The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another tie-up with The Lib Dem Pod, following the stunning Lib Dem gains in the local elections. I joined councillors John Potter and Richard Kemp, along with new Lib Dem council leader Martin Boffey, to chew over the results. Unfortunately, Lisa Smart was not able to make the show, but she was safely re-elected this month too. Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. Show notes Watch the podcast on YouTube. The Lib Dem Podcast on Twitter. Theme tune by Hugo ...
The 2019 District Council elections saw our local Conservatives take something of a hiding but, with the aid of the friendly "Independent" from Combs Ford, they retained control of Mid Suffolk District Council on the casting vote of the Chair. Now you might have thought that they would then display a degree of humility and at least show some respect for the combined opposition parties following such losses but alas, it was not to be. And thus, on Thursday, they took the electoral kicking that they thoroughly deserved, courtesy of our local Greens. In truth, everything favoured the Greens in ...
Trekking Exploration takes us to the mile-long Elsecar Heritage Railway, which was mothballed three years ago and handed back to Barnsley Council by the charitable trust that had run it since 2006. In December 2022 the Yorkshire Post quoted a statement on the line's future from Elsecar Heritage Centre: "Over recent months, thanks to the extensive and positive response to consultation earlier in the year, an inspiring new vision has been coming together for the future of a heritage railway in Elsecar. "That vision to create a sustainable future for a heritage railway in the village will need significant investment, ...
Welcome to my summary of the latest national voting intention poll from each pollster currently operating in Britain. If you'd like to find out more about how polls work, how reliable they are and how to make sense of them, check out my book, Polling UnPacked: the History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls, or sign up for my weekly email: "*" indicates required fields Email* Enter Email Confirm Email If you submit this form, your data will be used in line with the privacy policy here to update you on the topic(s) selected. This may including using this ...
How far do defections by councillors predict election results? Augustus Carp brings us up to date with his findings. Churchill spoke of his various changes of political allegiance as ratting and then re-ratting. The same process affects the occupants of council chambers just as much as it does the denizens of Westminster tea rooms. Back in February I wrote a post for this blog on the numbers of defections by local councillors from the party which had endorsed them when they were elected. My opinion is that these moves are just as important as council by elections as barometers of ...
You won't catch Liberal England making too much of a single opinion poll, but it's hard not to be encouraged by Redfield & Wilton Strategies' latest. Labour 41% (-4) Conservative 29% (+1) Liberal Democrat 16% (+4) Reform UK 5% (-2) Green 4% (-) Scottish National Party 3% (+1) Other 1% (-) The figure in brackets is the percentage change since the company's 30 April poll. This is the Lib Dems highest rating in an opinion poll since the 2019 general election. I can't see exactly when the groundwork for this poll was carried out, but it must have been last ...
More Coronation musings In spite of the Guardian's intensified sniping over the past month I think the Coronation can be rated as a success. Here are a few plaudits and criticisms which I offer " with my humble duty" for consideration at the next one, should the powers that be choose to take any notice. Plaudits: 1. The use of seventeenth century "Prayer Book language." There were plenty of Thees and Thous and Thines about. Use of a more nuanced form of the language when addressing the Almighty* than that when ordering a pint and an packet of pork scratchings ...
Late last year I agreed to give a talk to Sunniside History Society about coronations from the past 1000 years. The offer was made before we knew the date of the coronation and the plan was that the talk would be given on the first Wednesday of the month immediately before the coronation itself was held. Alas, the coronation ended up being just after the local elections, and that meant I was out
The Lib Dem Focus Team in Low Fell, Gateshead, have already published their first eFocus since the local elections last week. It is entirely about the result of the contest in Low Fell. You can read eFocus in this link.
Over 1000 councillors elected, major gains and 20% of the national vote - our highest vote share in a decade. GAINED control of 12 Councils Including: Chichester, Dacorum, Guildford, Horsham, Mid Devon, South Hams, South Oxfordshire, Stratford on Avon, Surrey Heath, Teignbridge, West Berkshire & Windsor and Maidenhead HELD control of 15 Councils Including: Bath & North East Somerset, Chelmsford, Cotswold, Eastbourne, Eastleigh, Hinckley & Bosworth, Kingston upon Hull, Mole Valley, North Devon, North Norfolk, Oadby & Wigston, St Albans, Three Rivers, Vale of White Horse, Watford, Winchester & Woking GAINED over 400 Councillors We've increased our councillor numbers in ...
It looks like the Metropolitan police have been at it again, but this time they are backed up by some of the most draconian laws ever introduced in the UK. The Independent reports that the chief executive of an anti-monarchy group who was arrested on the day of the King's coronation has been released, after critics accused police of enforcing a "totalitarian crackdown." They add that Graham Smith was released after nearly 16 hours in police custody, while the majority of his Republic colleagues continued to be held: Some 52 protesters from anti-monarchy and environmental groups were arrested on the ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 8 MAY 2023 Brown Street (south of Douglas Street) - closed for 13 months for construction works. South Tay Street (Tay Square to Artillery Lane) - closed for one week for Scottish Water work. Forthcoming Roadworks Riverside Drive (at Airport) - off‑peak temporary traffic lights on Tuesday 16 May for DFT traffic loop repair. Blackness Road (at Glenagnes Road) - temporary traffic lights from 9.00am on Wednesday 17 May to 6.00am on Thursday 18 May for Scottish Water work.
