Peter Thornton (Liberal Democrat) 862 Timothy Stoddard (Conservative) 848 Rachel Bates (Green) 194 Malcolm Southward (Labour) 79 Liberal Democrat Gain - majority 14 It's been a pretty incredible couple of days, as you can imagine. Today's count was incredibly stressful - so much turns on just a handful of votes. You watch the piles of votes and suddenly realise that they are almost identical. All of the small things that you didn't do spring to mind. What if you had done that extra evening of canvassing? What about that extra leaflet that you decided not to do? Did we get ...
More than a hundred years ago the ashes were created from burning the parts of the stumps when England lost to Australia in a test match. So what to we burn now we have lost to the Netherlands ? I am about 2% Dutch, so I have to take my hat of to them for beating England, but the shame of losing to an associate nation, one not even able to play test matches shows just how poor England are.
Driving home from the count, I was feeing pretty down when, on the other carriageway I passed the cortege carrying the remains of four British servicemen killed abroad and flown home to Brize Norton, their coffins draped in the Union Flag. That was a touching sight and it brought my own petty reflections into very sharp relief.
So - horror of horrors - I lost and I lost pretty comprehensively. In fact the LDs got a bit of a kicking across this county as the b@st@rd Greens stole votes from us across the board. If it weren't for those ignorant middle class tree-hugging hypocrites (they all have cars, after all) we would have won a number of extra seats. I hope every Green voter is sitting uncomfortably in their ethical lounge reflecting on the fact that their hubris has served only the Tories. Good on you, guys. Bloody well done for the planet because the Tories really ...
Tired. But very, very happy. Thank you everyone. Alex
Thank you to everyone who voted for Sarah Ludford MEP and the Lib Dem team in Oval Ward in the European Election campaign. We won't know the results until late on Sunday of course. And in neighbouring Princes Ward, Lib Dem John Roberts achieved an 8% swing from Labour to Lib Dem and nearly halved the Labour majority in the by-election caused by the resignation of a Labour Councillor who moved to Bristol but claimed £15,000 in allowances for a year and a half. The swing, if repeated, would be more than enough for Labour to lose control of Lambeth. ...
This is the week the government has fallen apart, and of course there has been much talk in the Palace of Westminster about whether Gordon Brown is about to be toppled. The one factor that could have restrained Labour Members was the risk of a sudden election when if the opinion polls are to be credited, half of them would lose their seats. But the process has a momentum of its own, and at a guess I don't expect this Parliament to last the full stretch. At the same time, events continue as if this was a normal session. Monday ...
I just wanted to thank everyone who got out and voted - espcially those who voted Liberal Democrat. The turnout was low in some areas, but not as bad as some aspects of the media would seem to like. I also want to thank all of the people who were so friendly and welcoming - people are still angry about the expenses row but are still polite and receptive to politicians who bother to knock on their door and try to engage with them.
The BBC has reported that Sir Alan Sugar has been offered a peerage in return for a job in the government and the business man has accepted and he is to be placed in the Lords as soon as possible. All I can say is bull sh**... Brown and cronies are undermining the Peerage system by giving it to anyone they want in their cabinet. When they wanted Lord Mandelson they gave him one and brought him into cabinet and now its Mr Sugar. Labour need to go and a 2009 general election is needed, Brown call a general election ...
This has been one of the most extraordinary weeks in politics I can remember; and just because Gordon Brown is still Prime Minister does not mean anything has changed. What we have is a Labour Party which is the proverbial rabbit in headlights; paralysed by it's fear of doing anything and trapped in the inevitability [...]
Lord Toby Jug. THINGS just got worse for Gordon Brown in St Ives where the Labour candidates in the county council elections were beaten by a Loony. Despite failing to win the seat, Lord Toby Jug, Cambridgeshire's first Official Monster Raving Loony Party Candidate, was celebrating his best ever result in decades of political campaigning by [...]
News reaches the Voice of the Green Lib Dem's annual conference, unfortunately just a little too late to promote it in time for the early registration rates: SESSIONS INCLUDE: "The Great Nuclear Debate"; "Greening Your Council"; "Transition Towns"; "Eco Housing"; "Green Campaigning Workshop" CONFIRMED SPEAKERS: Simon Hughes MP; Chris Huhne MP; Heather Kidd PPC; Donnachadh McCarthy, Media Environmentalist; Lembit Opik MP PRICES HELD AT 2008 RATES - BOOK NOW TO ENSURE A PLACE Registrations received after 5th June GLD members £22 (for both days) £14 (single day rate) Non members £28 (for both days) £18 (single day rate) Conference fees ...
Harriet Harman has been on C4 news this evening defending Gordon Brown against the charge that he doesn't take women in the cabinet seriously. People who are more emotionally involved with the fortunes of the Labour party and the feminist movement than I am will probably find that quite head-in-hands distressing. Harriet Harman, champion of, [...]
A very informative response by Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson's via YouTube to the House of Lords Information Committee's People and Parliament Inquiry. Jo in particular talks about how Parliament make use of online tools to reach out and consult communities across the UK.
Well done to all our Broxtowe candidates in yesterdays elections who gave us our best ever set of results. We won five of the ten seats in the borough and polled 29% of the vote, above the national average and well above Labour's 19%. The Tories polled 35% so we've got 6% to make up on them. Nick Palmer has worked hard as an MP but he supports Gordon Browns Government. Labour have come third in Broxtowe now in the last two elections and it is clear that Nick will not win a fourth term as MP. The only question ...
I couldn't leave my blog without mentioning the utter chaos that the current high level bickering in the Labour Party. Whether it happens now or in a year, Gordon Brown is finished. His government is made up of political pygmies and is in its violent death throws. His internal opponents are not worthy to serve either. They have shown more interest in back stabbing than in coming up with new ideas. Now more than ever, Britian needs a government with a legitimate mandate and a fresh team at the helm. If Gordon Brown won't call an election, Labour MPs should ...
What a bewildering couple of days it's been. Resignation followed resignation and Gordon Brown's cabinet went from the 'meltdown' Nick Clegg described at Prime Minister's Question Time to total and utter collapse as John Hutton (Defence Secretary) , James Purnell (work and pensions secretary), Geoff Hoon (Transport Secretary), Caroline Flint (Europe Minister), Paul Murphy (Welsh Secretary), Tony McNulty(Minister for Employment/London) and Margaret Beckett (Minister for Housing) followed Hazel Blears and Jacqui Smith in resigning from the government. Caroline Flint made some shocking comments on announcing her resignation, she said "Several of the women attending Cabinet - myself included - have ...
