Friday 16th September 2016

Post by **refitman** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:00 am

Morning all.

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:16 am

And if you thought it sometimes gets a bit fractious around here, last night's QT

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The winner was?

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:25 am

Morning All.

I'm sitting in a café in Central Leeds while reading that George Osborne is to chair a new Northern Powerhouse "think tank".

Seriously?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:27 am

He was interviewed on Radio 4 earlier about it Paul.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:31 am

Ed Cox, director of the Institute of Public Policy Research North said: "It remains to be seen whether this new think tank will develop an inclusive approach to the northern economy because, to date, George Osborne's Northern Powerhouse has been too narrowly focused on big cities and metro mayors.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:31 am

yahyah wrote:He was interviewed on Radio 4 earlier about it Paul.

Thank the lord I missed that!

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:32 am

I think Leeds is probably a case study in how to keep a city running despite the worst government in living memory.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:36 am

Dan Hodges seems impressed.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:42 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Morning All.

I'm sitting in a café in Central Leeds while reading that George Osborne is to chair a new Northern Powerhouse "think tank".

Seriously?

Well, I was very relieved to read that the Northern Powce is back on track.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:43 am

Good morfternoon.

55DegreesNorth · Post by **55DegreesNorth** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 9:01 am

PorFavor wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Morning All.

I'm sitting in a café in Central Leeds while reading that George Osborne is to chair a new Northern Powerhouse "think tank".

Seriously?

Well, I was very relieved to read that the Northern Powce is back on track.

Maybe for down there in Leeds or Manchester. There's nowt going happen up here.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 9:08 am

Lib Dems are very happy with last night's by-elections.

http://www.libdemvoice.org/yet-another- ... 51872.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 9:15 am

yahyah wrote:Lib Dems are very happy with last night's by-elections.

http://www.libdemvoice.org/yet-another- ... 51872.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some huge percentage changes floating about that's for sure.

How can you not remember biting someone's nose btw?
http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/c ... -1-8038375" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 9:46 am

Next village,getting surrounded.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 10:06 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Morning All.

I'm sitting in a café in Central Leeds while reading that George Osborne is to chair a new Northern Powerhouse "think tank".

Seriously?

ha, 'Gideon's northern power house'
is an anagram of 'No powder snorting house here',
(sorry,doesn't really add to debate, but have only just noticed, will return to coffee)

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 11:03 am

yahyah wrote:Dan Hodges seems impressed.

About what??

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 11:06 am

https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/camp ... ign=buffer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

9 problems and pitfalls of disability simulation exercises and 3 alternatives

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 11:14 am

SpinningHugo wrote:And if you thought it sometimes gets a bit fractious around here, last night's QT

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The winner was?

It was quite frankly a grotesque display of arrogance and appalling bullying by Alastair Cambell, aided and abetted by Anna Soubry. What was worse was the bleating and cheering from Labour MP's who have been whining they are being bullied. Cheering on the man who bullied Dadvid Kelly to his death, the man who sexed up the Iraq dossier, and has done more than anyone other than his teflon coated master to destroy decent political discourse in this country.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 11:16 am

Mind you, Anna Soubry wasn't exactly massively enthusiastic abut her own leadership by all accounts. A definite reminder that she used to be in the SDP.

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 12:09 pm

Its about basic decency AK.

One side is weaponising false mysogny and conflating anti semitism with opposition to israels miltary policies, has a candidate who openly lies about his own statements - on film - ably supported by Cambell, Mandleson, Blunkett and their minions in the press and party. They are fixing the electorate, fixing the delegates to conference, it is smear afetr smear after smear form people who have real blood on their hands, the blood of tens of thousands in fact as well as hapless bearded weapons experts. There is no decency in a vote for Smith, there is no decency in support of such people. Labour deserves to die because it is corrupted to the core by people like Smith and Campbell.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 12:15 pm

Temulkar wrote:Its about basic decency AK.

One side is weaponising false mysogny and conflating anti semitism with opposition to israels miltary policies, has a candidate who openly lies about his own statements - on film - ably supported by Cambell, Mandleson, Blunkett and their minions in the press and party. They are fixing the electorate, fixing the delegates to conference, it is smear afetr smear after smear form people who have real blood on their hands, the blood of tens of thousands in fact as well as hapless bearded weapons experts. There is no decency in a vote for Smith, there is no decency in support of such people. Labour deserves to die because it is corrupted to the core by people like Smith and Campbell.

Methinks you've gone a bit ott there.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 12:17 pm

Yes, there are lots of good people who will vote for Smith. Let us not forget that, however disgraceful the actions of some in the "inner party" have been.

