Maybe we can meet up as an 'urbanite political activist group' at the pub for a 'I hate the [insert party not represented at the pub table] group'?
Labour councillor takes £10k for attending two council meetings
- Thread starter Bob
- Start date
Maybe we can meet up as an 'urbanite political activist group' at the pub for a 'I hate the [insert party not represented at the pub table] group'?
Maybe we can meet up as an 'urbanite political activist group' at the pub for a 'I hate the [insert party not represented at the pub table] group'?
But once we'd got over the hating of the other party we'd find that we all agree on 90%+ of things as all the mainstream political parties want to make Lambeth better
Very true. As long as we didn't discuss leaflets!
Seriously if you're heading there and fancy a drink with an urbanite PM me - I'm not going to be doing much due to killer work commitments - but on the off chance it's worth a try.
A final end to this
There's a by election on 4th June.
Conservatives have chosen somebody with a double barrelled name which I've forgotten.
Labour have chosen Mark Harrison as their candidate:
http://southeasteleven.blogspot.com/2009/04/mark-harrison-selected-as-labour.html
Lib Dems have chosen John Roberts as our candidate:
http://southeasteleven.blogspot.com/2009/04/john-roberts-lib-dem-candidate.html
There's an amusing bit of argument by somebody anonymously being rude about him in the comments section.
Disclaimer to keep my Labour friends on here happy: I'm a Lib Dem. And most of the people who will be grumpy with me about my bias in this post are Labour activists.
There's a by election on 4th June.
Conservatives have chosen somebody with a double barrelled name which I've forgotten.
Labour have chosen Mark Harrison as their candidate:
http://southeasteleven.blogspot.com/2009/04/mark-harrison-selected-as-labour.html
Lib Dems have chosen John Roberts as our candidate:
http://southeasteleven.blogspot.com/2009/04/john-roberts-lib-dem-candidate.html
There's an amusing bit of argument by somebody anonymously being rude about him in the comments section.
Disclaimer to keep my Labour friends on here happy: I'm a Lib Dem. And most of the people who will be grumpy with me about my bias in this post are Labour activists.
I believe its Michael Poole-Wilson who has been selected as the Tory. He stood in somewhere like Larkhall or Ferndale at the last council elections - see http://www.lambethconservatives.com/2009/04/princes-by-election/ - bizarrely I think I might know him: if I remember correctly he is a friend / colleague of a friend who I once met in a pub on a drunken evening. Eek I didnt know he was a Tory!
threewheeled
SE11_lurker
Hi Bob, thanks for quoting from my blog (southeasteleven)! (Analytics indicated that people were visiting me from here, but it took me ages to work out from which thread).
I'm trying to keep everybody updated about the election in Prince's Ward (amongst other SE11 things) and I'm still trying to find out whether there are any other candidates standing. I've sent two emails to the Green Party, both of which have fallen on deaf ears (I've had no response at all), but it would also be good to know if there are any independent candidates standing. Since the election is so soon, it seems unlikely as everybody is getting their (generally badly thought through) literature distributed.
Does anybody know whether there's a centralised place from which it's possible to discover all of the candidates being put forward?
I'm trying to keep everybody updated about the election in Prince's Ward (amongst other SE11 things) and I'm still trying to find out whether there are any other candidates standing. I've sent two emails to the Green Party, both of which have fallen on deaf ears (I've had no response at all), but it would also be good to know if there are any independent candidates standing. Since the election is so soon, it seems unlikely as everybody is getting their (generally badly thought through) literature distributed.
Does anybody know whether there's a centralised place from which it's possible to discover all of the candidates being put forward?
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
Officially, it won't be until the Notice of Poll is published. I assume this will be tomorrow as the deadline for nominations to be received from candidates is 4pm today, 7 May
Unofficially, the Deputy Returning Officer at the Town Hall, Len Lewis might be able to pass your details on to the candidates/their agents already declared.
And will somebody tell Lambeth's website team that it has always been Princes Ward, with no bloody apostrophe!
threewheeled
SE11_lurker
Lang rabbie, I think I'll wait until tomorrow. I've got all sorts of other emails out on other matters without pestering for something that should appear tomorrow.