The European elections saw a swing to minor parties, it is clear. ONe of the beneficiaries was the BNP. I spoke to a person who had voted for the BNP already. She voted for them because she wanted to "stop immigrants getting all the jobs". When I asked her if she was against her Asian neighbours she said that "they won't suffer, they were born here". How misguded. People are being fooled into thinking that the BNP are a respectable party for people to vent concerns about the economy and a feeling of alienation. They are not. They are a ...
It's been an exciting Euro campaign, now we wait till the count on Sunday. I hope that the voters have rewarded Fiona Hall with another four year term in recognition of her hard work. She is without doubt the hardest working North East MEP, speaking more, asking more questions and with a great attendance record. In Blaydon constituency, she has had a local profile unusual for an MEP. She has fought against open cast plans supported by Labour and has got the petitions committee of the parliament to investigate the disgrace that is Pathhead landfill. So I hope she wins! ...
When the dust on all of this has settled and once Gordon Brown is consigned to history, Labour's NEC must change the party rules. The ridiculous farce that has been going on in the last few days (and will probably continue) of a Prime Minister who clearly does not have the confidence of his cabinet or of his MPs but for whom there is no direct mechanism to get rid of him has to change. The Labour Party rules make it very difficult to remove a sitting PM if he/she does not want to go. I am not absolving the ...
Listening to Nick Robinson on the BBC News earlier summarising why the cabinet ministers who could have forced Brown out today declined to do so made my blood boil. He said in terms that they were fearful that if they did force Brown out then they would have to face the electorate soon afterwards. How utterly pathetic. They go on, and on, and on about democracy and listening to the people and yet, when it comes down to it the reason why they continue to inflict the worst Prime Minister in living memory on the rest of us is basic ...
All, I'd like to start off by congratulating Councillor Chris Saint, who successfully defended the Shipston Division for the Conservatives. The Division - which includes many of Shipston's surrounding villages, was always going to be a tough one for the Liberal Democrats to win, and so it proved - although we believe we did well in the Town itself. I'd also like to thanks all those members and supporters who delivered Focus, put up posters or just generally helped the campaign. Without you we would not have done as well as we did. Regardless of whether you voted for me, ...
Is Alan Johnson simply naive? Does he not realise the Home Office will eat his career, dead or alive? Or will he do a Roy Jenkins and be a liberal Home Secretary? He seems like a 'nice' guy, when you consider those who will surround him at the Cabinet table. If Alan Johnson wants to make a name for himself, he should consider backing proposals from the Liberal Democrat Freedom Bill. If Labour has a chance of winning the next election the win would be as a result of the Home Office or Number 11, with Alastair Darling content with ...
All Cambridgeshire > HuntingdonshireSt Ives Result summary CandidatePartyVotesShare Reynolds, Kevin Antony Conservative 2553 Pegram, Dennis Roy Conservative 2307 Hodge, David Frederick Liberal Democrat 1543 Waters, Robin Sherwood Liberal Democrat 1412 Jug, Lord Toby The Official Monster Raving Loony Party 566 Allen, Richard John Labour 362 Richards, Angela Louise Labour 343 Dennis Roy Pegram (Conservative) and Kevin Antony Reynolds (Conservative) have been elected to serve the St Ives Electoral DivisionSwing per PartyConservative: +9.18%Liberal Democrat: -0.27%Labour: -8.5% [From ]
Climate change is occurring much quicker than most people thought it would. This is in part due to positive feedback loops one of which is the melting of the ice caps which results in less heat being reflected back into space, The following is my offering of what the next 20-30 years might bring. It is intended to give a flavour of the situation we might be in. Please ignore any contradictions and accept it as just one possible fictional scenario. I hope it will contain some lessons of what we can avoid. {World Environment Day 2009} With temperatures often ...
Thanks to Charlotte Gore for extracting the top 10 Lib Dem blogs from the latest Wikio rankings: 1 (7) Liberal Democrat Voice Non Mover 2 (29) Liberal England Climbs 2 3 (31) Quaequam Blog! Climbs 6 4 (34) Peter Black AM Climbs 7 5 (37) Charlotte Gore Climbs 13 6 (42) People's Republic of Mortimer Falls 4 7 (44) Himmelgarten Cafe Climbs 2 8 (55) Mark Reckons Climbs 80 9 (75) Stephen Linlithgow's Journal Falls 10 (78) Liberal Bureaucracy Falls 3 Take a look at Wikio too: they have improved the way they present the list and now give the ...
My House Points column from today's Liberal Democrat News. I had meant to compare Tony Benn to Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Steve Davis, who all became wildly popular once they started to lose sometimes, but Margaret Rutherford and Oliver Smedley rather took over. ...that was Cream with "White Room" We find the bogeymen of the recent past comforting. In Monday's debate on illegal radio broadcasts both the MP who called it and the minister who replied emphasised that these modern stations are nothing like the pirate ships of the 1960s. Yet in the sixties the pirates were not ...
{im_voting_libdem.jpg} There are problems with any analysis of an election result. This election featured very few urban areas and no Scotland for instance, but 28% is a fantastic achievement. Because of the flawed electoral system we would only get about 80-90 MPs on that sort of return (I hope we don't need 96% of the vote to form the government, probably the bias against us ends at some point), but it is a greatly encouraging result for activists like me. I have sympathy for the Labour party and hate to see what it is doing to itself, but its showing ...
The English Democrats have their first elected Mayor. The party which was born out of the Campaign for an English Parliament has won the Mayoral election in Doncaster, their candidate Peter Davies winning with 25,344. In recent times the party has come under criticism for being racist. Among his planned policies: a cut in councillor numbers from 63 to 21 scrapping the authority's newspaper capping of the mayor's salary at a maximum £30,000 a year referendum on the future governance of the borough end to council literature being translated into other languages Hmm
The North Downing Training Project is one of those inspiring schemes that is literally life-changing. I was privileged to attend the award ceremony for the latest group of graduates today. At the event we heard from Lynne Edwards (pictured above), who told us how her life has been transformed by the qualifications and confidence she gained from the training. Congratulations to everyone! Cllr Pete Pattisson
It is quite laughable how they always blame the media given the lamentable performances of their leader Nick Griffin. Perhaps Griffin is preparing a rearguard action in case he gets challenged.