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 12:20 pm

I don't, in fact I was quite restrained and removed quite a lot of what I wanted to post in order not to offend. What happened last night was sickening to my core. I have seen it in the schoolyard and it is repugnant there, to see it done by adults who sit in judgement on the rest of us, make our laws, and guide our nation, and for it to be cheered on by Labour MPs without even the hint of irony. I cannot comprehend how any decent human could support such behaviour or condone it with a vote.

JonnyT1234 · Post by **JonnyT1234** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 12:36 pm

StephenDolan wrote:
Temulkar wrote:Its about basic decency AK.

One side is weaponising false mysogny and conflating anti semitism with opposition to israels miltary policies, has a candidate who openly lies about his own statements - on film - ably supported by Cambell, Mandleson, Blunkett and their minions in the press and party. They are fixing the electorate, fixing the delegates to conference, it is smear afetr smear after smear form people who have real blood on their hands, the blood of tens of thousands in fact as well as hapless bearded weapons experts. There is no decency in a vote for Smith, there is no decency in support of such people. Labour deserves to die because it is corrupted to the core by people like Smith and Campbell.
Methinks you've gone a bit ott there.

Methinks not.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 1:17 pm

Bloody hell,39 years since Marc Bolan died.FWIW never did see a woman coming out of New York City with a frog in her hand.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 1:18 pm

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 1:20 pm

He did don't you know(or said he did)

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 1:26 pm

Hackney mayoralty, result:
LAB: 68.9% (+8.5)
GRN: 13.2% (-4.3)
CON: 10.8% (-0.8)
LDEM: 5.5% (-0.2)
1LUV: 1.5% (+1.5)

Not stepping on toes(hopefully)just providing a taster until AK roundup.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 1:34 pm

http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/fo ... m-inquiry/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

FoI reveals EHRC chair’s ‘conflict of interest’ over welfare reform inquiry

The equality watchdog’s new chair, who is set to lead an investigation into whether Tory welfare reforms breached disabled people’s human rights, worked for the government on key contracts at the heart of those reforms, Disability News Service can reveal.

David Isaac was appointed by the government to chair the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) earlier this year, despite concerns raised by two parliamentary committees over “serious potential conflict of interest” caused by his work as a partner of law firm Pinsent Masons.

He specialises at Pinsent Masons in providing advice on “major public and private sector UK and global commercial and outsourcing projects”, and his own profile on the firm’s website previously stated that he “leads teams of lawyers on major projects” for, among others, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), although the reference to DWP has since been removed.

But his appointment as EHRC’s new chair came as the watchdog announced that it was to investigate the human rights implications of DWP’s welfare reforms on disabled people.

Isaac, Pinsent Masons and DWP have previously refused to say which welfare reform projects he worked on for the government.

But DWP has now been forced to respond to a freedom of information (FoI) request that was submitted by Disability News Service (DNS) nearly five months ago, following pressure from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The freedom of information response shows that DWP projects Isaac led on included, from July 2013, providing “legal services” for terminating the contract of the much-criticised outsourcing firm Atos to provide work capability assessments (WCAs).

The controversial “fitness for work” test has been implicated in hundreds – and possibly thousands – of deaths of disabled people, and in causing significant harm and distress to tens of thousands of others.

Isaac’s team at Pinsent Masons was also involved in legal work surrounding the appointment of the outsourcing company that replaced Atos as the supplier of WCAs, the equally controversial US company Maximus.

And Pinsent Masons was involved in providing legal services in relation to “contracts with third party suppliers for the delivery of services” connected with personal independence payment (PIP), from November 2013.

There are also existing concerns over the voting record of Lord [Chris] Holmes, the watchdog’s disability commissioner and a Conservative peer, who voted in the House of Lords in favour of the government’s welfare reforms and cuts and will also play a leading role in the EHRC’s investigation.

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 1:40 pm

HindleA wrote:Bloody hell,39 years since Marc Bolan died.FWIW never did see a woman coming out of New York City with a frog in her hand.