It looks like I've made the Princes Ward apostrophe mistake as well, so I shall now go and correct!
It looks like I've made the Princes Ward apostrophe mistake as well, so I shall now go and correct!
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
Actually, I exaggerate - I think that it has only been a convention since 1965. Maps of the old Metropolitan Borough from 1918 do have apostrophes.
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
Twitter tells me that Joseph Healy for the Greens has now got his nomination papers in.
It is more than a bit cheeky to have a picture of Vauxhall City Farm on your blog post announcing his candidacy when one of your opponents has been one of the farm's leading lights for so long.
It is more than a bit cheeky to have a picture of Vauxhall City Farm on your blog post announcing his candidacy when one of your opponents has been one of the farm's leading lights for so long.
threewheeled
SE11_lurker
Thanks for the heads up! I've just done a quick blog post with comments... I can't wait for the Green party literature to do the rounds. My worms are very happy eating all of the cheap paper!
It's great when elections promise to be quite as exciting as this one. I agree with you about the Farm... I'm still waiting to see anybody come up with any substantive policy. With the exception of Mark Harrison (who has by far and away the best online presence), I don't think anybody has actually put any policy details online yet!
It's great when elections promise to be quite as exciting as this one. I agree with you about the Farm... I'm still waiting to see anybody come up with any substantive policy. With the exception of Mark Harrison (who has by far and away the best online presence), I don't think anybody has actually put any policy details online yet!
threewheeled
SE11_lurker
As a student, I always remember being able to vote for RON (re open nominations). I wonder why that's not an option for local elections. Presumably because ever getting anybody elected would take an age!
I'm not sure about that - most people who feel that way probably don't bother to vote.
BTW threewheeled - welcome to the forums, have a hobnob and a cup of tea.
Here is the final list of candidates after nominations closed at 5pm today:
HARRISON, Mark Richard (The Labour Party Candidate)
HEALY, Joseph (The Green Party)
POLENCEUS, Janus (English Democrats – Putting England First)
POOLE-WILSON, Michael Charles (Conservative Party Candidate)
ROBERTS, John (Liberal Democrats)
So just the English Democrats candidate in addition to those already mentioned. IIRMC he stood somewhere in Vauxhall - possibly Princes itself - at the previous local elections in 2006.
HARRISON, Mark Richard (The Labour Party Candidate)
HEALY, Joseph (The Green Party)
POLENCEUS, Janus (English Democrats – Putting England First)
POOLE-WILSON, Michael Charles (Conservative Party Candidate)
ROBERTS, John (Liberal Democrats)
So just the English Democrats candidate in addition to those already mentioned. IIRMC he stood somewhere in Vauxhall - possibly Princes itself - at the previous local elections in 2006.
Yes I think he lives on one of the estates in Princes. He also stood in the Lambeth and Southwark GLA elections, the Vauxhall parliamentary election and I think the Vassall byelection last year - he is good value at hustings meetings where he gives bizarre answers and obviously has no idea of any policies.
I just like the fact that he's got a very eastern European name and is standing for an English nationalist party.
On other news there's a superb disection of the debates about what to do with the former Lilian Baylis site in Kennington here:
http://southeasteleven.blogspot.com/2009/05/former-lilian-baylis-site-and-difficult.html
threewheeled
SE11_lurker
Yes, local people have been deluged in leaflets, letters and all sorts of junk mail (mostly from Labour and Lib Dems)! It doesn't help that the European elections are ont he same day. However, I've not much sense of how anybody's campaign is going. There are quite a number of unedifying anonymous comments floating around my blog, many of which are highly partisan (from both probable labour and probable lib dem commentators). That tells me that the campaign will be quite close.
My feeling is that the real race is between Labour and Lib Dems. However, I think the Torys will probably get significantly more votes than usual... I can't wait!
My feeling is that the real race is between Labour and Lib Dems. However, I think the Torys will probably get significantly more votes than usual... I can't wait!
The result will be determined by the turnout. Higher turnout will benefit Labour and a lower turnout would help the Lib Dems. On balance the current political landscape should give the Lib Dems an edge.