This years World Environment Day should provide the perfect launching pad for the Liberal Democrat's vision for a sustainable and environmentally sound future. For a party like the Liberal Democrats who profess that there is a green thread running through all of its policies. World Environment Day 2009 and its theme of Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change should be used as a medium through which worldwide awareness of the environment should be stimulated and political attention should be re-focused on the issue of the environment. {World Environment Day 2009} Climate Change is the great challenge facing the ...
Watching the news this afternoon is like watching a drama unfold. As it was, when I got back from the verification this morning, I watched the news of the reshuffle and then fell asleep for three hours. I woke up to a back-to-the-future world in which Brown was still PM and Labour were still at war with themselves. Nevertheless, Brown appears to have seen off the rebellion. The suicide bombers
The results of the county elections are extremely disappointing in general nad in particular for Wendover: Well the people of Wendover got whet they deserve. I hope they will not be disappointed with the urbanization of our village they just voted for. Party Name Seats Elected % of votes {Political party colour} Conservative 46 49.2% {Political party colour} Liberal Democrat 11 28.1% {Political party colour} UK Independence 0 13.5% {Political party colour} Labour 0 5.9% {Political party colour} Independent 0 1.8% {Political party colour} Green 0 1.1% {Political party colour} British National 0 0.4% Turnout: 40.1% So nothing really has ...
The following people are making an appearance at the Manor House over the next few weeks: On Saturday 6th June, Kevin Graal has stories and rhymes for all the family. This takes place at 10.30 and then again at 11.30. Children under 8 must be with an adult On Tuesday 16th June, Axel Scheffleler, illustrator of The Gruffalo will be making an appearance and will have signed copies of his books for sale. That's from 3.20pm until 4.30pm On Tuesday 25th June, Claire Seeber, author of Bad Friends will be at a special reading group session from 2.15pm until 3.15pm. ...
For now, this lists the results that have been easily provided on the council's website. Staffordshire: 43% of the votes, 79% of the seats. Difference: 36%. Lincolnshire: 47% of the vote, 78% of the seats. Difference: 31% Oxfordshire: 43% of the vote, 70% of the seats. Difference: 27%. Leicestershire: 44% of the vote, 67% of the seats. Difference: 23%. Lancashire: 42% of the vote, 61% of the seats. Difference: 19%. Hampshire: 48% of the vote, 65% of the seats. Difference: 17%. David Cameron on Proportional Representation: But it's also why a Conservative government will not consider introducing proportional representation, as ...
No Blog yesterday as we were out from early until late trying to catch every last vote that we could. It certainly paid off! Thank you to everyone who voted yesterday, the votes have been counted and the results are: Lib Dems: 1881 Conservatives: 1091 Labour: 323 Greens: 158 Our majority has gone from 200 in November 2008 to 790 today After a few days off to recover I'll be back out there on Monday sorting out bus services!
Oh what a day it's been! And not just because it's my daughter's tenth birthday. As an aside, how come she, who is normally so difficult to rouse, was wide awake at 6.15this morning! So, the morning brought the news that Hutton and Hoon had decided to walk the plank, although both left with some dignity. It looked then, after Johnson took over the Home Office that Brown would be able to carry out his reshuffle, even if he couldn't get rid of Darling. Sadly, just as he thought he'd plugged all his leaks and planned a 4 pm press ...
Just to update the many people who have been in touch with me and other Councillors today with concerns about the Oasis Concert. We have fed ALL your concerns into the Senior Officer Team at Bury Council who have been liaising with the event organisers. The following guidance is also currently being delivered to houses on Bury Old Road and Sheepfoot Lane to clarify the situation on parking restrictions. (This is from Bury Council). OASIS CONCERTS TEMPORARY WAITING RESTRICTIONS Following a number of issues occurring at the first Oasis concert held on Thursday evening, this note seeks to clarify the ...
All the results are now in. The Liberal Democrat highlight in Epping Forest is a victory in Epping & Theydon Bois, where Janet Whitehouse overturned the Conservative majority Janet Whitehouse, Liberal Democrat: 2,481 (42%) James Surguy, Conservative: 2,080 (36%) Andrew Smith, UKIP: 581 (10%) Tony Frankland, BNP: 306 (5%) Daniel Kieve, Green Party: 219 (4%) Simon Bullough, Labour: 192 (3%) Total number of votes cast: 5,859 Turnout: 45% Majority: 401 Read the rest of this entry.
Labour suffers humiliation in county council elections Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Local Government Friday 5th June 2009 – 4:23pm Labour suffers humiliation in county council elections what an understatement Labour suffered humiliation in the local elections today after the party lost three of its four county councils to the Tories. The party lost Derbyshire County Council following [...]
{brookburn-rd.jpg} After quite a bit of work early in my political career, we have an agreement with Council parking wardens don't to ticket outside schools during half term. The restrictions are designed to prevent major problems at pick up and drop off times, but not to penalise residents. The issue reared its head again this half term when a resident was ticketed unfairly. We have had our agreement reenforced and efforts are being made to train the wardens not to issue unwarranted tickets. The area around Oswald Rd school, Chorlton CofE and Brookburn Rd should be safe for residents to ...
Three gains from the Tories in `Tim Farron land`. Good luck Tim at the GE.
Fri 5th
17:52
It really takes the biscuit all night i was at the count and got nothing and Hazel had the last bloo...
It
Allan Knox has managed to regain the Clitheroe seat on Lancashire County Council for the Liberal Democrats. He succeeds his colleague Cllr Stephen Sutcliffe who held the seat for the Lib Dems for 12 years. Allan said: "I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who supported me in my campaign. I intend to carry on the good work for our area. The Lib Dem Team will keep in touch through regular newsletters and do all we can to help improve local facilities and services. Please do not hesitate to contact me on any issue." You can ...
