Local Elections

I doubt it, they've set expectations at 1000 seats lost, anything less will be hailed a success.

At a local level, our Tory councillor is far more involved and visible than the LibDem chap - gets personally involved in problems, follows through, actively supports local events as if she wants to be there and uses her discretionary budget to support several local youth groups.

Dawned if I'll vote for her though. Not even aware if Labour have a candidate (in our former mining village!)

https://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1653757875200708611

I think the Tories attempts at disenfranchising the youngest & poorest will see them not lose as many as that

https://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1653757539908042752

At a local level, our Tory councillor is far more involved and visible than the LibDem chap – gets personally involved in problems, follows through, actively supports local events as if she wants to be there and uses her discretionary budget to support several local youth groups.

Well, exactly, it's a bit daft that local elections are party political - local government is mainly about effective administration and delivery of local services and an individual's councillor's ability to do that shouldn't be affected by the colour of rosette that they wear. The services they are mandated to deliver, and the budget they have to do that, is pretty much fixed by the central government, it's not up to them

The shame of it is that many, many Tory councillors who do a really good at delivering public services will be out on their arse because if they'll be punished for the ****wittery of the central Tory government.

I think the Tories attempts at disenfranchising the youngest & poorest will see them not lose as many as that

I've heard the suggestion elsewhere that the voter ID requirement, while profoundly wrong and a solution to a non-problem, will disproportionally benefit the LDs as their voters are most likely to have the right ID.

Think the ID requirements, especially in the Red Wall might backfire spectacularly.

Remember too that many of the wards up this time were last up in 2019, at the nadir of Theresa May's popularity. If the Tories lose many seats at all this will be bad for them. As I live in what is a safe Tory ward (mainly down to the personal vote of one of the Cllrs who isn't up for reelection this time) I don't know what the ground game is like, but anecdotally a lot of Tory activists aren't bothering, and a lot of Lab activists are pissed off at Starmer. So who knows.

Fingers crossed the majority party in Sheffield get a kicking. They've been giving Labour a bad name for years. Unfortunately the Greens are largely incompetent and libdems are wannabe Tory.

The shame of it is that many, many Tory councillors who do a really good at delivering public services will be out on their arse because if they’ll be punished for the ****wittery of the central Tory government.

If a hypothetical Tory councillor is a good councillor, they would end their affiliation with the Tory government.

I’m sure there’s more to it than that, be interested to know the dilemma if there is one.

Well, there's some fun graphs there isn't there.

https://electionmaps.uk/polling

Can't be arsed to vote this time because there are no viable candidates I like. I want to vote for independent but non available so I will just let the big parties enjoy the dominance.

Locally I think the Tories will do quite well (still get no seats mind) as they are the only party opposing a new congestion charge which Labour & LDs are supporting. Obvs anything in any way affecting motorists is very controversial amongst those who believe it is their divine right to drive everywhere and anywhere.

Does seem quite a low key event as local elections go though - not much in the way of posters etc up.

It will be an interesting one for sure.

If a hypothetical Tory councillor is a good councillor, they would end their affiliation with the Tory government

You'd hope so, but it seems you can be a good councillor and have a broader moral vacuum

Our current local Tory councillor is excellent - I won't be voting for her however purely due to the party affiliation.

Luckily I've met all the candidates in the area whilst they've been canvassing, & was going to vote green before meeting them but the labour one is now going to get my vote.

@footflaps It’ll be interesting to see what happens there, all the evidence is that active travel isn’t the wedge issue the antis think it is and doesn’t bring electoral success.

Same applies in Milkstone & Deeplish round here mind you.

Will be voting tactically to keep Labour out of overall power in the town hall. Which means a vote for the greens so not too bad.

Had nothing through the door from Labour. My vote in these elections will be for the Greens because a) they're front runners in this ward and b) I was the recipient of a full student grant. Will probably hold my nose and vote Labour in the GE.

@footflaps It’ll be interesting to see what happens there, all the evidence is that active travel isn’t the wedge issue the antis think it is and doesn’t bring electoral success.

