Forum Topic

Reasons to be (electorally) cheerful...

I see the BNP lost all their twelve councillors in Barking & Dagenham and lost most of their councillors nationally.How cheering is that?

Sara Nathan ● 5978d17 Comments

Absolutely brilliant. Another reason - the election of the first Green MP in Brighton.

Chris Hurley ● 5978d

Now that "Immigration" can be spoken about without you being immediately branded a racist, methinks the BNP has lost it's major (only?) platform.I suppose they are due some sort of reluctant "thanks" for forcing all the main parties to at last start talking openly about "Immigration".

Rosco White ● 5978d

And the number voting going upAnd George Galloway losing his seat...ummm..

Sara Nathan ● 5976d

Yes, the smashing of the BNP in Barking - excellent news. It was also a joyful moment when an Asian youth spat - full in the face - at one of their canvassers.Nice to see the defeat of the five defectors in Southall (who stood as Labour councillors in 2006 and then defected to the Tories in 2007).Other good news:-* The victory of Alan Keen in Feltham & Heston (where he defeated an anti-immigration Tory candidate).* The return of Labour Councils in Hounslow & Ealing (which will hopefully reverse the anti-diversity policies of the outgoing Tory regimes).* The continuing effects of demographic change, which held down the anti-Labour swing in London. This has already got Tony Price bitching on the W5 forum, so it must be good!!

Robin Taylor ● 5976d

I don't find spitting in someone's face (or on the pavement or anywhere else in public) 'a joyful moment' whatever the reason.

Dee Cook ● 5975d

Here's a thing though.  If we had proportional representation, we'd have 12 BNP and about as many UKIP members of parliament.  Discuss?

Anne Brown ● 5975d

I think only six BNP and only any at all if there was no de minimus clause which excludes parties getting under, say, five per cent of the vote. As the BNP got less than two percent, they would be out. Rather like losing your deposit and very sensible.

Sara Nathan ● 5974d

One of the most striking effects of the two elections being on the same day has been the near total obliteration of the 'fringe party' councillors within local government right across London. Near home, in Hounslow, for instance, all 11 'independents' of various types hit the dust. It's clear that the general election got people very focused, and it carried through into their local voting decisions (as well as boosting the turnout to levels London council elections may never see again.)

Steve Donnelly ● 5974d

Vlod tells me that the local election turnout went up from 35% to 60% which - while fatal to him and thus a huge shame - is overall A Good Thing.

Sara Nathan ● 5974d

They were on the same day as the General Election, so it did not take much for people who do not usually vote in council elections to put 3 more crosses on a ballot paper.I would not get your hopes up.On the other hand seeing a Tory losing office is a cheerful thing. Poor old Vlod the ex councilor.

Colin Carroll ● 5974d

you have to ask yourself, who were the extra 30 per cent of people who came out to vote .... and would they do so again?

Dee Cook ● 5974d

you have to ask yourself, who were the extra 30 per cent of people who came out to vote .... and would they do so again?overall turnout 2006 37.69 per centoverall turnout 2010 62.24 per cent

Dee Cook ● 5974d

The extra 30% were obviously mainly Labour voters, which is fair enough, as that's how our system works.However, come four years time, at the next Council election?!!

Rosco White ● 5973d

the parliamentary turnout was up 17% as well.I would be amazed if the council vote was anything like as high next time - seeing as the promised compulsory five year term means it is impossible that council and parliamentary elections could coincide.

Sara Nathan ● 5973d

The next coincidence in London would be 2030. Outside London the two would generally go together as district councils have annual elections for a third of the seats, with county councils in the fourth year.It's an interesting piece of opportunism, this sudden 'principled' interest in a fixed term. It just looks, on the one hand, that the Tories want to ensure they get some guaranteed return on their policy concessions, and on the other, that the Lib Dems want to defer the evil day when their voters hold them to account for what they have done. (Perhaps everyone will have forgotten.)I'm personally reminded of the old tongue twister "blue Tory, yellow Tory"...

Steve Donnelly ● 5973d

I see that in their policy agreement that an earlier dissolution could be achieved if supported by 55% of MPs. By a remarkable stroke of luck, this threshold is low enough to be triggered by the big Tories and little Tories (sorry, Lib Dems) voting together, but high enough to be unachievable unless the Tories support it (because they have more than 45% alone.)Isn't maths wonderful?

Steve Donnelly ● 5973d

I see that in their policy agreement that an earlier dissolution could be achieved if supported by 55% of MPs. By a remarkable stroke of luck, this threshold is low enough to be triggered by the big Tories and little Tories (sorry, Lib Dems) voting together, but high enough to be unachievable unless the Tories support it (because they have more than 45% alone.)Isn't maths wonderful?

Steve Donnelly ● 5973d