It would be interesting if the Tories hold their vote or even manage to increase it. They picked up former Lib Dem voters in 2006 - when the LD vote collapsed. This time round the Tories would need to attract former Labour voters to hold their own and avoid being squeezed as they were in the Vassall by-election.
Having seen some of the literature from a friend in the ward, my favourite tactic so far has been the Labour leaflets with a bar chart from the Mayoral/GLA election stating "it's us or the Tories" and the rest of the leaflet attacks the Lib Dems. Howdoesthatwork?!
You can always tell who the fight is between by seeing who the incumbent attacks. Hence in Princes Labour are trying to talk up the Tories - so that they're less likely to tactically vote for the Lib Dems.
Having been out there at 6am this morning there was no sign of the Tories, one or two Labour activists out delivering leaflets, and loads of Lib Dems.
Labour win by-election
The results are in:
Labour 1,726
Liberal 1396
Conservative 707
Green 320
English Democrats 93
A good result for Labour who must've been worried that the Lib Dems could take one of these seats back, even if they won't admit it. I don't have the 2006 results to hand, but there seems to be a (possibly quite small) swing back to the Lib Dems on a higher turnout. Surprised the Green didn't poll higher and the Tory vote wasn't squeezed, which is unusual.
All points to Labour retaining control of the Town Hall in 2010.
The results are in:
Labour 1,726
Liberal 1396
Conservative 707
Green 320
English Democrats 93
A good result for Labour who must've been worried that the Lib Dems could take one of these seats back, even if they won't admit it. I don't have the 2006 results to hand, but there seems to be a (possibly quite small) swing back to the Lib Dems on a higher turnout. Surprised the Green didn't poll higher and the Tory vote wasn't squeezed, which is unusual.
All points to Labour retaining control of the Town Hall in 2010.
Sounds about right. Interesting to see that the Greens lost votes
2006
Labour Lorna Campbell 1,586
Labour Samuel Townend 1,575
Labour Stephen Morgan 1,546
Lib Dem Rita Fitzgerald 901
Lib Dem Keith Fitchett 827
Lib Dem Charles Anglin 676
Conservative Oliver Campbell 556
Conservative Richard Hyslop 505
Green Paul Steedman 495
Conservative Nicholas Gibbon 476
LEAP Eugenia Rattigan 153
LEAP Andrew Amos 137
2006
Labour Lorna Campbell 1,586
Labour Samuel Townend 1,575
Labour Stephen Morgan 1,546
Lib Dem Rita Fitzgerald 901
Lib Dem Keith Fitchett 827
Lib Dem Charles Anglin 676
Conservative Oliver Campbell 556
Conservative Richard Hyslop 505
Green Paul Steedman 495
Conservative Nicholas Gibbon 476
LEAP Eugenia Rattigan 153
LEAP Andrew Amos 137
threewheeled
SE11_lurker
It's an interesting result, but there's no question that Labour won hands down. I was very impressed by the turnout. It shows quite a high level of political engagement.
I think the greens would needed to have campaigned much harder to retain votes. They're obviously a smaller party and haven't got the people, but very little literature was sent out, and I didn't see one canvasser.
I wonder whether the increase in the Tory vote demonstrates a slow gentrification of the area. If I receive my freedom of information request results, it will also be possible to figure out how many Tory MPs (and partners) live in the area and contribute towards the Tory vote.
I think the greens would needed to have campaigned much harder to retain votes. They're obviously a smaller party and haven't got the people, but very little literature was sent out, and I didn't see one canvasser.
I wonder whether the increase in the Tory vote demonstrates a slow gentrification of the area. If I receive my freedom of information request results, it will also be possible to figure out how many Tory MPs (and partners) live in the area and contribute towards the Tory vote.
Really?
I thought it sounded Roman, FFS (or at least Rastafarian)! Shows how out of touch I am.
Mind you, in my constituency, I've voted for this guy in our General (never mind local,) Elections for the last three votes (every four years) - so what the fuck do I know!
He stood independently and lost the first time in year 2000 and thereafter (and previously too,) was regularly ejected forceably from the public gallery of the Legislative Council (our Parliament).