Bob Stanley, in the very wonderful book "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop", discussed the episode of the TV series "Marc", which featured Bowie playing "Heroes, and speculated on the fact that excessive cocaine use in the '70's made Marc Bolan put on weight, thus losing his youthful looks & consequently his army of teenage fans & career, whereas for Bowie, similarly excessive cocaine use made him lose lots of weight, thus enabling him to reinvent himself as "The Thin White Duke" and go from a teenybop idol to a serious musician.
Trivia fact (though I'm sure many will know it) the driver of the car was Gloria Jones, Bolan's girlfriend at the time. She recorded the Northern Soul classic "Tainted Love", later covered by Soft Cell & Marilyn Manson

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 2:03 pm

Good-afternoon, everyone.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 2:06 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/ ... ual-sports" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Joy of Six: unusual sports

Takanakuy is an egalitarian affair, with men, women and children all partaking. Celebrants dress in colourful attire, wearing ski masks, special belts and even stuffed animal hats; men must wrap their hands. Then they take to the ring, made out of everyone they know, and dish out windmill punches and kicks until someone falls down. The rules are beautiful in their simplicity: no biting, no booting someone when they’re down, have fun! Any infringements are dealt with in the first instance by a referee armed with a colourful whip – no doubt the sensation is like being hit with a rainbow – but police are also in attendance in case things get out of hand because, amazingly, aunties pagga-ing is deemed perfectly fine.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 2:25 pm

Defence Equipment: My Letter to Harriett Baldwin MP(Toby Perkins)

I’m used to Tory Ministers playing fast and loose with truth. But imagine my dismay when the newly appointed junior Defence Minister, Harriett Baldwin MP, declared from the despatch box on Monday that “We [the Government] are in the process of providing our armed forces with more ships, more aircraft and more equipment than ever before.” I could hardly believe my ears.
By any measure, her statement is one of pure fiction. A fiction based on the old tory narrative of cutting spending on vital services while publicly declaring that “we’ve never had it so good.” There’s no doubt the public deserve better. But more importantly our Armed Forces Personnel deserve better.Toby-in-PCH
Please read my letter to Harriett Baldwin MP, below:

Dear Harriet,
I am writing to you with regard to an answer you gave in yesterday’s Defence Questions in which you claimed: “We are in the process of providing our armed forces with more ships, more aircraft and more equipment than ever before.”
When I offered you the opportunity to correct this statement in the house, you simply repeated this misinformation and suggested I read the SDSR 2015! I can assure you I already have done.
To put your outlandish claim in a historical context, during World War 2 the British Army lost more tanks in a single month than we currently possess, the Naval task Force sent to the Falkland Islands in 1982 had 17 destroyers and 38 frigates (the SDSR 2015 shows we now have just 19 of these two class of vessels combined). In 1990 we had 33 fighter squadrons, the SDSR confirms we now have 8.
Even after the reduced order of Type 26 frigates and F35 fighter jets arrive we will have nothing like the number of ships or aircraft we have had in the past.
Whilst it was ludicrous to claim that our Armed Forces are provided with more ships and aircraft than ever before. The reality is that, under the Government that you have been a member of we actually have fewer warships and Aircraft than ever before.
Between 2010 and 2015 the Tory-led coalition oversaw huge reductions to in-service defence equipment, including:
A 41% reduction in the number of Main Battle Tanks
A 19% reduction in the number of Infantry Fighting Vehicles/Personnel Carriers
A 17% reduction in the number of Frigate’s and Destroyers
A 33% reduction in the number of Aircraft Carriers/Amphibious Ships
A 17% reduction in the number of submarines
A 29% reduction in Fighter/Ground Attack Aircraft
And of course, a 100% reduction in the number of Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
I accept that in the heat of the moment people sometimes use phrases that they subsequently regret, but when our Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen and women are working so diligently with ever leaner resources it is an insult to them to pretend that they have never had it so good. I fear it also betrays the extent to which the Government and department that you are a part of are loose with facts, and a belief that because a Minister has said something it must be so.
Our Armed Forces operate with the greatest precision every day of their lives, they have the right to expect the same of the people who equip and direct them.
I would be grateful if you would make a statement to the House in order to correct the record, or explain the basis on which you arrive at the assertion you have chosen to repeat.
Yours sincerely,

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 3:07 pm

Appointment of the Chair of the Environment Agency - Emma Howard Boyd

"Emma has spent her 25-year career working in financial services, initially in corporate finance, and then in fund
management, specialising in sustainable investment and corporate governance."

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... tAnchor015" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't know Boyd and I may not know enough about her and/or the job she's been offered. It doesn't seem immediately obvious to
me how chairing the Environment Agency requires a financial services worker to do the job. Business, industry, interest groups, fiscal
restrictions, priorities, investment banker, financial services. Boyd did some work in corporate energy investment portfolio management.
That's the closest her work took her into the environment. Boyd's degrees are in law, economics and corporate finance.

