From BBC
Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond ended up having a closer fight with Labour than had been widely predicted.
But, with results delayed thanks to chaos over the new voting system, it still remains possible he may be in with the chances of ending up as first minister in the parliament.
If that is the case, he will almost certainly have to forge a coalition with another party, expected to be the Liberal Democrats.
For that to happen there will be tough negotiations in the days ahead, particularly over the SNP's desire to hold a referendum on independence, something the Lib Dems are fundamentally opposed to.
But, even if the SNP do end up miss out in the end from becoming the biggest party in the parliament, Mr Salmond had done enough to support his claim a wind of change is blowing through Scottish politics.
Friday, 4 May 2007
Wales - Labour Fails to Get a Controlling Majority in the Assembly
In Wales Plaid Cymru's Ieuan Wyn Jones is certain to be pleased with his party's gains which helped ensure Labour failed to get a controlling majority in the assembly.
Labour's Worst Election Performance in 35 Years
The morning after the Chancellor is contemplating the repercussions of the final round of national elections on Mr Blair's watch.
Voters turned their backs on Labour. It so far is Labour's worst election performance in 35 years papers are reporting.
Early projections have given the Conservatives 41 per cent of the national vote, bringing David Cameron within reach of a general election victory. VOTE CAMERON!!! :)
By 6am the Conservatives had gained 300 seats, while Labour had lost 151 seats and the Liberal Democrats 106 seats.
Labour is still set to record its lowest number of councillors since 1973. The less than brilliant night triggered calls for a fundamental review of the party's direction. I'm amazed Labour waited this long to review the party's direction. Perhaps they should call a general election and let Cameron (ie. a competent leader) run the Country while Labour contemplates its' "new direction".
Voters turned their backs on Labour. It so far is Labour's worst election performance in 35 years papers are reporting.
Early projections have given the Conservatives 41 per cent of the national vote, bringing David Cameron within reach of a general election victory. VOTE CAMERON!!! :)
By 6am the Conservatives had gained 300 seats, while Labour had lost 151 seats and the Liberal Democrats 106 seats.
Labour is still set to record its lowest number of councillors since 1973. The less than brilliant night triggered calls for a fundamental review of the party's direction. I'm amazed Labour waited this long to review the party's direction. Perhaps they should call a general election and let Cameron (ie. a competent leader) run the Country while Labour contemplates its' "new direction".
Labour Doesn't Even Trust it's Ministers to Speak without Instruction
This from the Guardian ... had a good laugh while reading it :)
A briefing paper prepared by the Labour party for ministers appearing on last night's election programmes admitted in advance that the results were likely to go badly. Cabinet ministers were assiduous in following the official line in the 27-page document, passed to the Guardian, which included advice on what to say when asked about Tony Blair and Gordon Brown's relationship and how to rebut Conservative claims that a general election should be called once the new prime minister takes over.
The first of three "key messages" ministers were briefed to explain reads: "This was always a very tough set of mid-term elections for Labour. However, we fully respect the message the British people is sending us this evening."
It offered recommended answers to questions about the party's unpopularity and the handover of power to Mr Brown. Initially, ministers were told they should say: "Let us wait and see what the results are before engaging in speculation. We will know soon enough."
Once the results began to come in, the paper said, ministers should reply: "We are midway through an unprecedented third term. All governments experience mid-term setbacks at the polls. In the end what matters is we have the right policies to take the country forward and take the tough decisions for the long term."
John Reid, the home secretary, duly did so on BBC1's election coverage, telling viewers: "We are in the mid-term of a third term, so it will be tough." He later sang the praises of his colleagues - again echoing the briefing document, which said ministers should defend Mr Blair as "the most successful leader and prime minister Labour has ever had" and Mr Brown as the "most successful chancellor ever".
The document advised that if ministers were put on the spot and asked whether Labour should have a proper contest for the leadership, they should say: "Within the rules any MP can decide to stand, providing they meet the criteria. That's how it works in a democratic party."