A very vocal minority is my take on them...

Aye, that definitely seems to be the pattern.

If a hypothetical Tory councillor is a good councillor, they would end their affiliation with the Tory government

Ive dealt with a few torys over the years.  On the council the tories are the only ones with clean hands.  On the assisted dying bill its a free vote in holyrood so I need to speak to tories as well.  I have been polite and reasonable but its not easy.

Sup with a long spoon

Free Member
Can’t be arsed to vote this time because there are no viable candidates I like. I want to vote for independent but non available so I will just let the big parties enjoy the dominance.

Posted

You should spoil your ballot paper. Let them know you don't like them. Your vote is precious ,bloody well use it.

If a hypothetical Tory councillor is a good councillor, they would end their affiliation with the Tory government.

We have a very active councillor who was a Tory, lots of locals (particularly pensioners) like him. Unfortunately he decided to go independent to form a coalition group with a couple of other ex Tories one of whom got kicked out of the party for being racist. They only did it as it enabled a coalition of independents to run the council after years of cronies running the local Labour party. They've been a total shower. And he closed the sea front cycle path. I hope he gets voted out but I suspect he'll get back in as people recognise him.
Long story short: beware of Tories going independent as they may be more right wing than they appear!

I expect the ID requirements to vote in person tomorrow are going to cause at least a few news headlines, due to those turning up with no ID.

True blue territory around here - Phillip Hammond was the local MP until he was thrown out of the party for being too reasonable. That said, I have seen only 2 Conservative placards around the village but at least half a dozen Lib Dem placards. Word is, even around here the Tory councillors are at risk.

No opportunity to express my opinion this time around, no polling taking place in Wiltshire.

My ward is part of Newark and Sherwood - local MP honest bob jenrick - and is heavily dominated by tories who hold 29 out of 39 seats.
I've just taken a look at the candidates standing in each ward and it's striking that a majority - but not all - of tory candidates describe themselves as 'local conservatives'.
There are 3 seats in my ward with 2 labour candidates, 3 'local conservatives', 1 indy and 1LD; I will be voting lab, lab, indy.

I’ve just taken a look at the candidates standing in each ward and it’s striking that a majority – but not all – of tory candidates describe themselves as ‘local conservatives’.

Apparently happening all over the place. It seems somewhat optimistic thinking that anyone who is deciding not to vote tory will go "ah well these are the local ones" and change their mind.
Perhaps the ballot paper is going to be LOCAL.....conservatives.

The same as @Harry_the_Spider I’m hoping to dislodge Bury’s remaining Tory councillors

Our local Labour candidate, Gareth, is only 25, he’s a top bloke and is mad keen to see what he can do for the constituency.

I’ve put my money where my mouth is and have been designing his social media and I’ve been out leafleting. All the Labour material has reminders that you will need ID to vote but I foresee problems as people are just unaware of it, generally. Which is of course why the Tories are doing it. It’s a deliberate policy of voter suppression

Anecdotal evidence, talking to people on the doorstep, is that the Tories are ****ed! Their attempts at a ‘local’ rebrand, removing any reference to the party, aren’t washing with anyone and people are angry. The most telling comment I’ve had was someone (who I suspect would usually vote Tory at a GE) who told me he hadn’t bothered voting in local elections for years, who definitely would be doing this time to send a message to ‘that lot’

Hoping to get our second Labour Councillor in the ward elected today. Just off out to deliver Get out the Vote cards to our promises.

The count is tomorrow which is good as I hated the overnight slog, observing count and recount at 4am after a full day campaigning

Across Leeds we should be fine give or take the odd independent or green

... feedback on our doorsteps is similar to Binners. Labour vote holding up and strengthening since last year. Dyed in the wool Tories can't bring themselves to vote for the Tories even if they won't vote Labour. We got ax 20% swing to Labour and our first Labour Councillor for 30 years in last year's election.

I’ve just taken a look at the candidates standing in each ward and it’s striking that a majority – but not all – of tory candidates describe themselves as ‘local conservatives’.