Krishnan Guru-Murthy has just tweeted this: unelected in cabinet : Mandelson, Adonis, Malloch-Brown, Drayson, Scotland, Royall, Kinnock That's 7 unelected cabinet ministers. Have there ever been so many before? How can a Prime Minister who has done this be taken seriously when he talks about democratic renewal? I think I might have to lie down in a minute...
I have just heard Gordon Brown's press conference on the radio on the way home from work. The man is completely delusional. He just seemed to spend most of the time talking absolute nonsense. He just kept banging on about how he was the right man with the right team and he was "not arrogant". The fact that the government is falling apart around his ears seemed to not even register. After all that has happened it is now clear that this man will not go voluntarily. So, if Johnson, Miliband or anyone else who fancies the top job thinks ...
I find it rather sad and pathetic that when I post a blog voicing concerns for the people I am elected to represent that I then start receiving vile emails from Oasis fans that attended. I am sure it's only a small minority but they don't help their cause.
Just catching up on some of the local news. It seems Leamington Allotments are safe from development. Concern was raised when the 'options for growth' consultation placed one of the options for 10,800 new homes right across some of Leamington's fantastic allotments. Allotment holders across Leamington mounted a solid campaign to oppose this option and it looks as though, in spite of the conservative led District Councils 'gagging order' forbidding local councillors who have suported the campaign from speaking and voting on the issue the allotment holders in Leamington have managed to protect their plots. That is great news.
A momentous local election count at Stoneleigh today has left Labour floundering in Third place in the newly formed Warwick & Leamington constituency. Labours support fell to 7% behind the Liberal Democrats close at the heels of the Conservatives who managed only a 3.6% lead on their Lib-Dem rivals. I am delighted by the result. People have been telling me on the doorsteps that the state of the economy and the collapse of the government over the expenses scandal have played a major part in today's result. Vince Cable's commentary on the economy and Nick Clegg's call for a total ...
The Minister of State for Europe has resigned only a day after backing Brown's leadership. Blair's babes have thoroughly knifed the Prime Minister in the back. Gordon Brown will hold on to the bitter, bitter end! And right in the middle of the Cabinet reshuffle Press Conference — Ouch!
It seems that Mr Gibson is somewhat peeved with the Labour bigwigs and has taken his ball away. Geoff Hoon and Tony McNulty have left the government. This is an extraordinary day.
{gordonbrown2} This one: Is Gordon Brown Still Prime Minister? dot com
Gordon Brown admitted that yesterday's election were a "painful defeat for Labour" - Update: MPs to face more scrutiny, there will be an "independent regulator of MPs" Update: Next stage in reform of public services... Update:"We're not useless I swear we're not!" - Gordo More to follow –
So, we're to get an Independent Regulator for MPs? Might I suggest the acronym "OffRAMP" - the Office of the Regulator of All Members of Parliament. Does nobody else think this is a really bad idea. I'm sorry, we "elect" these people to run the country, to represent us in the High Court of Parliament. I realize they're looking a pretty untrustworthy bunch right now, but who, philosophically speaking, has the right to regulate or oversee those we theoretically put right there, at the top of the tree of government? That they cannot, it seems, be trusted to regulate themselves ...
Bury North MP David Chaytor is under further pressure to resign as an MP this evening. Mr Chaytor, who has admitted receiving £13,000 of taxpayers' money for a "phantom" mortgage, has made clear his intentions to resign as an MP at the next General Election. This decision, effectively consigning Bury North to representation from a "lame duck" MP until an election is called, has provoked angry criticism from residents. Now, another MP embroiled in the expenses scandal has done the decent thing and resigned with immediate effect. Ian Gibson, MP for Norwich, has today resigned as an MP, triggering a ...
With the news that Dr Ian Gibson has stepped down in Norwich North, causing a by-election, it leaves the Lib Dems with the urgent need to find a candidate. The question is, how many Lib Dem approved candidates live in his constituency ?
Last night's Oasis concert has generated a number of questions which need urgent answers. I'm a fan of the group (and am going tomorrow night) but I'm also a Prestwich resident, and seeing the disruption caused locally last night I was upset. These gigs are a great opportunity to do something good for the area, but after last night I feel disappointed. Whilst reviews of the concert appear to have been positive, and the audience enjoyed themselves, there were problems with the show itself which had a knock on effect for residents, and there were clearly logistical problems which hadn't ...
Labour's MP for Norwich North Ian Gibson has quit the House of Commons with immediate effect, triggering a by-election. The Norwich Evening News has his full statement, in which he makes clear his anger at Labour's handling of disciplinary action following the Daily Telegraph's allegations over his expenses claims: It has been my great honour to have served the people of Norwich North as their MP since 1997. ... I wish to publicly thank the hundreds of people who sent me messages of support. The decision of the NEC leaves me today bowed but not broken. However, I believe that ...
Surely, to be a reshuffle one must randomise the pack somewhat? I'd always understood that to be the meaning of the word. Anyway, leaving over half of your cabinet in the exact same positions as they were the day before can hardly be called a change, can it. Alistair Darling — stays as Chancellor David Miliband — stays as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw — stays as Justice Minister Lord Mandelson — stays at Business Ed Balls — stays at Schools Ed Miliband — keeps with Climate Shaun Woodward — remains at Northern Ireland Jim Murphy — stays with Scotland
From real votes cast yesterday and counted by 2:45 p.m. on Friday 5 June 2009 the projected national share of the vote, according to the BBC, puts Liberal Democrats ahead of Labour and all other parties, second to the Conservatives. Yesterday in paliament Gordon Brown laughed at Nick Clegg's claim that the fight was between Lib Dems and Conservatives with Labour having marginalised itself. Who's laughing now?
I recently wrote a response to a concern raied in the "Evening Telegraph" by a visitor to the city about eyesores on entry to the city by train - including the former Homebase site on Riverside Drive (covered in graffiti) and the railway station's condition. My response is in tonight's edition and you can read this by clicking on the headline above.
Interesting set of vote share results from the BBC based on the first few hundred council seat results, where they are giving the following numbers: Lib Dem - 28% (2005: 28% 2008: 25% ) Tory - 38% (2005: 31% 2008: 44%) Labour - 23% (2005: 33% 2008: 24%) Labour's result is one of the lowest they have ever seen. The context of those old results is all important. Labour have plumetted 10% from the last time these seats were contested, with the loss of the general election day boost hitting them as hard as the political climate. The Tory vote ...