They were then to add that the "only poll that matters is the next general election", and insist there was no "constitutional requirement" for one before 2010
They were also briefed in advance on how to tackle David Cameron's Conservatives.
Thanks to the Guardian for giving me a good laugh. I'm sure it is not how the story was intended to be taken but I find it highly amusing that Labour does not trust their own Ministers to speak publicly without precise instruction what to say.
A briefing paper prepared by the Labour party for ministers appearing on last night's election programmes admitted in advance that the results were likely to go badly. Cabinet ministers were assiduous in following the official line in the 27-page document, passed to the Guardian, which included advice on what to say when asked about Tony Blair and Gordon Brown's relationship and how to rebut Conservative claims that a general election should be called once the new prime minister takes over.
The first of three "key messages" ministers were briefed to explain reads: "This was always a very tough set of mid-term elections for Labour. However, we fully respect the message the British people is sending us this evening."
It offered recommended answers to questions about the party's unpopularity and the handover of power to Mr Brown. Initially, ministers were told they should say: "Let us wait and see what the results are before engaging in speculation. We will know soon enough."
Once the results began to come in, the paper said, ministers should reply: "We are midway through an unprecedented third term. All governments experience mid-term setbacks at the polls. In the end what matters is we have the right policies to take the country forward and take the tough decisions for the long term."
John Reid, the home secretary, duly did so on BBC1's election coverage, telling viewers: "We are in the mid-term of a third term, so it will be tough." He later sang the praises of his colleagues - again echoing the briefing document, which said ministers should defend Mr Blair as "the most successful leader and prime minister Labour has ever had" and Mr Brown as the "most successful chancellor ever".
The document advised that if ministers were put on the spot and asked whether Labour should have a proper contest for the leadership, they should say: "Within the rules any MP can decide to stand, providing they meet the criteria. That's how it works in a democratic party."
They were then to add that the "only poll that matters is the next general election", and insist there was no "constitutional requirement" for one before 2010
They were also briefed in advance on how to tackle David Cameron's Conservatives.
Thanks to the Guardian for giving me a good laugh. I'm sure it is not how the story was intended to be taken but I find it highly amusing that Labour does not trust their own Ministers to speak publicly without precise instruction what to say.
72 Councils without Labour Councillors and Counting
Conservative Home reports that there are now 72 councils across the country with no Labour councillor. I bet they will be the most efficient too :)
Results of Council Elections
English Councils A-Z (Will be updated all night)
Based on results so far from over 600 English council wards the BBC's projected share of the vote across Great Britain is, Con 41%, Lab 27%, Lib Dem 26%, Others 6%.
IN DETAIL
After 128 of 312 councils declared
FULL COUNCIL RESULTS
Click on the name for a link to detailed results at the BBC
A-Z in Alphabetical Order
A
Council Result
Allerdale - NOC hold
Alnwick - NOC hold
Amber Valley - Conservative hold
Arun - Conservative hold
Ashfield
Ashford - Conservative hold
Aylesbury Vale - Conservative hold
B
Council Result
Babergh - NOC hold
Barnsley - Labour hold