Never mind the lowly councillors, even the full Tory MPs are trying this trick. There was a thread recently (or maybe it was within one of the political threads) about how many Tory MPs now have green background colours and you really have to go searching for the Conservative Party logo.

They're aware of how tainted the brand is.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens there, all the evidence is that active travel isn’t the wedge issue the antis think it is and doesn’t bring electoral success.

Local elections last year where my Mum lives (where there's been vocal opposition to new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods) were heralded as a referendum on all things LTN, the undemocratic socialist dictators who have imposed their dystopian future on us will be sent running for the hills...

What's that, the Tories standing on an anti-LTN platform have the lowest vote share of all?
Labour have been voted back in with an increased majority?

Oh... 🤔
Followed by frantic efforts to backpedal and claim it was just an anti-Tory vote. Yeah, surprisingly, Active Travel is actually a decent vote winner in the majority of cases.

Postal vote here so no worries about ID. Only person who we have seen is the incumbent Green (South Chichester) who is pretty good and well liked I think. They are hoping for a 2nd green but otherwise suspect Lib Dems will do well.

I'd normally agree that in local council elections it's more about how effective the person is rather than their party affiliation but this time around I think we have to use every opportunity to voice disgust at the Tory government, so until the GE this is one of the few opportunities to do that. I've just voted for a mix of independent and Labour candidates.

We have had a Residents Association for 87 years . This year they decided they want to build on the green belt.
Huge opposition ,let's see how much they get their arses kicked.
Shame as I liked having non political councilors who in theory would put the boroughs needs first.
Obviously not.

Shame as I liked having non political councilors who in theory would put the boroughs needs first.

Playing devil's advocate, but what happens if the borough needs housing? We've had plans for a small (10-12 properties) social housing build thrown out locally due to nimbys who have never needed social housing in their lives.

We are already the most densely populated borough in Surrey.
They were working on figures that were out of date.
They want to build on an area that floods.
They rejected a plan to build on brown sites.
There are no plans for increased doctors ,hospitals or schools.
Chris effing Grayling has put out a leaflet saying that the green belt is exempt from the building plan.
Half the RA councilors don't want to build on the green belt. The other half must have been on some very nice holidays recently.

We are already the most densely populated borough in Surrey.
They were working on figures that were out of date.
They want to build on an area that floods.
They rejected a plan to build on brown sites.
There are no plans for increased doctors ,hospitals or schools.
Chris effing Grayling has put out a leaflet saying that the green belt is exempt from the building plan.
Half the RA councilors don’t want to build on the green belt. The other half must have been on some very nice holidays recently.

Part of the issue is the UK's terrible planning system; part of it is, as above, local councillors getting backhanders and sweeteners to build inappropriate housing for short term profit and sod the long term implications.

This is worth a read:
https://www.centreforcities.org/blog/new-zealand-shows-how-planning-reform-will-end-britains-housing-crisis/

There are thousands of acres of brownfield sites especially in cities, much of it perfect for medium density housing development, even on a small scale. It's already close to amenities and services and a dozen small scale sets of flats/apartments/terraced housing scattered around a town or city is almost unnoticeable compared to the same number of homes built as semi-detached boxes on what used to be fields.

But councillors like the latter cos it's more obvious that they've Done Something to solve the housing crisis and Invest in the Local Area. And they get better backhanders.

Lib Dems here have gone all in on "say no to red lines" i.e. block proposals to extend bus lane hours so that buses can actually run effectively. Their vote share is tiny so it'll be interesting to see what that does for them. Also somehow labour have been able to spin all the LTN debate as a Green party policy despite having voted for it themselves. I personally have no idea who to vote for as none of the leafletting was at all inspiring

Let them know you don’t like them. Your vote is precious ,bloody well use it.

In complete agreement with this. There may not be anyone you like standing, but doesn't stop you researching their bios and voting to keep out the ones you don't want. Lesser of two evils etc. Not voting voids any future opinion you may have.

