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| Conservative Vote Split Aids Lib Dems |
"Local Campaigner" Paul Carnell was declared elected with 438 votes, and Conservative Jerry Hall came second with 314. But add Michale O'Donoghue's 162 to Jerry's and you get a winning total of 476. The chances are that had UKIP not been there Jerry would be taking his seat in the council chamber instead of Paul.
A Labour or even Independent candidate might have balanced the outcome, but that's all part of the rough and tumble of democratic politics in a first past the post world. Paul won according to the rules, and we congratulate him and welcome his campaigning spirit to the Town Council. I particularly look forward to his assistance in opposing plans for more building and traffic in Hedge End and Botley.
Hmmm. Remember former Hedge End resident and Tory PPC Conor Burn? He has a tale to tell about Eastleihg Ukip splitting his vote.
ReplyDeletehttp://conservativehome.blogs.com/centreright/2008/03/blame-ukip.html
BTW Note the bunkum he spouts about voting for an EU referendum if he was an MP and got the opportunity.
Well he did get the opportunity and he voted against it.
On EASTLEIGH NEWS, just before May 3rd, I asserted that Conservative politicians are gagged.
ReplyDeleteJerry said he was NOT gagged. So I asked him the same question I put to Maria Hutchings (which she refused to answer) in public, namely DO YOU PERSONALLY BELIEVE BRITAIN SHOULD LEAVE THE EU. Jerry has still not answered it so I ask it again on these pages.
As to whether UKIP's Michale O'Donoghue cost Jerry the seat, we can never be 100% certain. However our instincts tell us that this is almost certainly the case. It would only have needed 78% of Michales 162 votes (i.e. 125 votes) to give Jerry the seat.
With Tory anger boiling up over the Coalition, it is quite probable that maybe 90% of Michale's vote would have been made up of angry Tories.
Here in Bishopstoke East, UKIP's Martin Lyon almost won the BOROUGH seat. He needed only another 298 votes to win.
This is the story right across Britain. The Conservative Party is dying on its knees. Forget Kilroy Silk killing it off, the ruling Tory elite are doing that.
So I ask another question if any Conservative politician dares to answer it publicly here:
WHY IS THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY AIDING AND ABETTING THE ANNEXATION OF BRITAIN BY A FOREIGN POWER (THE EU)???
Seems to me the party system is always going to necessitate some compromise on the part of the individuals who join and represent them.
ReplyDeleteIf people want councillors who are at liberty to do exactly what they promise, then surely they need to vote for independents in rather greater numbers than they do at the moment?
Independents are growing. In Botley Independents make up the majority on the council; West End and Hamble are similar. For those candidates exasperated with the three main parties there are viable alternatives. Independents are not fettered by party politics and actually have the area and electorate they represent as their priority.
ReplyDeleteOne interpretation of the low turnout could be that voters are, indeed, disillusioned with the options on offer. I think Peter would insist there are four main parties now, and after Jenny Jones' pushing of the Lib Dem Brian Paddick into fourth place, with the Greens there is a case for five main parties. I read this morning that in the Liverpool mayoral election, the Tory candidate came seventh!
DeleteIt makes it worrying that the coalition want us to vote for "police and crime commissioners" in the autumn. (I find it strange that crime needs to be commissioned....)
Who is Paul Carnell? Never heard of him. Hardly an activist. He'll probably be like the newly elected Richard Effeny and not turn up to any meetings.
ReplyDeleteLet's give Richard a chance. He was at his first full council, but missed the second (along with a large number of Lib Dems who were probably dragooned into canvassing that evening)and has been at at least one committee meeting as an observer.
DeleteRichard was actually on Holiday for the second full council meeting and had sent his apologies he has attended further commitee meetings since as an observer and will be at the next full council meeting.
DeleteI apologise for suggesting Richard was out canvassing when he was on holiday. I know from my time in the Lib Dems that holidays in April were seriously frowned on, and the leadership much preferred councillors to be working the streets rather than doing the job they were elected for.
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