Oh dear. The BNP has won the South Oxley division of Hertfordshire County Council by 27 votes. Was this expected at all? Looks like a 3/4 way marginal.
With Alan Johnson the new Home Secretary the days of thinking he would become the next Labour leader are finally over. Brown has taken his enemy from a post that was near the outside of the tent and brought him closer to the centre of the tent so they can all piss outwards and not inwards. This is great politics from Brown but putting all this to one side many Labour activists still believe Brown needs to go. The at birth Brown supporting website LabourList has even called on Brown to go and Monday's Labour Parliamentary Party meeting should be ...
My blog has jumped 80 places in the June Wikio rankings to supposedly be the 55th most influential political blog in the country (68th most across all blogs) according to them. I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw the rankings last night. Mind you, looking at the methodology they use (weighting links from other blogs based on their own ranking) I suppose the number of links I got towards the end of May made a big jump for me inevitable. Ms Gore has taken it upon herself to extract the Lib Dem blogs from the list and produced a ...
The Liberal Democrats have lost their two seats and the Conservatives have gained two in the polls of the six Lancashire County Council seats in Pendle. The results of today's election results here in Pendle is: Lib Dems: 0 Seats (-2) Conservatives: 4 Seats (+2) Labour: 2 Seats All in all the Lib Dems have lost out today big due to many factors one being the amount of money being poured into the Borough by both the Conservatives and Labour and the second reason being the fact that the Conservatives are strong across the UK. Its bad news is, the ...
I know that a lot will be made of the BNP County Council gain from Labour in Burnley. The REAL story are the 5 LD gains from Labour in the Burnley Constituency. There is no accident to all this – the seat has been ruthlessly targetted with a first class PPC and Cllrs. This is a [...]
Sigh...There's not much you can say about this! I'll just leave you with this excellent amusing youtube mashup of "sralun":
Kent County Council - Swale Central Mike Whiting (Conservative) 3,982Alan Willicombe (Conservative) 3,849Roger Truelove (Labour) 2,665Ghlin Whelan (Labour) 2,168Dave Manning (Liberal Democrat) 1,904Keith Nevols (Liberal Democrat) 1,594Sheikh Mihand (Official Monster Raving Loony) 566Turnout - 33.4%Considering we did no work in this ward, this was not too bad a result. Dave got 11.4% and I got 9.5%. As expected, long-time local councillor Roger Truelove lost his seat. In fact the Conservatives held five and gained two - so they now have all seven county council seats in Swale.Despite our small numbers, we did a good campaign in our target ward - ...
Paul Waugh has a blog exclusive; reprinting the election briefing that Labour MP's have been given. It paints a picture of a government which, frankly, has totally lost touch with reality. This passage in particular relating to the departure of James Purnell, rebutting the charge that Gordon Brown is unelectable; "First, the public wants to send us a [...]
With two rather pessimistic candidates, we were cautious about prospects of holding Bosmere and Gipping Valley. The feudal vote (Suffolk Together are led by Lord Blakenham), plus the traditional hardcore Conservative vote and a general anti-incumbent mood made predictions a dangerous game. As it turned out though, the anti-us vote split three ways, with Suffolk Together and UKIP both taking significant shares of the vote but killing off any prospect of Conservative gains. Julia Truelove held the seat formerly held by our Party President by more than 400 votes, and John Field winning by over 500 in Gipping Valley. So, ...
Well, that was a genuine nerve jangler in Mid-Suffolk! We'd gained Thedwastre South in a by-election in 2007 from the Conservatives and they wanted it back. Unfortunately, the Greens were present too, acting as a potential spoiler. And when the Returning Officer called the candidates together to announce a Conservative win by 160-odd, it wasn't looking good. We called for a bundle check just in case, and in a turn of events that just goes to show that eternal vigilance pays off, they found 200 Green votes in the Conservative stack. So, a defence by 35 votes, and Penny Otten ...
A really quick one. Angela Merkel has noisily crossed the line separating politicians from central bankers:"I am very sceptical about the extent of the Fed's actions and the way the Bank of England has carved its own little line in Europe"As Mark Thoma reports, the blogosphere reaction is quite harsh. Tony Barber thinks this proves how Germany is finally an ordinary country. And fortunately the ECB knows how to stick up for itself. But will the Fed? Their perpetually angry Congressmen want more control over the US central bank. Bernanke on the other hand sees the unorthodox steps taken since ...
First, it looks like we weren't squeezed. Second, we've done well in some urban areas. Labour are finished for a generation and we need to fill that gap – not by becoming more like Labour but by really working on the ground on our POLICIES and ruthlessly targetting those particular seats. Innovation, tenacity and ruthlessness is the name [...]
An early one today to round up the best of the blogging I have seen so far on this politically epic day:Nick Robinson reflects on three extraordinary personal decisions todayDizzy accuses Shaun Woodward of talking bullshit on the BBC. What, just today?Caron muses on the reshufflePolitical Betting asks if Ed Balls is a loserAnd although it may get lost in all of the other stuff today, Douglas Carswell laments the loss of his colleague Paul Goodman MP who has announced he is leaving parliament.
Repeatedly one hears political commentators exclaiming that Gordon Brown has "no mandate" to be the Prime Minister given that he wasn't the leader of his party at the time of the General Election. A few moments ago William Hague said it again on a television interview on the BBC. Every time I hear this I want to scream out that people should really learn about the form of electoral democracy we have in this country. Unlike the USA or France, for example, we do not directly elect our political leader. We have representational democracy where each constituency elects a representative ...
One of the frustrating things about the 'standard' election results in the media is that we cant get a picture of how the distribution breaks down by wards. Congratulations to the new Central Bedfordshire UA for getting the full results up on the web promptly so election anoraks can dig away.. As far as I can see our winners are: Ampthill; Gary Summerfield elected top of the poll in a two-member ward with 971 votes. Second was a Tory with 855 votes. Our second LD candidate was 6th with 418, a pair of Independents disturbing the field.. Barton: Tony Northwood ...
Fri 5th
13:02
A few results you may have missed.. A little pink pussy-cat has taken Barrow-in-Furness..
