Topic: Local Elections May 4th 2017

[SP]

In all the hysteria over the General Election, the Local Elections have been overshadowed.

Brexit is not a Local Election issue. Neither Corbyn nor May will run your local council. Vote for the candidate that you feel will deliver the best services for you area. It is not a referendum on the party leaders, you can do that in June. Forget national politics, vote for your best person for your ward.

I feel sorry for the many brilliant councillors who will be evicted for the sins of MPs. And despair of the many useless riding their coat tails.

[Libertine]

First campaign I've been involved in - just helping out with leafletting so far, but been enjoyable and feels good to be doing something rather than simply despairing about the state of our politics.

The council is filled with Tories and Kippers but hopefully we'll send a good liberal there to keep them honest.

[Trada]

Had my postal vote come today.

I'm really torn I want to vote Labour but they always come a very poor 4th or 5th on the Mendip district council with about 3 seats and the Tories and Lib Dems have around 20 to30 always have done even during Labour landslide wins around the country.

So I think I will have to hold my nose and vote Lib Dem in the local election mind you its the same in  the general elections for Somerton and Frome..

But I will vote Labour in the general election even if its a wasted vote around here.

[Zeb]

I don't have council elections this time round, but the Manchester Mayoral election is the 4th. No way I'm not voting for Andy Burnham. Just hope that the attempts to tackle homelessness and housing aren't going to really struggle without central government support.

[Redman0151]

Sadly i'm on holiday and didn't register for a postal vote in time, Steve Rotheram should win by a landslide anyway so no big issue

[Libertine]

The Political Studies Association hosted a briefing on next week’s local elections this morning. Here is the Press Association write-up of the main points.

    Labour is heading for a battering at local polls just weeks before the general election, academics have forecast.

    Experts said Jeremy Corbyn’s party was facing “a kicking” in Wales in the May 4 council elections and is “heading for disaster” in Scotland, where it could lose control of all the local authorities it holds, as the Scottish National Party and Conservatives reap the benefits of strong opinion poll ratings.

    Meanwhile, new analysis suggested that Labour could shed 75 seats in English councils - almost one in seven of the total it is defending, after boundary changes are taken into account.

    Analysis by Plymouth University professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher put Conservatives on track for likely gains of around 115 councillors in the English county, unitary and metropolitan seats up for grabs next month.

    Liberal Democrats, who were at a low point when the bulk of the English seats were last contested in 2013, stand to gain around 85 and have hopes of gaining control of Cornwall.

    But Ukip is facing near wipeout, with the prospect of losing 105 out of the total of 145 seats they won last time round, many of which they have already forfeited due to defections.

    In Wales, Conservatives could gain 50 or more seats from a low base, but Labour looks set for a “broader retreat”, with councillors picked off not only by the Tories but also by Plaid Cymru, Lib Dems and independents, said Professor Roger Scully of Cardiff University.

    Having performed “exceptionally” the last time the Welsh seats were contested in 2012, Corbyn’s party is likely to see losses in three figures in Wales and to lose majority control of its three major cities, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, said Prof Scully.

    “It’s very likely we will see Labour lose more council seats in Wales than in the whole of England,” he told a briefing hosted by the Political Studies Association in London.

    “Labour are likely to get another kicking in the local elections in Wales.”

    Strathclyde University’s Professor John Curtice said it was difficult to predict numbers of councillors because of the complicated proportional voting system north of the border.

    But he said Labour was likely to lose its role as the dominant force in Scottish local government to the Scottish National Party, with Conservatives also making gains.

    “The Labour vote has been collapsing, and if you look at some of the by-elections in Glasgow it’s been horrendous,” Prof Curtice said.

    “It looks as though Labour is heading for disaster north of the border. And therefore, it will be very, very surprising indeed if Labour retains control of any council in Scotland.”


https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/25/general-election-2017-labour-pledge-to-wipe-brexit-slate-clean-politics-live

[TepidT2O]

Labour should hopefully do a bit better in local elections. 

Less of a Corbyn factor to put the voters off.

[Trada]

Had my postal vote come today.

I'm really torn I want to vote Labour but they always come a very poor 4th or 5th on the Mendip district council with about 3 seats and the Tories and Lib Dems have around 20 to30 always have done even during Labour landslide wins around the country.

So I think I will have to hold my nose and vote Lib Dem in the local election mind you its the same in  the general elections for Somerton and Frome..

But I will vote Labour in the general election even if its a wasted vote around here.