Barrow-In-Furness - NOC
Basildon - Conservative hold
Basingstoke & Deane - Conservative Hold
Bassetlaw - Consrevative hold
Bath & North East Somerset NOC Hold
Bedford
Berwick Upon Tweed - NOC hold
Birmingham NOC Hold
Blaby - Conservative hold
Blackburn With Darwen Labour Lose to NOC
Blackpool - Conservative gain from Labour
Blyth Valley - Labour Hold
Bolsover - Labour Hold
Bolton - NOC Hold
Boston - OTH gain from NOC
Bournemouth - Conservative gain from LibDems
Bracknell Forest - Conservative Hold
Bradford - NOC hold
Braintree - Conservative gain from NOC
Breckland
Brentwood - Conservative Hold
Bridgnorth -NOC hold
Brighton & Hove - NOC Hold
Bristol - NOC hold
Broadland - Conservative Hold
Bromsgrove - Conservative Hold
Broxbourne - Conservative Hold
Broxtowe -
Burnley - NOC Hold
Bury -Conservative hold
C
Council Result
Calderdale - NOC Hold
Cambridge - Lib Dem Hold
Cannock Chase - NOC Hold
Canterbury - Conservative gain from NOC
Caradon - Lib Dems gain from NOC
Carlisle - NOC hold
Carrick - Lib Dems lose to NOC
Castle Morpeth - NOC Hold
Castle Point - Conservative hold
Charnwood - Conservative gain from NOC
Chelmsford - Conservative hold
Cherwell -Conservative hold
Chester - Conservative gain from NOC
Chester Le Street - Labour Hold
Chesterfield - Lib Dems Hold
Chichester - Conservative Hold
Chiltern -Conservative Hold
Chorley - Conservative hold
Christchurch - Conservative hold
Colchester - NOC hold
Congleton - Conservative hold
Copeland -Labour Hold
Corby - Labour Hold
Cotswold - Conservative Hold
Coventry - Conservative hold
Craven - NOC Hold
Crawley - Conservative gain from NOC
Crewe & Nantwich - NOC hold
D
Council Result
Dacorum
Darlington - Labour Hold
Dartford -Conservative gain from NOC
Daventry - Conservative hold
Derby- NOC hold
Derbyshire Dales - Conservative Hold
Derwentside- Labour hold
Doncaster - NOC Hold
Dover - Conservative gain from NOC
Dudley -Conservative Hold
Durham - Lib Dems Hold
E
Council Result
Easington- Labour hold
East Cambridgeshire- Conservative gain from NOC
East Devon- Conservative hold
East Dorset - Conservative Hold
East Hampshire - Conservative Hold
East Hertfordshire -Conservative Hold
East Lindsey -
East Northamptonshire - Conservative Hold
East Riding Of Yorkshire- Conservative gain from NOC
East Staffordshire -Conservative Hold
Eastbourne - LibDems gain from CON
Eastleigh - LibDems hold
Eden - OTH lose to NOC
Ellesmere Port & Neston - Labour hold
Elmbridge- NOC hold
Epping Forest - Conservative Hold
Epsom & Ewell
Erewash - Conservative gain from NOC
Exeter - NOC hold
F
Council Result
Fenland - Conservative Hold
Forest Heath - Conservative Hold
Forest Of Dean - Conservative gain from NOC
Fylde - Conservative Hold
G
Council Result
Gateshead - Labour Hold
Gedling - Conservative gain from NOC
Gloucester - NOC Hold
Gravesham - Conservative gain from Labour
Great Yarmouth - Conservative hold
Guildford - Conservative Hold
H
Council Result
Halton - Labour hold
Hambleton - Conservative Hold
Harborough - Conservative gain from NOC
Harlow - NOC hold
Harrogate -
Hart - NOC hold
Hartlepool - Labour Hold
Havant - Conservative hold
Herefordshire - Conservative gain from NOC
Hertsmere -Conservative Hold
High Peak - Conservative gain from NOC
Hinckley & Bosworth - Lib Dems gain from Conservatives
Horsham - Conservative hold
Huntingdonshire - Conservative Hold
Hyndburn - Conservative hold
I
Council Result
Ipswich - NOC Hold
K
Council Result
Kennet - Consrvative Hold
Kerrier - NOC Hold
Kettering
King's Lynn & West Norfolk - Conservative Hold
Kingston-Upon-Hull - LD gain from NOC
Kirklees - NOC Hold
Knowsley -Labour hold
L
Council Result
Lancaster - NOC Hold
Leeds - NOC Hold
Leicester
Lewes - Lib Dems Hold
Lichfield -Conservative Hold
Lincoln - Conservative gain from LAB
Liverpool - Lib Dems Hold