.. that's a gain from the Liberal Democrats. Rastus Odinga Odinga has taken Wolverhampton Southwest, that's Enoch Powell's old constituency -- an important gain there for Darkie Power. Arthur Negus has held Bristols -- that's not a result, that'... Read and post comments | Send to a friend
A friend of mine tells me this website is experiencing higher than normal activity at the moment. Think I might get one for AM.
Further to my bets with Charlotte and Kalvis, I thought the events of last night and today would precipitate Gordon Brown's fall. However at just after midday I am now not as confident as I was. The momentum that Purnell started last night seems to be petering out as the cabinet ministers who could force the issue (Miliband, and Johnson) row in behind Brown. If they flunk this chance, the will only have themselves to blame at the next general election as half of them lose their seats and they are all consigned to political oblivion. That's not to say ...
Well the first council election to be confirmed was Bristol. Thanks to four gains from Labour Bristol Lib Dems are now in overall control of the council. LOCALLY: Despite the national Tory-bounce, they lost the Lodden Airfield by-election, in Woodley, to the Lib Dems with 609 votes Vs. 519 Tory votes and poultry 62 Labour votes. Something very 1940's about the Lib Dem Matt Hayward taking Loddon Airfield from those damned Tories! In Brentwood, in Essex, Lib Dems gained two seats from the Conservatives. This is in the constituency held by Conservative Party Chairman and 'campaign guru' Eric Pickles MP. ...
Sutton Scouts St George's Day Parade I attended this event as a parent rather than in my councillor role, however I have a lot of support and respect for the Scouting organisation and it was a great way to mark St George's Day. Seeing all the Sutton Scout groups gathered together highlighted just how many groups are active [...]
Mark Littlewood will be on BBC 1 today to discuss the local election results at 1:40pm through 3.05pm
At 4.15am today the result of the Central Bedfordshire Elections for the Houghton Regis ward were announced: Houghton Regis (31.4% turnout) LD Susan Goodchild 1887 (elected) LD Rita Egan 1650 (elected) LD David Jones 1628 (elected) LD Peter Williams 1553 (elected) CON 928 CON 279 (that's what the returning officer declared !) CON 779 CON 746 BNP 735 LAB 463 LAB 482 LAB 456 LAB 444
So it turns out that the US has a National Masturbation Day. It was in May and I missed it, so my date with Madame Palm and her five lovely daughters will just have to wait until 2010. As a consolation prize, I get World Environment Day. Does that sound like as much fun to you? No, me neither. "Worthy" is the word that comes to mind. But worthy can be good. Really, it can. Look, there are lots of tips you can follow and they range from the banal and obvious right through to the silly and pointless. You ...
Amidst all of the political turmoil of the moment, I thought I would take a few moments to share with you a sweet tale of altruism from yesterday. I didn't do so last night on the grounds that it might be seen as a desperate last minute trawl for votes. Anyway, last night was not just Euro election day, it was also our daughter's Brownie trip out, to Build a Bear, Edinburgh. For the uninitiated, BAB is a shop where children can make their own cuddly toys. As well as it being a huge drain on our household budget (let's ...
Following last nights first of 3 Oasis concerts at Heaton Park there are already massive questions looming. From the perspective of local residents there has to be questions about the fact that the agreed end time was breached by at least 20 minutes. This was due to a generator and sound problems. Sorry but their technical difficulties encountered aren't our problem. And there has to be a question mark over the sheer volume of noise. I live perhaps half a mile from the venue and still could make out every word really felt for those living literally over the road ...
That's how it looks to me after the events of the last two hours. The Tories don't want Brown to go anyway - it would be a disaster for them - so Cameron laid off making any particularly "killer" remarks (he could have done a John Smith, for example) in this week's PMQs. Brown's early reshuffle this morning has had an amazing effect on that email which was alleged to be circulating amongst Labour MPs. It's stopped going round for now, says the BBC's John Piper. Additionally, none of the big hitters - Johnson, Miliband, Hutton - who could have ...
Now John Hutton's gone! Isn't he the one who said Brown would be an "f-ing awful PM"? Looks like he was spot on. He could be very dangerous on the back benches. Could he be the stalking horse candidate that Gordon Brown must fear? UPDATE: According to Nick Robinson, he has been planning to step down for a while and I am hearing that he is also to stand down as an MP. This could mean one of two things: either he has genuinely had enough and will go quietly or as he is going anyway he has nothing to ...
Gerald Kaufman's explanation for buying - and charging to the taxpayers - £220 Waterford Crystal grapefruit bowls is strange indeed. I'm far from clear as to what form of "self-diagnosed OCD" compels somebody to eat their grapefruit only out of such expensive glassware, but added to the £8K+ tv set, expensive imported rugs and doormats, it doesn't exactly suggest that he is in touch with the day to day realities of life in Inner City Manchester. I am sure that the glassware and expensive pen are well within the rules and it is true that Sir Gerald is not a ...
Game on - blimey! Came in from election at around 11pm to find news of James Purnell's resignation. As the night wore on - it seemed the senior cabinet members were rallying around - but they would, wouldn't they? Of course - given the nature of Brown - he won't cave in or go quietly - and the ultimate threat he holds in his big clunking fist is to go to the Palace and call for a general election. I reckon he would do that in preference to an ignominious exit. That is his trump card - his only card ...
Alan Johnson as Home Secretary: putting your key leadership rival in the job that has proved to be a political graveyard - Blunkett, Reid and Smith all failed spectacularly there - could be quite a clever move. No Ed Balls as Chancellor - I think we can all be grateful about that! However, the one they have was responsible for introducing 10p tax and the failed reduction in VAT. Bloody Tory hypocrites. Just seen Tim Montgomerie totally slagging Labour. Does he not remember that John Major spent his last 5 years in office dodging daggers flung straignt at his heart ...
So I came home at 2am this morning rather dismayed at the Tories apparently sweeping all before them in my area - whats a guy got to do to persuade people to not behave like sheep..? I woke up this morning feeling rather dismayed generally and my wife said 'Would it help that the LDs won Bristol?' Well, yes it did, so well done everyone involved in the Bristol campaign. That's the good thing about being a LD - whatever your local result, someone somewhere is winning a hard won victory, often after years of slog.