I couldn't hold my nose and voted with my heart Labour.

[Zeb]

My first choice had to be Andy Burnham. Second choice went to Lib Dems, just in case. Both Burnham and the Lib Dems have said they'll try to tackle the homelessness across Manchester, really, really hope that funding can be sourced to do that. Affordable housing is also something the new mayor will have to kick at Westminster to get but here's hoping that will be possible too.

[Red Beret]

Voted Green for Liverpool Metro Mayor, but gave my second choice to Rotheram as he's going to win it anyway.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Steve Rotheram voted for. Good man LFC ST Holder

[SP]

I did not realise that Labour put up a councillor in my county council ward. I had no election literature from him, saw no election signs. He lives half an hour drive away. In Buckinghamshire not the wilds of Scotland. Actually found a candidate who has campaigned more pitifully than the Labour Front Bench team.

[TheShanklyGates]

Only 3 options in my area, Tory, Labour and UKIP.

Voted for Labour for what good it'll do. Maybe the Tories and UKIP will split the c*nt vote but not holding my breath.

[sms1986]

I'm in South Ribble for this one, and Ribble Valley for the general election. My area always votes for the Labour candidate for the local elections, I voted Labour regardless (choice was Labour, Tories and Lib Dems). My constituency is a safe Tory seat so tactical votes are probably going to go to Labour if anyone does it around here, and I'll most likely vote Labour even if I did vote to Remain.

[Trada]

How depressing.

 Josh Halliday‏Verified account @JoshHalliday 4m4 minutes ago

Under an hour to go to vote. From what I've seen and heard, turnout will be very low. All predictions around 15-20%...

[filopastry]

How depressing.

 Josh Halliday‏Verified account @JoshHalliday 4m4 minutes ago

Under an hour to go to vote. From what I've seen and heard, turnout will be very low. All predictions around 15-20%...

Not entirely surprising, it has been completely overshadowed by the GE

[killer-heels]

How depressing.

 Josh Halliday‏Verified account @JoshHalliday 4m4 minutes ago

Under an hour to go to vote. From what I've seen and heard, turnout will be very low. All predictions around 15-20%...

Just went and voted and you could see the pages of people with names not crossed out yet. Looks a very low turnout.

[sms1986]

Yeah, the place I went to had nobody else in except the people working there, myself and my brother and this was at 6pm.

[Libertine]

Just back home from a long day campaigning and getting out the vote.

Looking good based on canvass returns etc, but we'll see how the results go tomorrow.

End of my first political campaign. Second one starts tomorrow 

[Alan_X]

Looked like a low turnout at my polling station.

[Trada]

If that turn out is true God knows how the voting will go.

Its all about who got their voters out.

[killer-heels]

If that turn out is true God knows how the voting will go.

It will be higher than todays elections. The General Election announcement consigned this to the low turnout dustbin.

[Wabaloolah]

I'm in South Ribble for this one, and Ribble Valley for the general election. My area always votes for the Labour candidate for the local elections, I voted Labour regardless (choice was Labour, Tories and Lib Dems). My constituency is a safe Tory seat so tactical votes are probably going to go to Labour if anyone does it around here, and I'll most likely vote Labour even if I did vote to Remain.

I remember when Labour won a by-election in Ribble Valley, late 1980s I think! Is that Tory c*nt Nigel Evans your MP?

[Wabaloolah]

Yeah, the place I went to had nobody else in except the people working there, myself and my brother and this was at 6pm.

Quite busy when I voted earlier

[Wabaloolah]

Labour should do better in the local elections than the GE, if the local election is as bad for Labour in Wales, Scotland and England as they were predicting then the Labour meltdown is quite likely in June and less than 150 Labour MPs will be returned

[sms1986]

I remember when Labour won a by-election in Ribble Valley, late 1980s I think! Is that Tory c*nt Nigel Evans your MP?

Yeah, unfortunately.

[Wabaloolah]

Yeah, unfortunately.

You have my deepest sympathy, I have never met a more obnoxious c*nt than him, worse still he's a fellow countryman!

[SP]

Labour's exit poll has been published.

https://youtu.be/p13yZAjhU0M

[filopastry]

Looks like a few Welsh councillors lost for Labour in the early results from there

[Andy @ Allerton!]

How depressing.

 Josh Halliday‏Verified account @JoshHalliday 4m4 minutes ago

Under an hour to go to vote. From what I've seen and heard, turnout will be very low. All predictions around 15-20%...

Why depressing the British have shown themselves as idiots the last few years.