But he won spectacularly the second time (in 2004,) and then retained his seat in the 2008 General Election with over 80,000 votes - and increased his majority too! (He only got 18,000 votes the first time he stood in 2000, but was up against a strong, high profile, opponent).
He has now been my representative in LegCo for five years - one year into his second term - and a companion on demo's for much longer (though we don't socialise anymore - dammit I must rekindle that, late nights in the bar plotting all kinds of shite; I guess I'm getting too old and skint these days).
He's on every demo' (and we do alot of 'em,) and is always up for a good ruck with the fuzz.
He's been busted for all kinds of things - usually obstruction in a public place, occasionally for organising demonstrations without notifying the fuzz, a couple of times for illegal broadcasting (our "Citizens' Radio",) and once for assaulting a cop.
He served 28 days for the cop assault (he pushed the pig over at a demo', 'cos the pig was being violent,) and has served two other short stretches for non-payment of fines on other offences - but always grows his hair back when released. (His popular nomiker is "Cheung Mo" [Long Hair].)
He was a mate of mine back in the early/mid/late 1990's and I pushed him again and again and again to stand - as did many in our circle at the time. He is popular with the poor and has always been a crusader for social justice. He has been ceaselesly campaigning and demonstrating for the underdog since the mid-1970's when he was at secondary school - which he didn't complete, too interested in politics.
Now that he's a legislator (MP in the UK,) he is a powerful force in LegCo and has formed a Party, The League Of Social Democrats, which now has three Legislators (the additional two added in the 2008 General Election) out of a House of 60.
He sometimes turns up in fancy dress rather than his more usual attire of jeans and "Che" T-shirt (a chicken costume, for example, when the price of chickens spiked due to bird-flue-culls, and as a pig when pork prices ramped). And will drag a life-sized (well, death-sized, I guess,) mock-coffin into the chamber to signify the death of democracy, whenever the govt. tries to push through another autocratic policy or to restrict the growth of (our stingy,) social welfare programmes.
When the Chief Executive (Prime Minister to Brits',) gives his bollocks speeches, Longhair chucks fresh bananas at him and challenges him to name the cost of a catty (about one pound in weight,) of them at his (the CE's,) local wet-market. The CE, of course, has no clue and is then (rightly,) berated for being out of touch. He brought a basket of eggs once and made the same price-challenge, but was ordered out of the chamber before he could lob them.
A man of deep integrity, a true representative of "The People".
He earns about GBP 50,000 a year as a Legislator (before 15% tax,) and keeps about GBP 12,000 a year for himself (he lives, and always has, in a small, decrepit, public-housing flat) and donates the rest; some to his party for expenses and much to various charities.
I reckon he'll be elected again in 2012, with yet another increased majority.
Now that's fuckin' politics!
Anyway, ahem, I got carried away.
Sorry, as you were.
Blessings.
Woof
Approx. percentage change from 2006:
..............'06 ..........'09...change
Lab ...........45 ...........41...-4
LD ............23 ...........33...+10
Con ...........15 ...........17...+2
Green .........14 ...........08...-6
EngD ..........-- ...........02...+2
LEAP ..........04 ...........--...-4
(nb. used an 'average vote' to compensate for different numbers of candidates)
..............'06 ..........'09...change
Lab ...........45 ...........41...-4
LD ............23 ...........33...+10
Con ...........15 ...........17...+2
Green .........14 ...........08...-6
EngD ..........-- ...........02...+2
LEAP ..........04 ...........--...-4
(nb. used an 'average vote' to compensate for different numbers of candidates)
ericjarvis
give a feck for the feckless
Too many in Princes with a memory that lasts more than a couple of years. The Lib Dems did better than I expected and far better than they deserved.
What is "LEAP", BTW?
The only LEAP I know is Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a mostly US based organisation (though solidly supported by Eddie Ellison, RIP, the ex-head of the Met drug squad,) of current and ex drug-cops who want to see a change in drug laws.
I can't imagine they're that active in Lambeth.
But you never know...........
Woof
The only LEAP I know is Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a mostly US based organisation (though solidly supported by Eddie Ellison, RIP, the ex-head of the Met drug squad,) of current and ex drug-cops who want to see a change in drug laws.
I can't imagine they're that active in Lambeth.
But you never know...........
Woof