We apparently have  Conservative, Labour and Indy candidates running in our ward. Not seen or heard from any of them. Only one I can find any info on is the conservative one who looks like a right nasty piece of work. Even my local town labour website has no mention of their candidate and the Indy is harder to track down than Lord Lucan........nobody has been round or if they have they haven't dropped a leaflet.

Absolutely pathetic. I'd spoil my ballot but to be honest I think thats pretty immature and also - my response to that if I was in charge of anything would be, why don't you run then if you can do better?

I genuinely think I might look in to running for the Greens next time. How difficult can it be if this is the competition?

Anyone done it?

I personally have no idea who to vote for as none of the leafletting was at all inspiring

The stuff I got was a willy-waving contest of who was more "local" and had lived in the area for longest. Also the Lib Dems sent round a terrible survey that you had to fill in by hand and post back to them and as they don't seem to have heard of The Internet (or indeed how to run fair and non-biased surveys), they're not getting my vote.

I got to the Polling Station at 9am. I was the 17th person in there since 7am...

I engaged with "Burnley Conservatives" on social media. They claimed that all communication from all parties advised voters that they needed ID. I received their "intouch" propaganda leaflet through the door, no mention of ID anywhere. I called them out on it, they immediately downed communication.

Lying shitbags, the lot of them. I hope their bollocks turn square and rot at the corners.

@crazy-legs Our local MP (who is a complete Tory sock puppet with a wafer thin majority) put out a very green leaflet with Conservatives in miniscule writing, and then voted to continue sewage dumping. Isn't that right @muddydwarf?

@rs1 Labour are consistently disappointing on AT round here, considering it's car dependency is inequality issue as much as a public health or environmental one. The King of the North hasn't really demonstrated a willingness to use his extensive political capital to do the right thing either.

Popped to my polling station at 0845, place was empty.

Choice was pick two of the following:

Lib Dem 1

Lib Dem 2

Con 1

Con 2

Indy

Reform Party (FFS)

No idea who the Indy was and they didn't bother to leaflet.

Voted Lib Dem.

The tories will do much better than everyone expects, mostly because Sunak has steadied the ship and looks at least half competent, and the fact that Starmer is doing a very good job at looking like he can't be arsed. People like myself have very little reason to drag themselves out and vote for a party which takes our vote for granted.

Tories have also being doing "expectation management" saying they expect to lose 1000 seats - which of course objectively would be a disaster for them but now losing 900 will be seen and spun as a good result

The number of seats won or lost is kind of irrelevant. The important thing in terms of how a future general election will go will be the national vote share. I think it'll be a lot closer than the polls and that will hopefully set some alarm bells off in labour HQ and force Starmer to pull his finger out of his backside. From this point forward the momentum will be with Sunak.

People like myself have very little reason to drag themselves out and vote for a party which takes our vote for granted.

So you want change but you don't want to vote for it?

Up here in the clouds of Greetland & Stainland we're voting LibDem to keep the Tories out of the local seat.

So you want change but you don’t want to vote for it?

Someone has to offer some change first. I'm seeing nothing but more of the same from all the parties. I suppose I could vote for the greens but what's the point? This is a solid labour area and dragging myself into town to add 1 vote to their double figure vote tally seems a bit pointless.

I know a lot of it is Emporer's new clothes but not voting for the Govt does send a message

It's really difficult to judge success or otherwise in locals other than locally. Most of the seats that are up were voted in 4 (5 with COVID maybe)years ago so gains and loses are measured against them - but progress is measured against last year. In Leeds we have three councillors per ward elected one per year,with a fallow year every, for 4 years then change happens progressively.

So for my ward to win the seat off the Tories would meet expectation, Tories retaining would be s big step backwards.

Choice here of;

1) Tory

2) Labour

3) LibDem

4) Very popular independent candidate (former Labour candidate who came very close 2nd to Tories last time around)

Have a horrible feeling the three non-Tory options are going to completely split the vote and result in the Tory witch getting back in.

