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Tonight’s Local By-Election Preview : Three CON defences and a LAB one

Tonight’s Local By-Election Preview : Three CON defences and a LAB one

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Warbreck on Blackpool (Con defence, death of sitting member) Result of council at last election (2015): Labour 29, Conservatives 13 (Labour majority of 16) Result of ward at last election (2015): Emboldened denotes elected Conservatives 1,237, 1,197 (37%) Labour 962, 876 (29%) United Kingdom Independence Party 633 (19%) Green Party 250 (8%) Liberal Democrat 237 (7%) EU Referendum Result (2016): REMAIN 21,781 (33%) LEAVE 45,146 (67%) on a turnout of 65% Candidates duly nominated: Kevan Benfold (Lib Dem), Walter Cairns…

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The search for the answer to Labour’s woes

The search for the answer to Labour’s woes

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What happens when the focus is on “knocking on doors” John Prescott’s view that Jeremy Corbyn and his top team are “not up to the f***ing job” which earned him a “potty mouth Prescott” headline  in the Mail on Sunday won’t have come as surprise to the Labour leader. I understand that the former deputy Prime Minister has said as much to Corbyn’s face. “You’re not a leader and you never will be while you’ve got a hole in your…

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The first electoral test following the budget – tonight’s local by-elections

The first electoral test following the budget – tonight’s local by-elections

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The by-elections held today are the first electoral test of the Budget announced yesterday. Here, for reference, is what happened after the 2016 Budget: Budget Local By-Elections 2016: March 17th 2016 Lincolnshire Independents GAIN Ashby de la Launde and Cranwell on North Kesteven from Conservative on a 44% swing from Conservative to Lincolnshire Independents Liberal Democrat GAIN Aylsham on Broadland from Conservative on a 5.5% swing from Conservative to Liberal Democrat Conservative HOLD Hutton on Redcar and Cleveland on a…

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Northern Ireland Assembly Election Result : March 2nd 2017

Northern Ireland Assembly Election Result : March 2nd 2017

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Changes in seats are based on readjusted Assembly calculations Unionist Bloc Democratic Unionist Party 227,270 votes (28.26% -0.90%) winning 28 seats (-6 seats) Ulster Unionists 103,314 votes (12.84% +0.28%) winning 10 seats (unchanged) Traditional Unionist Voice 20,523 votes (2.55% -0.87%) winning 1 seat (unchanged) Progressive Unionist Party 5,590 votes (0.69% -0.16%) winning 0 seats (unchanged) Northern Ireland Conservatives 2,399 (0.30%, no candidates in 2016) winning 0 seats (unchanged) United Kingdom Independence Party 1,579 votes (0.20% -1.26%) winning 0 seats (unchanged)…

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A grim set of local by-elections for Corbyn’s LAB losing a seat in Salford to CON and seeing average vote share down 13.4%

A grim set of local by-elections for Corbyn’s LAB losing a seat in Salford to CON and seeing average vote share down 13.4%

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Mudeford and Friars Cliffe on Christchurch (Con defence, resignation of sitting member) Result: Conservative 629 (47% -9%), Independent 466 (35%, no candidate at last election), Labour 91 (7% -9%), UKIP 85 (6% -22%), Green Party 72 (5%, no candidate at last election) Conservative HOLD with a majority of 163 (12%) on a notional swing of 22% from Con to Ind Redcar and Cleveland Hutton (Con defence, resignation of sitting member) Result: Conservative 860 (57% +3%), Liberal Democrat 326 (22% +5%),…

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Local By-Election and Northern Ireland Election Previews : March 2nd 2017

Local By-Election and Northern Ireland Election Previews : March 2nd 2017

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Mudeford and Friars Cliffe on Christchurch (Con defence, resignation of sitting member) Result of council at last election (2015): Conservatives 19, Independents 2, United Kingdom Independence Party 1 (Conservative majority of 16) Result of ward at last election (2015): Emboldened denotes elected Conservatives 1,900, 1,897, 1,437 (56%) United Kingdom Independence Party 945 (28%) Labour 558, 515 (16%) EU Referendum Result: REMAIN 12,782 (41%) LEAVE 18,268 (59%) on a turnout of 79% Candidates duly nominated: Fiona Cownie (Green), Sheila Gray (Ind),…

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Theresa Maybe? Definitely not

Theresa Maybe? Definitely not

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It’s only eight weeks since The Economist’s cover story but the mood has changed decisively At the turn of the year Theresa May was besieged by many similar opinion pieces, several of them prompted by Sir Ivan Rogers’ resignation on 3rd January. Indecisiveness was the central charge, specifically over Brexit but also with regard to the operation of her Downing Street office and some rushed and/or reversed policy announcements. Her predecessor’s alleged nickname for her – “Submarine” – was used against her in articles…

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Don Brind explores the intriguing silence of Len McCluskey in the post Copeland debate

Don Brind explores the intriguing silence of Len McCluskey in the post Copeland debate

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Has he started to worry about the Corbyn effect on working class voters? Some time ago I went up to introduce myself to Angela Rayner. I wanted to congratulate her on her debut speech to the Labour conference as Shadow Education Secretary. “You don’t need to introduce yourself, she said. “ I know who you are. You helped get me here” She went on to remind me that she had taken part in a training scheme for potential parliamentary candidates…

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