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It looks like on a national basis that Labour has re-gained some ground but a lot of that was at the expense of the Liberal Democrats. Some political pundits say that that is because they are in government and it is normal when there are elections mid term. However the Libs got severely hammered at the last local elections as the public remember their broken promises just for the sake of power. It may be that trend is continuing. People may feel that that they are not being listened to and in some cases blatantly ignored. Our own local councillors should take heed of that and the impact of voting for things that are proven to be completely against the will of the majority of the people.

There was also a very low national turn-out - just over 30% I believe - don't know what the London figures are - but the disenchanted often stay out of the polling booths in local elections but still 'forgive' their party at national elections - whereas those voting 'against' the national government (to send a message) are more likely to turn out. This may be particularly true in London, where (outwith the Mayor issue) most of us feel fairly remote from the London Assembly.


London will be interesting, with personality (possibly) counting more than party regarding the run for Mayor. Speaking very recently to a (Labour) activist (and former parliamentary candidate) I was told that the 'anti-Ken' vote was running at 5% for labour party members rising to 15% for labour activists and party workers!

A lot of people on te doorstep echoed your view the-e-dealer with a sizeable number not voting at all who traditionally said tey voted Labour. 2008 it felt like many more were happy to say they were voting for Ken. Non of that yesterday but the official result will come soon enough.

Weird night for the Lib Dems. The BBC analysis said that there was no discernible swing either way for the LibDems, but they seemed to be losing councillors by the truckload. I suppose it is a retreat into traditional strongholds.


The other interesting Beeb analysis last night showed the overall Labour lead over the Tories at 8%. They then showed all the mid-term differences back to 1979 and anything up to and including 12% at the mid-term stage swung back to the incumbent government come general election. Labour still have a lot to do yet. I reckon the next election is looming as another coalition, though who will comprise that coalition is anyone's guess.

Live results being updated here: London Elects Website


So far it looks like opinion polling accurate with Labour gaining a couple of GLA constituency seats and out-polling the Tories on the London-wide vote but Boris ahead in the Mayoral.


The updating is suspended when the area counts reach 90% - then we have to wait for the returning officer to announce.

Penguin, do you mean that the Labour people you were speaking to said there was a contingent of them not voting for Ken because of his personality? Please explain.


I was talking to a (senior) Labour activist who told me that their own findings in London had shown that 5% of Labour party members in London would not vote for Ken, which rose to 15% when Labour party activists and workers were questioned. Clearly no formal poll had taken place, this was purely anecdotal, but it reflected (seemed to reflect) real Labour problems with Ken as candidate.


We will know in only a few hours, but if Ken's share of the vote is significantly less than that of Labour candidates for the Assembly it might be a pointer to the truth of that (though, obviously, figues will not identify Labour party members voting records, let alone those of activists).


And yes, it was his personality which was being questioned.

oh for goodness sake, it was a throw-away remark by an activist depressed about what he saw as an outcome of a flawed selection process for mayoral candidate, it was not a conclusion drawn from a 1000 respondent survey or a doctoral thesis. And, considering it was activists who were disproportionately tee'd off with Ken I would guess it was about overall personality as judged by working with him and not just a single specific such as the tax issue (which might have influenced others, of course).

Did not Vote in Mayoral Elections..


Did not vote for Ken so if he gets in and it all goes tits up not My fault.


Did not vote for Borris so if he gets in and it all goes tits up not My fault.


Did not vote for Ken so if he does not get in and Borris does and it all goes tits up could be my fault


Did not vote for Borris so if he does not get in and Ken does and it all goes tits up could be my fault


What am I to do.. ???


I cannot Sleep with the Guilt....


Fox

You and I Aquarius Moon need not bother to go down the polling station ever again because I've never voted Labour in my whole life and voted Tory on all 3 papers, therefore we cancel each other out. And as far as the bus fares go there are probably people out there who want the bendy buses back so that they don't have to pay any bus fare at all.

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