English local election results will be pouring in throughout the day. Lib Dem Voice will try and keep you abreast of what's happening across the country, as we did throughout Thursday night with our open thread - many thanks in particular to those commenting who were able to break the good news that the Lib Dems had taken majority control of Bristol City Council amid disastrous results for Labour. Please do keep the news coming in from wherever you live. As at 9.50 am, the BBC results scoreboard is telling me that the Lib Dems are the only party showing ...
Turns out Brown's doing the reshuffle today. First up: Johnson's the new Home Secretary. Of course! Why didn't we predict that last night? If there's any job that destroys the reputation of Labour Cabinet Ministers, it's this - the job of death. How will Johnson be able to go through a whole year in this job without exposing himself as a Stalinist Authoritarian, trampling all over civil liberties and engaging in reckless, populist totalitarianism? Poor Johnson. He'd managed to go his entire career without putting a foot wrong and now he's screwed.
Fri 5th
09:38Are we really back to something like the 30's where the possibilty of extremist like the BNP sneak i...
Job losses. No houses, schools in deficits reducing staff,Hospital staff struggling to cope, drug and alcohol abuse at record levels, Crime,Economic migration increasing, Government in turmoil, this list goes on. It's a breeding ground for people like the BNP.and all the two major parties do rehash old policies, and of course promise the earth. in [...]
Someone has sent me Cromwell's speech when he dissolved the Long Parliament. Still topical, yes, but let's not forget how dreadful England (not to mention Ireland) was under his protectorate without an elected parliament.Oliver Cromwell's Speech on the Dissolution of the Long ParliamentGiven to the English House of Commons 20 April 1653 It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in
It's going to be a fast-paced day today, with English local election results due to be announced throughout the day, and a simultaneous cabinet reshuffle. On this open thread we'll update you on the shape of the new cabinet, sans Purnell. What do you think of the new appointments? Is it enought to save Gordon Brown from the chop? Over to you... Confirmed so far: Chancellor: Alistair Darling stays Foreign Secretary: David Miliband stays Home Secretary: Alan Johnson handed the posioned chalice, takes over from Jacqui Smith Justice Secretary: Jack Straw stays Leader of the House of Commons: Harriet Harman ...
Gordon Brown is clearly trying to bind his most likely successor into his government by appointing him Home Secretary. It's difficult to see what else he could have done really as I guess Miliband won't be moving and Darling has already confimed he definitely isn't moving. Johnson's appointment again underlines Brown's weakness. There was a time when he was free to appoint whoever he wanted to whatever post he wanted but that time has now passed. He is effectively in Zugzwang.
Fri 5th
09:22
Johnson is Home Secretary - Denham to Communities - Hutton to leave cabinet - Straw and Darling rema...
Update 12:23: Guess wrong - Yvette Cooper for Work and Pensions seems the most likely one now, according to the Beeb. Update 12:05: Denham is to be Comunities Secretary. Yvette Cooper for Health? That would be my guess. Update 10.30: Hutton to leave cabinet for "personal reasons". Prescott lays into Harman on Labour Home. And I resisted the temptation to put "+++" on the title, you'll notice. Yes, Brown is staggering blithely on. I am surprised that Darling is staying as Chancellor after the various nods and winks of the last week. It is great that Brown finally found someone ...
I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like it before. The nearest political equivalent in my lifetime was Michael Heseltine storming out of the cabinet over Westland and then setting himself up in a darkened corner of Westminster as a possible leadership challenger. But he was never as open as some have been tonight about the sustainability of Thatcher's position nor ddi he directly threaten it at that time and he looked isolated in comparison to this week's rebels. Of course there was Geoffrey Howe's famous resignation speech to the House of Commons which sounded the death-knell ...
Whilst a political storm swirls around us at breathtaking speed it is worth taking a step back to have another look at the implications of the One Wales Government's policies on higher education and its impact on students. This morning's Independent cites figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency which show that of the school-leavers who started university in 2006-2007, 7.4 per cent dropped out after their first year of study, up from 7.1 per cent in the previous year. They say that 'In general, universities that recruited the most students from low-income families had the highest drop-out rates. The ...
I have never laughed so much as I did yesterday when I heard that UKIP voters had to actually ask where they were on the ballot paper? When you read this on the BBC website you get my drift. Honestly, if you cannot see the Party name you can ask the staff in the polling stations, or look at the blown up ballot papers or....learn the alphabet and look for it. Nigel Farage will use any publicity he can and again that's what he has doen with this. What a load of nonsense.
Fri 5th
08:46Just my opinion but what do we have in power to monitor ABUSES of the systems we have created,
Well they have not really broken any rules! come on. The issue of common decency,moral standing, pride, and basic honesty come to mind. Its only my opinion but a really believe the system is set up that unless you dig so deep you will never find out what's going on what systems do we have [...]
Thank you to everyone who voted for the Liberal Democrats in Epping Forest yesterday. The votes will be counted at Theydon Bois Village Hall today and you can check the results on the Essex County Council website here. Some districts, including Chelmsford where the Liberal Democrats won five seats and Brentwood where the Liberal Democrats gained two seats from the Conservatives, have already counted. Full results here.
According to BBC News sources, Alistair Darling will remain Chancellor. As Michael Portillo pointed out on This Week last night, some close to Brown have been rubbishing him all week in off the record briefings in order to lay the ground for getting rid of him. I suspect that he has refused to move and Brown is now so weak that he cannot so anything about it. Ed Balls will be furious!
Fri 5th
08:30One more Evening NEWS article on Blears, but how much more will surface to the top when the press re...
But he could and should have hurled the chippy redhead in the briny three or four weeks ago when she publicly sneered at him for taking his pathetic Cheshire cat smile of a message on to YouTube. I wrote at the time that in declining to fire his insubordinate Communities Secretary he had further weakened [...]
Well this has been a whirlwind 10 hours since James Purnell announced his resignation and called on the Prime Minister to go. I doubt Mr Brown got much if any sleep and apparently the reshuffle has been brought forward to today although there are few details as of yet. There are also little vignettes coming out like Barry Sheerman on Radio 4 just now saying that Number 10 and Yvette Cooper spent time yesterday ringing around his local party colleagues trying to get them to pure pressure on him. My unsurprising view is what is the point? Gordon Brown will ...
