Predictably the Conservatives held both Queens Gate and Brompton Ward in the by elections. The results do not surprise anyone.
The turnout, that being the number of people who actually came out to vote was just over 14%, so the parties failed to energise the electorate and their low key lack lustre campaign fell on deaf ears. That is an important thing to remember, over 85% of people, 8 out 10 voters, thats more than the entire length of the opposite side of your road didnt vote, so the winning politicans can hardly crow on a successful election.
BROMPTON QUEENS GATE
Lab.... 101 9% Lab... 82 11%
Lab.... 101 9% Lab... 82 11%
LD.... 86 14% LD.... 100 9%
Con.... 728 80% Con... 663 74%
UKIP.. 54 6%
So lets look a little closer at these results and compare them to previous elections.
First of all Brompton Ward and the share of the vote, compared to the last by election in 2008 when the Boy Marshall got elected.
Labour saw their share of the vote increase by 5% at the expense of the LibDems.
The Tories vote share rose by 3%.
Therefore the swing in Brompton was a 4% from the Liberal Democrats to Labour
Queens Gate we look at the last election in 2010, only this time round we have UKIP in the mix. They clearly benefitted the most as they didnt stand last time round so including the UKIP vote, LD share is -8%, Labour vote share compared to last time is -1%, the Conservatives +3% and UKIP +6%
The swing in Queens Gate is 7% from the Liberal Democrats to UKIP.
However the disastrous turn out level really is worrying and shows how most voters voted with their feet and stayed at home.
What these elections need is a community candidate above politics to stand.
Now you know.
Well do not bother Justin Downes he has twice had an opportunity to stand where he lives and ran away
ReplyDeleteIt's always the same tedious comment- doubtless from someone local to Queensgate.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has been involved in building and running companies is hardly likely to find opposing a 28 year old playboy at a little local election a reason for 'running away'!
It's hardly a daunting task: particularly for someone who at the age of 21 overturned a massive Labour majority at a County Council election.
So stop running this boring record.
Instead try to focus on why only 14%
of voters felt it worth bothering to support a leader who seems only interested in grabbing as many highly paid allowances as possible.
Justin Downes
Thanks for the analysis Hornet, very helpful. From what I hear there are some very dissatisfied voters in both Brompton and Queens Gate, so it wasn't apathy but a positive decision that kept them from voting.
ReplyDeleteSo, B & QG Councillors take note, you are failing your residents.
It's called rounding.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad little result. 14% turnout and 10% of them brain dead Conservatives voting on autopilot.
ReplyDeleteHow can a child be a representative? Ever since cockle/Tribal took over candidate selection and side lined the Ward Chairmen, we have lost the "mature" councillor candidate with experience of life. Instead we have poodle fodder.
Cllr Cockell is putting it around (in the way that rulers do) that "Rock" is the next Leader of K&C. Now I do not know Rock and his attractions (although I have noted some of the older Conservative councillors fluttering around him at Council meetings) but I do not want a 32 year old (and 63 days) as Leader of anything. He cannot be ready for it.
And I thought that the decision about who is to be Leader is the priveledge of the whole Conservative group voting.
What happened to democracy? Will the Tories please wake up??