[filopastry]

Not many results out at all yet, but what is out looks fucking grim for Labour.

Haven't seen any analysis at all by type of seat etc, but I would guess Labour losses are going to be worse than expected.

Supposedly decent turnout in Tory areas as opposed to Labour ones in the West Midlands mayoral election as well.

[Libertine]

From a first glance, seems like the total collapse of the UKIP vote is handing big victories to the Tories.

Does not bode well for the general election if that holds true. Well over 100+ majority territory.

[It's Jimmy Corkhill]

From a first glance, seems like the total collapse of the UKIP vote is handing big victories to the Tories.

Does not bode well for the general election if that holds true. Well over 100+ majority territory.

Yeah. UKIP becoming relevant in the last few years and now having no purpose is basically giving the Tories seats. At least in 6 weeks or so UKIP will be finished. At the moment, they've lost every single councillor they had.

[Libertine]

It's a run-off between Labour and Tories for West of England Mayor.

You'd think the Green and LD transfers would help Labour but who knows these days. Seems the strong showing from the independent may have ruined the LD chances - real shame.

Also, quite a bizarre system in that only the first two go into the run-off. Why not eliminate people one by one? Should be like the system in Ireland, too complex for here perhaps?

CON: 53,796 - 27.3%
Labour: 43,627 - 22.2%
Liberal Democrat: 39,794 - 20.2%
Independent: 29,500 - 15.0%
Green: 22,054 - 11.2%
UKIP: 8,182 - 4.2%

[Libertine]

It's a run-off between Labour and Tories for West of England Mayor.

You'd think the Green and LD transfers would help Labour but who knows these days. Seems the strong showing from the independent may have ruined the LD chances - real shame.

No, the Tories take it. Fuckers.

[-HH-]

In all the hysteria over the General Election, the Local Elections have been overshadowed.

Brexit is not a Local Election issue. Neither Corbyn nor May will run your local council. Vote for the candidate that you feel will deliver the best services for you area. It is not a referendum on the party leaders, you can do that in June. Forget national politics, vote for your best person for your ward.

I feel sorry for the many brilliant councillors who will be evicted for the sins of MPs. And despair of the many useless riding their coat tails.

Unfortunately it seems a lot of people don't get that. I thought these quotes were depressing but telling from the BBC live feed:

The chairman of the Labour group on Warwickshire County Council, who has lost his seat this morning, says people have told him that Jeremy Corbyn's style "has been putting them off voting Labour".

Phil Johnson, who is also standing as Labour's candidate in Nuneaton at the 8 June general election, says he believes the Labour group on the county council "will be significantly reduced".

He tells BBC Radio 4 that national issues "have swamped" the party's local campaign, adding: "I think while Jeremy Corbyn's policies are popular and can be quite well received by the public, his leadership style isn't.

"People have been saying to us that Jeremy Corbyn's style has been putting them off voting Labour.

"When the policies are explained they do receive a degree of support, but Jeremy Corbyn isn't coming across well with the public."

[TepidT2O]

The local elections will be better than the general election though.... Less of a Corbyn effect, even if no Corbyn effect.

Interestingly, it seems like the UKIP vote has collapsed in licolnshire.  The core ukip area... if they are dying there, then maybe this cancer on our political landscape is finally withering on the vine.

[Alan_X]

The local elections will be better than the general election though.... Less of a Corbyn effect, even if no Corbyn effect.

Interestingly, it seems like the UKIP vote has collapsed in licolnshire.  The core ukip area... if they are dying there, then maybe this cancer on our political landscape is finally withering on the vine.

Sadly I think it's just metastasised. Most of it has been absorbed back into the Tory Party but it's affected the Labour Party as well.

[TepidT2O]

Sadly I think it's just metastasised. Most of it has been absorbed back into the Tory Party but it's affected the Labour Party as well.

In the long term, I think that's better.  Easier to fight just the Tories rather than having to fight a protest party as well..

Of course, at the moment it's worse, but long term I think it is better..

[killer-heels]

In the long term, I think that's better.  Easier to fight just the Tories rather than having to fight a protest party as well..

Of course, at the moment it's worse, but long term I think it is better..

Looking at some of the results it illustrates that there is quite a healthy centre/centre-left vote to grab. If you can have 1 party that appeals strongly then that should lead to Lib Dems flocking to Labour and even those who may have shifted a bit to the right.

Whilst the Tories will do well this is not a country that on mass has shifted to the right and needs to be written off by other parties.