Chair of the Environment Agency job description:

“As Chair, you will provide overall leadership and strategic vision for the Board of the Environment Agency.
You will understand the environment and its importance to everyone. You will improve the environment and
grow the rural economy and business. You will be able to balance priorities and command confidence and
respect at the highest level with Ministers across Government and partners.

The Environment Agency is going through a period of substantial reform. Strong leadership in the context of
change and transition will be essential while maintaining a clear focus, ensuring business continuity and
delivering the Environment Agency’s priorities within a tight fiscal period.”

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... tAnchor008" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'Tight fiscal periods' has been invoked. Sustainable can be a word industry call something to flavour their work environmentally friendly.
Sustainable business is real, as real as the environment. The environment must be the first priority for everyone doing business. It's not though.
Where's the environmental agency workers overseeing hydraulic fracturing business sites, please? Have Tory government budgeted for them?

This addition to Boyd's CV:

"2013 - Cycled 2000km from Vancouver to Inuvik, crossing the Arctic Circle"

Sounds a hoot.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 3:11 pm

It's the environment! There's no price tag on the environment!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 3:36 pm

The monetisation of the environment sells it too cheap.

If the price of what humans do collectively were realistically costed, we collectively get sent the invoice, local economies would genuinely
become vastly interesting and productive. I'll never taste a fresh mango again. Fine. Dry them. After I hike my way across the Arctic
Circle, I'll be nowhere near fresh mangos.

Why does someone bike from Vancouver to Inuvik?
http://www.cyclecanada.com/Tour_ArcticFAQ.html

George Bailey was a banker - Bailey Building and Loan

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 5:37 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/d ... 84f7f09d38" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

Dan Jarvis is one of several former Labour frontbenchers being lined up to rejoin the party’s top team if Jeremy Corbyn wins re-election, HuffPost UK can reveal.

The former Paratrooper and ex-shadow foreign minister is tipped by insiders for a Shadow Cabinet post, as part of a wider bid by the Labour leader to unite his Parliamentary team and the wider membership.

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 5:42 pm

I bet none of you knows that Dan Jarvis used to be a paratrooper.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 5:45 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
yahyah wrote:Dan Hodges seems impressed.
About what??

Osborne's interview.

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Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 5:46 pm

http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016 ... ax-havens/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brexit means that the EU can rightfully turn on the UK’s tax havens

I have to say, this is something I hadn't considered.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 5:58 pm

Farron trying to tempt Smith supporters:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 12001.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 6:20 pm

https://www.carersuk.org/wales/news/track-the-act" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 came into force on 6 April 2016, it brought with it important new rights for carers in Wales.

Are these new rights making life better for you?

We want carers across Wales to help us Track the Act so we can see what’s making a difference to your life, and what more needs to be done. Complete our short survey and tell us about your experiences.

howsillyofme1 · Post by **howsillyofme1** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 6:46 pm

yahyah wrote:Farron trying to tempt Smith supporters:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 12001.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well if they want to go then they are welcome to support the bedroom tax and NHS reorganisation enablers

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 7:06 pm

Sometimes in the FPTP system the only choice you get is between worse and worser.

On balance I'd prefer a Libdem MP to a Tory one. Tessa Munt was considered a good MP by many of her Wells constituents, a lot better than the Tory that has succeeded her. The Libdems do have some prospects of achieving a revival in the South West, but will probably need some Labour tactical votes to do it. I'd certainly consider it if it offered a possibility to block a further Tory majority. Some kind of PR pact would be essential. What else can people who want to get the Tories out do? Labour as it is right now, without Scotland and with the Tories re-occupying many south and south west constituencies they haven't held since 1992, is simply not going to be capable of denying the Tories a majority on their own.

howsillyofme1 · Post by **howsillyofme1** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 7:16 pm

Willow904 wrote:Sometimes in the FPTP system the only choice you get is between worse and worser.

On balance I'd prefer a Libdem MP to a Tory one. Tessa Munt was considered a good MP by many of her Wells constituents, a lot better than the Tory that has succeeded her. The Libdems do have some prospects of achieving a revival in the South West, but will probably need some Labour tactical votes to do it. I'd certainly consider it if it offered a possibility to block a further Tory majority. Some kind of PR pact would be essential. What else can people who want to get the Tories out do? Labour as it is right now, without Scotland and with the Tories re-occupying many south and south west constituencies they haven't held since 1992, is simply not going to be capable of denying the Tories a majority on their own.