Just got back from the polling station, we had two ballot papers to fill out, one for the parish council and one for the district council. Despite being very tory around here there was only two candidates standing for the district council, one Green and one indy,I voted Green. The parish council on the other hand had 14 candidates and you could choose up to 12! seems a little pointless to be honest, none of them have put out any information about themselves, at least none that I can find and I don't want to vote for a nimby type so I spoilt that one.

Most of the seats that are up were voted in 4 (5 with COVID maybe) years ago so gains and loses are measured against them – but progress is measured against last year.

Apart from where there have been boundary changes, as above most of these are re-elections for seats that were up in 2019, at the nadir of Theresa May's popularity. Unless the Tories gain significant numbers of seats, it'll be a bad night for them (even if it's not spun that way)

Ultimately losing councillors also reduces local visibility, and in turn reduces your activist base (which isn't a problem in safe seats, but is when other parties are out knocking on doors).

@Bazz What councillors have you got at the moment? Anecdotally the Tories have got to the point where in some (even true blue) areas they're struggling to find candidates.

Well, if you "can't be bothered to vote"... don't go moaning about the political apathy of others.

It's pretty easy for me around here, some great Labour and LibDem councillors, some awful Tory ones. More of the former, fewer of the latter, please. Voted to keep a Labour councillor. All three in the ward are Labour, and I see no reason to change that. Definitely nothing from Sunak that helps his candidate here... he's just house sitting in number 10 without any consent from the voters... 'till he's moved on.

but not voting for the Govt does send a message

I'm not voting for the govt.

Well, if you “can’t be bothered to vote”… don’t go moaning about the political apathy of others.

I generally don't. I complain about the apathy of politicians who can't be bothered or don't have the courage to offer new solutions to obvious problems. If they can't be arsed trying to change things, I can't be arsed to vote for them.

The parish council on the other hand had 14 candidates and you could choose up to 12! seems a little pointless to be honest,

Parish councils are just archaic and powerless administrative structures which provide an opportunity for retired self-important 'pillars' of the community to feel like they're 'giving something back' while doing bugger all and sticking their noses into other people's business. They should be abolished.

I complain about the apathy of politicians

Have you spoken to any of your local candidates? Looked up what they have to say? Checked their record if already in office? Are they apathetic or engaged and listening to the people they represent or are asking to represent?

Parish councils are just archaic and powerless administrative structures which provide an opportunity for retired self-important ‘pillars’ of the community to feel like they’re ‘giving something back’ while doing bugger all and sticking their noses into other people’s business. They should be abolished.

This. 100% this! They are trying to push one through where I live. The referendum on whether we want it or not was a resounding "No!" but there is a feeling that St. Helens council will push it through by nefarious means. Adds a few quid to the council tax bill with very little tangible benefit.

Parish councils are just archaic and powerless administrative structures which provide an opportunity for retired self-important ‘pillars’ of the community to feel like they’re ‘giving something back’ while doing bugger all and sticking their noses into other people’s business. They should be abolished.

This.
Parish councils are invariably the biggest bunch of stick-in-the-muds around. Little more than a bunch of retired NIMBYs who get to act out all their Daily Mail fantasies.

@ratherbeintobago just looking at the make up of the district council (Wealden) we have 28 Tory, 6 Lib Dem, 4 Independent democrat, 4 Green and 3 Independent group. I was just surprised no one from the Tories were challenging the Green candidate for this ward, must think it's a lost cause 😀

Are they apathetic or engaged and listening to the people they represent or are asking to represent?

I've not had any literature or contact with any of them. I had to go on the internet just to find out who they are, and there is very little info about what they will do other than vague candidate statements. I have my ear pretty close to the ground and can honestly say that here in Todmorden there has been zero campaigning activity from any of them.

Parish councils are invariably the biggest bunch of stick-in-the-muds around. Little more than a bunch of retired NIMBYs who get to act out all their Daily Mail fantasies.

Hence why I spoilt my ballot.

I have my ear pretty close to the ground and can honestly say that here in Todmorden there has been zero campaigning activity from any of them.