It struck me the other day, if you have to control a budget you really need to have control of all your cost. But if one set of cost are fixed and you start to get in to trouble what do you do when it comes down to schools. The only real choice you have is [...]
Have done a poll on how people actually voted on LGBT social networking site OUTeverywhere – both have shown Lib Dems and Greens level pegging. Perhaps there'll be strong Green votes in London, Brighton and Manchester?
Remember Carole Caplin, Cherie Blair's style adviser? She became controversial when her boyfriend, the convicted fraudster Peter Foster, was revealed to have helped the prime minster buy two flats in Bristol. Writing on the Guardian film blog, Peter Bradshaw uncorks a top piece of trivia. At the age of 6, Caplin played Dirk Bogarde's daughter in the Jospeh Losey flim Accident.
Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Canadian Liberal Party - and sometime British arts broadcaster and "thinking woman's crumpet" - is coming to speak at the National Liberal Club. He is giving the 2009 Isaiah Berlin Lecture - appropriately, since he has published an excellent biography of Berlin. Unfortunately, as announced by the Liberal International website, it is not an event for the masses:The event will be black tie.Tickets are £120 each. For interested corporate sponsors, we are offering a sponsorship package for £2500. This will include seating at a table for 10, prominent branding of the corporation, and an opportunity ...
Last night, I followed @lincsccelect on twitter and have to say that they gave great coverage. The innovative use of the micro blogging site coupled with extensive and professional website, meant that as I was out of the County I could have all the information at my fingertips. Indeed the coverage was so good, I was relaying the
Labour have been soundly beaten into third place in the County. Lat night they managed to get a paltry 11% of the vote, whilst the Lib Dems managed 19%. I think that the county's only Labour MP should be wary now as it's been prooven beyond a reasonable doubt that Labour are dead in Lincolnshire.
I've received info about great results in Bristol and LD wins AGAINST the Tories that haven't been reflected on the BBC news. I've fired off a complaint. Don't let the BBC turn the elections into the meme `Tories make steady progress nobody else exists`
I guess what I'm going to say isn't going to be that popular, but, hey, when did I ever let that stop me? My sympathy is actually with Gordon Brown this morning. Sure, the Government is on its last legs, as I've written before. That's not all Gordon Brown's fault - the Labour Party lost its way a long time ago, when it came into office and cut benefits to lone parents, when it launched an illegal war in Iraq and when allowed people to be detained for 6 weeks without charge. I remember the last time Ministers and MPs ...
A short interlude to look at the excellent Laugharne Festival that took place earlier this year.
The McManus Collections Unit at the former Barrack Street Museum is the new permanent home for Dundee's History, Archaeology and Natural History Collections. The relocation of these Collections to this facility will give more space to the main McManus Galleries and Museum in Albert Square for improved exhibition and visitor facilities when the main galleries and museum reopens. I recently had a walk-past the Albert Square site with the City Council's Director of Leisure & Communities and it is clear that good progress is being made with its refurbishment. There are tours of the collections at Barrack Street today and ...
Let me let you into the hidden secret of the LDV Daily View - it's usually written very late the night before, ready to go live at the crack of dawn for your breakfast pleasure. This poses a problem when, as I am now, you're writing at gone midnight not knowing whether Gordon Brown will have anyone left in his cabinet by the time you, dear gentle reader, are pouring milk over your cereal. But here goes... 2 Big Stories James Purnell quits cabinet: is this the end of Gordon Brown's premiership? The resignation of the work and pensions secretary ...
I certainly was - you think anyone in this half of Prestwich could sleep though that?! Oasis were forced to abandon the stage twice at their huge headline show at Manchester's Heaton Park tonight (June 4) due to technical difficulties. (Source NME) At around 9pm (BST) following support slots from Twisted Wheel, Reverend And The Makers (standing in for The Enemy, who cancelled due to frontman Tom Clarke falling ill) and Kasabian the band began their set with 'Rock 'N' Roll Star'. The song was stopped due to sound problems. The band headed off stage for around ten minutes to ...
Labour have held on to the seat of their former leader in the Radcliffe West by-election. Lab 30.7% Con 30.4% BNP 16.0% LD 15.0% ED 8.0% Well done to Liberal Demorat candidate Mike Halsall and his hardworking team who saw the Lib Dem vote more than double from last time.
The first big electoral news is good for the Liberal Democrats: four gains from Labour in Bristol have given the LibDems overall control of the council. Labour won just 2 wards out of 23 on the night, compared with 10 out of 24 in 2007.
Well, the first test for the Lib Dems of this local election campaign was passed with flying colours, as great news filters down from Bristol that the Lib Dems take control, gaining four seats on the night to steal the council away from no overall control. Congratulations to the team in Bristol whose hard work paid [...]
If any more ministers resign late at night, Nick Robinson will fall asleep on TV. I sort of want this to happen. Props to the man for not allowing petty mortal things such as sleep to interrupt political news!
Most local election results won't be declared until well into Friday, but a handful of councils are counting overnight - so please use this thread to update Lib Dem Voice readers with what's happening near you, or links to emerging stories elsewhere. Update 3: Looks like solid results Eastleigh (no scope for gains given how many seats we already hold!). Bristol looking good with several gains. Update 2: News of gains against the Conservatives in Eastbourne and Norfolk. Update: News from Bristol sounds very positive for the Lib Dems and absolutely disastrous for Labour, with Tories making little progress.
New Wikio Blog Rankings out today. Wikio measure the number of links within RSS feeds over the last 10 months (with more recent links being more 'valuable' so to speak. Like last month, I thought I'd list the Top 10 Lib Dem blogs that make it into the Top 100. Barnstorming new entry into the Top 100 for Mark Reckons, who has had an insanely good month making a huge splash on the blogosphere very quickly. Jonathan Calder sneaks back into the Top 30. In general a great month for Lib Dem blogs, no doubt in large part due to ...
The results are coming in now:First to declare was a Tory gain from a failing Labour, Gratham Barrowby was taken by newly elected Cllr Pam Bosworth.At the current moment Labour are down to only 3 confirmed seats. If the Lib Dems hold their remaning seats, they will be the second largest party.I don't really see how Gordon Brown can survive now with the worst local election results ever last year
Recently a friend sent me a link to this fantastic video on YouTube. I thought it was worth sharing.
