
Green: 16 - up 3
BNP: 0 - down 3
Respect: 5 - up 5
Ukip: 7 - up 1

Also worth mentioning are the gains by Respect and Ukip - but where this will go at a General Election, I really wouldn't like to say.

[Big Dave]

It looks like people have used their votes to show the 'big three' how strongly they disapprove of current government policy. I wonder if they will get the message - shaft the public and they'll turn on you, big time.

PM says 'these are difficult times' and that he is sorry for 'hard-working Conservative councillors' who lost seats.
Deputy PM Nick Clegg says he is 'really sad' that so many of his Lib Dem councillors lost their seats.

No apologies to the ex-councillors for the crap policies that cost them their seats, just a limp wristed 'Oh deary me...'

Milliband need not get too smug, these results are nothing to do with his success as a Labour leader. They're protest votes Ed, nothing more.

[Pete]

>> Milliband need not get too smug, these results are nothing to do with his success as a Labour leader. They're protest votes Ed, nothing more.

Exactly - Labour have a lot to do to get back into power and I think it will be many, many years, if ever.

We are possibly at the beginning of a new era where the "big three" will no longer dominate British politics.

[Slacker]

I don't like the election by thirds system, Amber Valley is the only local council that uses it. Pleased that we are all up for election at the same time.

[Big Dave]

I don't agree with it either but I suppose the idea is so you don't risk getting a complete council of newly elected councillors all at once.

[k4blades]

From what I heard turnout was about 38%. So 62% didn't vote, which basically means that the winning party was "none of the above" and what that really means is that 62% of the population are losers as they are being goverened by a political class they don't want.
If only we had real democracy where the majority of people were represented.

[Slacker]

I don't agree with it either but I suppose the idea is so you don't risk getting a complete council of newly elected councillors all at once.

You soon settle in with the guidance of council officers

[Slacker]

From what I heard turnout was about 38%. So 62% didn't vote, which basically means that the winning party was "none of the above" and what that really means is that 62% of the population are losers as they are being goverened by a political class they don't want.
If only we had real democracy where the majority of people were represented.

If people can't be bothered to vote they shouldn't moan about what they get

[Fly]

Agree with you. That's why I try to not post on political things.

[Big Dave]

We have postal votes, easy to arrange and means we're always able to vote even if we're not at home on polling day. We always vote, in general and local elections though it pisses us off that we only hear from councillors when they want our vote at election time. Not even then in the case of our county councillor, nothing in five years, not a squeak and nothing from our town councillors since they were elected in 2010 - doesn't fill me with confidence in any of them.

Pity Ken didn't oust Boris in London but much closer than expected. I hope Cameron and Clegg  will reconsider their policies after this 'yellow card' from the electorate but somehow I doubt it.

[k4blades]

If people can't be bothered to vote they shouldn't moan about what they get

Typical politician, refusing to listen.
Its is often shown these days in poll after poll, that millions of people don't vote, not because they can't be bothered, but because they can't find a politician that reflects their views or worthy of their vote.
Ask a man on dead row if he would prefer to be hung or shot, if he doesn't answer, doesn't mean he has no interest in the issue.
Will you, (politicians) ever stop being so arrogant and taking people for granted.


Boris for PM!

[Slacker]

We have postal votes, easy to arrange and means we're always able to vote even if we're not at home on polling day. We always vote, in general and local elections though it pisses us off that we only hear from councillors when they want our vote at election time. Not even then in the case of our county councillor, nothing in five years, not a squeak and nothing from our town councillors since they were elected in 2010 - doesn't fill me with confidence in any of them.

Pity Ken didn't oust Boris in London but much closer than expected. I hope Cameron and Clegg  will reconsider their policies after this 'yellow card' from the electorate but somehow I doubt it.

Spreaking as a local councillor we hold monthly surgeries alternating from a static one in a public building to a street one where we drop leaflets in to a few streets and people stick them in the window if they have a problem to discuss. We also participate in community forums, "Friends Of..." groups, estate committes, police panels, local galas etc. We are also readily contactable for individual's problems. What more do you want to hear from us?

[Big Dave]

What more do you want to hear from us?

I want to hear where and when the surgeries are held. I've never had any information about street surgeries, community forums, estate committes, police panels - didn't even know some of them exist.

[Pete]

Agree with Dave - there is a communication problem - how are we supposed to know what and where are these meetings? I can honestly say that in the 30 odd years we have lived here, I have only once had any communication from our local councillors, except around election times, and that was recently when two chaps turned up on my doorstep to discuss the old football ground demolition and housing build. I think they were LibDems.

[Big Dave]

Interesting you should say that Pete, we used to get a regular newsletter from the LibDems, never anything from anyone else.