Maybe they knocked on the door but you didn't hear them?

Just voted lib dem here.
Place was empty, I was literally the only person in there.
Mind you it was 11.30 so not exactly peak time.

I asked them if it was busy this morning and they said "so-so".

Maybe they knocked on the door but you didn’t hear them?

I don't expect them to knock on my door, I live up a hill and they probably assume I'm a died in the wool tory so it's not worth the effort. But there is nothing else, no campaigning activity, no leaflets, no posters, nothing in the local news. The only evidence that there's a local election going on is the odd isolated 'voting labour here' poster in gardens or windows and there's very few of those.

Walking around door knocking has got to be the most pointless activity.
How many people are home during your canvassing time and actually will answer the door?
Of those, how many are either going to vote and might be swayed by your spiel; or might be convinced to vote by your interaction, when they wouldn’t have before?
With all the wasted time, plus the risk of coming across some nutter who wants to rant at you for half an hour about immigrants or 15 minute cities or something.
How many votes do you think you would gain an hour?

I had two ballots to fill out. One was pick 5 out of 7, the other, 2 from 5.
Conveniently, two tories in each, so all the LD and independents got my vote. No labour presence at all.
Typing this, one of the Tory candidates in my town got exposed as a Britain first nut job. Think he stood as an independent. Can’t remember his name, don’t even know if he was in my constituency. Ironically my anyone but Tory policy I may have accidentally voted for him.

Just had Jake Berry knock on my door asking if i had voted yet. Replied i will do later but not for your team. He shrugged and wadered off. I should be a prime conservative voter but it'll be a generation before i think about voting for them again if at all. Between Brexit, Johnson and Truss they deserve to go and sit in the corner for a very long time and think about what they've done.

I suppose I could vote for the greens but what’s the point

Because if they get a boost in votes then Labour might reconsider its current approach.

Just had Jake Berry knock on my door asking if i had voted yet

I got slightly confused there, thinking you meant Matt Berry. I have been watching a lot of "What we do in the shadows" recently though

Candidates are just from the 3 main parties round my way. I haven’t seen any engagement from any of them. It’s like they have all decided it’s a forgone conclusion so aren’t bothering

I hear Matt Berry's voice everywhere, everyday.

That's because he's in everything.

What's all this ballot-spoiling business? Is that a statistic which gets recorded? Does anyone actually care? Do you ring up radio phone-ins to say "no comment"?

What’s all this ballot-spoiling business?

They get counted.
I spoilt my vote for the police chief card because the cops shouldn’t be political. My voice got heard rather than tutting.
I believe it’s compulsory to vote in Australia. When I was there ,the spoilts were about the same as the non votes in the uk.
The amount of shit our ancestors went through to get that ballot card it’s bloody disrespectful not to use it in some way.

@ajaydoubleyou Doorknocking, and carpeting people's halls in Focus leaflets, seems to work for some parties though.

Maybe because the people who are in during the day are older and are more likely to vote?

What’s all this ballot-spoiling business? Is that a statistic which gets recorded?

Not really because it covers everything from someone going "no one i like" to someone who doesnt quite understand the complexities of sticking a cross in a box.
I guess if its funny it might amuse the person counting and if its really funny and abusive about one of the candidates they might see/hear it.

I think there is an argument for a specific "not interested" option although what would then be done with that is anyones guess so probably not worth it.

Maybe because the people who are in during the day are older and are more likely to vote?

How true is that nowadays with work from home. More likely for certain professions but I would think age is less important now. Be curious if there is any good research on it.

Only a two horse race for us....  Conservatives or Lib Dems..... no others.

I hear Matt Berry’s voice everywhere, everyday.

Launch the nuclear weapons

Spoiling a ballot is completely pointless. If you don't want to vote for any of the candidates, don't vote. It may give you a sense of satisfaction to have "stuck it to the man", but no-one other than you gives a toss about your spoilt ballot paper.

I disagree. It separates 'can't be bothered' from 'yes, I am bothered but dissatisfied with what any of you are offering'