Luton - Labour gain from NOC
M
Council Result
Macclesfield - Conservative hold
Maidstone- NOC hold
Maldon- Conservative hold
Malvern Hills - CON gain from NOC
Manchester - Labour hold
Mansfield - OTH Hold
Medway - Conservative hold
Melton -Conservative hold
Mendip- Conservative Hold
Mid Bedfordshire -Conservative Hold
Mid Devon - NOC Hold
Mid Suffolk -Conservative gain from NOC
Mid Sussex - Conservative gain from NOC
Middlesbrough - Labour hold
Milton Keynes - NOC Hold
Mole Valley - Conservative hold
N
Council Result
New Forest - Conservative Hold
Newark & Sherwood - Conservative gain from NOC
Newcastle-Under-Lyme - NOC Hold
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne - LibDems Hold
North Cornwall - NOC Hold
North Devon -Conservative gain from Lib Dems
North Dorset - Conservatives gain from NOC
North East Derbyshire -Labour Hold
North East Lincolnshire - NOC hold
North Hertfordshire - Conservative Hold
North Kesteven - Conservative gain from NOC
North Lincolnshire -Labour gain from Conservative
North Norfolk -Lib Dems Hold
North Shropshire - Conservatives gain from NOC
North Somerset - Conservative gain from NOC
North Tyneside - NOC Hold
North Warwickshire - Conservative gain from NOC
North West Leicestershire - Conservative gain from LAB
North Wiltshire - Conservative gain from NOC
Northampton -
Norwich - NOC hold
Nottingham - Labour hold
O
Council Result
Oadby & Wigston - Lib Dems Hold
Oldham - Labour lose to NOC
Oswestry - Conservative gain from NOC
P
Council Result
Pendle - LibDem hold
Penwith - NOC Hold
Peterborough - Conservative hold
Plymouth - Conservative gain from Labour
Poole - Conservative hold
Portsmouth - NOC hold
Preston - NOC hold
Purbeck - Conservative Hold
R
Council Result
Reading - Labour Hold
Redcar & Cleveland - NOC Hold
Redditch - NOC Hold
Reigate & Banstead - Conservative Hold
Restormel - Lib Dems lose to NOC
Ribble Valley - Conservative hold
Richmondshire - NOC Hold
Rochdale - LibDem gain from NOC
Rochford -Conservative Hold
Rossendale - Conservaive Hold
Rother - Conservative Hold
Rotherham -Labour Hold
Rugby - Conservative gain from NOC
Runnymede - Conservative hold
Rushcliffe -Conservative Hold
Rushmoor - Conservative Hold
Rutland - Conservative Hold
Ryedale - NOC Hold
S
Council Result
Salford - Labour hold
Salisbury - Conservative lose to NOC
Sandwell- Labour hold
Scarborough -Conservative lose to NOC
Sedgefield - Labour hold
Sedgemoor -Conservative Hold
Sefton - NOC hold
Selby -Conservative Hold
Sevenoaks - Conservative Hold
Sheffield -Labour lose to NOC
Shepway - Conservative gain from NOC
Shrewsbury & Atcham - Conservative hold
Slough - NOC Hold
Solihull - Conservative lose to NOC
South Bedfordshire - Conservative hold
South Buckinghamshire -
South Cambridgeshire - Conservative gain from NOC
South Derbyshire - Conservative gain from Labour
South Gloucestershire - NOC hold
South Hams - Conservative Hold
South Holland- Conservative hold
South Kesteven - Conservative Hold
South Lakeland -Lib Dems Hold
South Norfolk -Conservative gain from Lib Dems
South Northamptonshire - Conservative hold
South Oxfordshire -
South Ribble - Conservative gain from NOC
South Shropshire - Conservative gain from NOC
South Somerset - Lib Dems Hold
South Staffordshire - Conservative hold
South Tyneside -Labour Hold
Southampton - NOC hold
Southend-On-Sea - Conservative hold
Spelthorne - Conservative Hold
St Albans -LibDem lose to NOC
St Edmundsbury
St Helens - NOC hold
Stafford -Conservative Hold
Staffordshire Moorlands
Stevenage - Labour hold
Stockport - LibDem hold
Stockton-On-Tees - NOC Hold
Stoke-On-Trent - NOC Hold
Stratford-On-Avon - Conservative Hold
Stroud - Conservative Hold
Suffolk Coastal - Conservative Hold
Sunderland - Labour hold
Surrey Heath - Conservative Hold
Swale - Conservative hold