Willow, tactical voting may be a necessity I agree

I don't think that particular poster was suggesting that though - I think this was more ideological

Memories are so short aren't they

TR'sGhost · Post by **TR'sGhost** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 7:17 pm

Willow904 wrote:http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016 ... ax-havens/
Brexit means that the EU can rightfully turn on the UK’s tax havens
I have to say, this is something I hadn't considered.

A curious thing is that the UK's assorted tax havens aren't part of the EU and never have been. Nor are they part of the UK for that matter. The Crown Dependencies such as Jersey and the British Overseas Territories have an unusual relationship to the UK, some being territories that are part of the monarch's personal feudal holdings and all operating their own system of government.

I suspect the EU could have acted against them at any time, were it not for the UK government's determined support of tax havens that, amongst other things, operate to reduce the UK government's own income from taxation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_dependencies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_O ... erritories" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 8:02 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37377338" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The daily struggle to discharge patients

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 9:49 pm

Five local council by-elections this week, though before that is is maybe worth mentioning the Hackney Mayoral election already cited upthread - an excellent Labour hold with an increased share (to over two thirds) compared to the last regular election two years ago. Which is more than can be said of some of the other contests:

Newcastle upon Tyne - Labour hold, though with a drop of 20 per cent since May (it says it all that they still won fairly comfortably) and an almost as big increase for the second placed LibDems. This maybe becomes slightly less alarming, though, when a bit of history is applied - this ward returned three LibDem councillors in the 2004 all-out elections (having been a major Labour/Lib battleground in its similar previous incarnation in the 1980s and 90s) and they continued to hold on comfortably until Labour won on GE day in 2010. As in many similar cases the LibDem vote collapsed in the next few years and by the following GE day last year they had actually dropped to fourth, though moving up to third earlier this year was perhaps the first inklings of a revival. Their resurgence meant that UKIP - second, albeit distantly, in the last few elections - dropped to third despite actually increasing their share modestly from this May. Tories in 4th dropped similarly since then, only just finishing ahead of the Greens who were little changed.

East Hertfordshire DC - Tory hold, though their share fell from over two thirds last May to the low 40s now; partly explained by the increased competition, but the messy circumstances in which the previous incumbent resigned may also have been a factor. This single seat ward saw the Tories easily beat a sole Labour opponent in 2003, 2007 and 2011 - and a Green joining the fray on GE made little impression on their customary dominance. This time, though, UKIP and LibDems took almost 37% of the vote between them - the former beating the latter into second by just a handful of votes. Labour also got hit by these new entrants as their share was close to halved, though they still beat the Greens who were also down on 2015.

North East Derbyshire DC - LibDem gain from Labour in a contest whose cause has been widely disseminated, to the amusement of many - though it was not so amusing for the Labour incumbents who saw their share virtually halved from the straight fight they had with the Tories last year, which enabled the LibDems to storm to victory in their first outing here this century. Labour had actually had two councillors unopposed here back in 2003, and whilst Independents won both seats from them in 2007, Labour easily won them back in 2011 and appeared safe again......until now. Tory share was also near to halved, not that far ahead of UKIP who took a fairly modest 9% in their first outing here at this level. The crank British People's Party (formerly known as the - equally cranky - Patriotic Socialist Party) came last, not for the first time garnering fewer votes (6) than their requisite nominations (10)

Shropshire - LibDem hold with over 60% of the vote, beating the Tories by almost exactly 2 to 1. This was actually very little changed from the last poll in 2013 (both parties dropping fractionally) but represented a significant swing to the LibDems from both the inaugural unitary elections here in 2009 and a previous by-election in 2011, so they are likely to be content enough. Labour very much also rans with just under 7% (though that is actually slightly up on their previous showing here in the previous by-election) and their presence now seemingly squeezed the Greens who lost well over half their share from three years ago.

Carlisle DC - Labour hold, fairly comfortably over the second placed Tories even though there was a modest swing (about 3%) since May when Labour took almost exactly half the vote here. This ward was a LibDem stronghold between the turn of the millennium and 2010, but since 2011 Labour have won every time here at both district and county level, plus a couple of previous by-elections (at both tiers) in that time. Unlike in some places, there has been no significant LibDem revival here in the last few years - they only managed a slight increase to a still modest 10%, remaining fourth behind UKIP who were only slightly down on earlier this year; it is the Tories who provide the main opposition to Labour here now. Greens last with 4%, little changed.

Ten contests next week - a real birthday treat for me; though one - in Cardiff - falls on Tuesday, so it will thus be the last electoral contest of my 40s

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 9:51 pm

Thanks AK.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 16 Sep, 2016 11:11 pm

Goodnight, everyone.
love,
cJA