Next up is Stoke/NUL... home to some genuinely insane local politics and equally insane local voting patterns...
The BNP got a lot of attention again; but their vote seems to have shifted out from Longton (they won Longton North in 2003 and 2004 and had they pulled it off this year, all three councillers would have been BNP. Luckily it didn't happen) and out to the eastern suburbs.
That said... they wouldn't have won Abbey Green (no.1) were it not for the stupid/insane decision of the sitting Labour counciller to defect to some Trot group just before polling day. He polled about 500 votes, the official Labour candidate polled about 600 and the BNP about 700. Vote Trot, get BNP...
Also interesting to see the Stoke Indies (who used to be the right-wing of Stoke Labour) revive again. Probably helps being in opposition.
A bit like 1983. Vote SDP and get a Tory Mp. Or Shrewsbury last year vote for a Lib Dem and a Tory Mp.
About the Potteries though. I cant believe there is a Right Wing split in The Labour Party there (A Left Wing I can Understand).
Good to see Madeley has Labour Councillors.