Swindon - Conservative hold
T
Council Result
Tameside - Labour hold
Tamworth - Conservative hold
Tandridge - Conservative hold
Taunton Deane - Conservative lose to NOC
Teesdale - OTH Hold
Teignbridge -NOC Hold
Telford & Wrekin - NOC hold
Tendring - NOC Hold
Test Valley -Conservative Hold
Tewkesbury - NOC Hold
Thanet -Conservative Hold
Three Rivers - Lib Dems Hold
Thurrock - Conservative lose to NOC
Tonbridge & Malling -Conservative Hold
Torbay -Conservative gain from LibDem
Torridge - OTH lose to NOC
Trafford - Conservative hold
Tunbridge Wells - Conservative hold
Tynedale -Conservative Hold
U
Council Result
Uttlesford -Conservative gain from Lib Dems
V
Council Result
Vale Of White Horse -Lib Dems Hold
Vale Royal - NOC Hold
W
Council Result
Wakefield -Labour Hold
Walsall - Conservative hold
Wansbeck - Labour hold
Warrington - NOC hold
Warwick -
Watford - Lib Dems Hold
Waveney -Conservative Hold
Waverley - Conservative gain from NOC
Wealden - Conservative Hold
Wear Valley -Labour lose to NOC
Wellingborough - Conservative Hold
Welwyn Hatfield -Conservative hold
West Berkshire - Conservative Hold
West Devon - NOC hold
West Dorset - Conservative Hold
West Lancashire - Conservative hold
West Lindsey - LibDem hold
West Oxfordshire - Conservative hold
West Somerset -OTH gain from Conservative
West Wiltshire -Conservative gain from NOC
Weymouth & Portland - NOC hold
Wigan - Labour hold
Winchester - Conservative Hold
Windsor & Maidenhead Royal - Conservative gain from LibDem
Wirral - NOC Hold
Woking - Conservative gain from NOC
Wokingham -Conservative Hold
Wolverhampton -Labour Hold
Worcester - Conservative hold
Worthing - Conservative hold
Wychavon -Conservative Hold
Wycombe - Conservative Hold
Wyre - Conservative Hold
Wyre Forest - NOC hold
Y
Council Result
York -Lib Dems lose to NOC
William Hague "Beginning of the Conservative Revival"
“These elections show that the Conservative Party is back in business in the North. We have taken control of Chester and South Ribble and made significant advances in Bury, Crewe and Nantwich, Preston, Sunderland, Barrow and many others. And we are on course to have control of more councils than Labour in the North West. This is the beginning of the Conservative revival in the north of England.” - William Hague
Congrats to 18 year old William Lloyd
Congrats to 18 year old Conservative William Lloyd - One of the Youngest Councillors Ever!!
From the Daily Express:
"Conservative William Lloyd was elected to serve on the Tory-held Brentwood Council early this morning.The 18-year-old, who is head boy at Brentwood County High School, said he thought his age would attract younger disenchanted voters.He has been a member of the Tory Party for two-and-a-half years and said his interests outside politics were collecting James bond memorabiliaand following rugby union. William claimed his political heroes were Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, saying: "They had a fighting spirit, and that's what I've got."After completing his A-levels, the youngster hopes to read politics at University but commute from his ward."
From the Daily Express:
"Conservative William Lloyd was elected to serve on the Tory-held Brentwood Council early this morning.The 18-year-old, who is head boy at Brentwood County High School, said he thought his age would attract younger disenchanted voters.He has been a member of the Tory Party for two-and-a-half years and said his interests outside politics were collecting James bond memorabiliaand following rugby union. William claimed his political heroes were Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, saying: "They had a fighting spirit, and that's what I've got."After completing his A-levels, the youngster hopes to read politics at University but commute from his ward."
First Results
Conservatives hold Tamworth (Conservatives gain 2, Labour loses 3)
Lib Dems gain Kingston Upon Hull (formerly Labour seat)
Conservatives hold Brentwood (Consevatives gain 1, Lib Dems lose 1)
Lib Dems gain Kingston Upon Hull (formerly Labour seat)
Conservatives hold Brentwood (Consevatives gain 1, Lib Dems lose 1)
Thursday, 3 May 2007
Voting Has Closed in the Elections Across the UK
Voting closed at 22:00 in the Elections across the UK... Now We Wait As the Results Unfold. The first English council results are expected around 23:30, the early Scottish results around 00:00 and the first Welsh results to follow at about 02:00. Between 03:00 and 04:00 the peak Scottish and Welsh results are expected with their final results expected at 06:00.
The Conservatives are predicted to gain between 600 and 700 local council seats. They will be hoping to gain 40% of the popular vote which is the figure analysts believe they would need to win a general election.
In England 32.8 million people were able to vote - with seats being contested in 312 local authorities - although turnout is usually far lower than in general elections.
It is the biggest election in the local cycle, with about 10,500 council seats to be filled.
The result will be seen as a test of David Cameron as Conservative leader, with the party especially keen to make gains in northern English cities like Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
All 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament are up for grabs. It is thought the SNP could force Labour out of power for the first time since 1999.
But no single party is expected to gain overall control, leading to a period of coalition-building, possibly between the SNP and the Lib Dems.
There are also elections in all of Scotland's local authorities
Wales has voted for all 60 members of the assembly, but there were no council elections there.
Plaid is hoping to make gains in the assembly at the expense of Labour, which already runs a minority administration. As in Scotland, the result could see coalition-building, with the Lib Dems or Conservatives possibly involved.
Best of Luck to all the Conservative Candidates!
The Conservatives are predicted to gain between 600 and 700 local council seats. They will be hoping to gain 40% of the popular vote which is the figure analysts believe they would need to win a general election.
In England 32.8 million people were able to vote - with seats being contested in 312 local authorities - although turnout is usually far lower than in general elections.
It is the biggest election in the local cycle, with about 10,500 council seats to be filled.
The result will be seen as a test of David Cameron as Conservative leader, with the party especially keen to make gains in northern English cities like Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
All 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament are up for grabs. It is thought the SNP could force Labour out of power for the first time since 1999.
But no single party is expected to gain overall control, leading to a period of coalition-building, possibly between the SNP and the Lib Dems.
There are also elections in all of Scotland's local authorities
Wales has voted for all 60 members of the assembly, but there were no council elections there.
Plaid is hoping to make gains in the assembly at the expense of Labour, which already runs a minority administration. As in Scotland, the result could see coalition-building, with the Lib Dems or Conservatives possibly involved.
Best of Luck to all the Conservative Candidates!
Don't Forget to Vote !!
Vote !!!! You know you can do it. You can't complain about the results unless you actually participate in the election!! No excuses you have from 7am until 10pm so get out there and have your say.
(I would add DO NOT vote labour but then I'm attempting to be objective at the moment)
Happy Voting!!
(I would add DO NOT vote labour but then I'm attempting to be objective at the moment)
Happy Voting!!
Wednesday, 2 May 2007
May 3rd Elections Live Blogging
I will be live blogging on Election Night. Hope to see you there, I've got the champagne on ice for all those eagerly awaiting a very embarrassing result for Labour.
Other blogs of note who will also be live blogging are
Iain Dale at http://iaindale.blogspot.com/
ConservativesHome at http://www.conservativehome.com/
Matt Wardman at http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2007/05/02/live-blog-technorati-tags-for-local-election-coverage-may-3rd-2007/ (He has very helpful advice regarding tags for the election blogs)
Other blogs of note who will also be live blogging are
Iain Dale at http://iaindale.blogspot.com/
ConservativesHome at http://www.conservativehome.com/
Matt Wardman at http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2007/05/02/live-blog-technorati-tags-for-local-election-coverage-may-3rd-2007/ (He has very helpful advice regarding tags for the election blogs)
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