English mega-local elections, 2021

[Conservatopia]

I had the pleasure of contributing to the compiling of this spreadsheet featuring all the parties standing at the English local elections. I was unfortunate enough to have to fill out the sheet for Buckinghamshire (a 147 seat council is too large!). Some interesting smaller parties standing across many councils.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MxxoY0HCLwzUELvV9N8xJiGBcVguI9aNsys9xPksUvs/edit#gid=1689118743

Brilliant spreadsheet!

Hartlepool is an interesting one.  For obvious reasons the Tories ought to be targeting it.  Yet they don't have a full slate of candidates.  In fact they have less than their junior coalition partners in the VPP!

For the most part though the two main parties seem to have done a fair job of standing a candidate in nearly every ward.

[Conservatopia]

Here's the thing.  Most Tories don't really care about winning London.  In order to win London we would have to abandon our growing working class coalition.  And for what?  The mayoralty?  What's the point?  Add to that the fact that Bailey is an abysmal candidate and it's no surprise that Camp Bailey has seen donations and supporters dry up.

The fact that Bailey is running for re-election simultaneously to the Assembly shows that he knows that he will lose.

Honestly if I had the misfortune to live in the capital I would vote for wacko Fox just for the lulz.  I'd rather be winning Dudley council etc than London mayor.

I think (and it seems that so do many other Tories) that we should effectively abandon London and use it only as a scapegoat and boogeyman.  Cynical politics I know.

[Conservatopia]

This so called "working class coalition" is long term fool's gold, though - giving how much it depends on sectors of the electorate that are both declining *and* ageing.

How much rich boomer pensioners who just happened to do a manual job once should be considered "working class" is a moot point in any case, of course. When traditional A/B/C1/C2/D/E categories have become almost totally decoupled from *income*, how meaningful is "class" anyway?

(and the latest Survation poll showed Labour well ahead amongst LOW INCOME voters, as ever)

You're absolutely right and of course class =/= income but I was more using it as shorthand for what I suppose might be better described as a "populist" or "Brexit" coalition.

There's still masses of room to grow in the North amd Wales so I'm not sure the Tories need worry just yet about their ageing electorate.

Working class is a bit of a meaningless phrase today - I probably shouldn't use it.

Umm when the Tories have been going on about a ‘strong economy’ esp. in order to fund the NHS, that wouldn’t be wise move given the money that comes out of London. And surely they want to keep all the financial services in the UK?

I meant abandon trying to appeal to London electorally, not cut off London and let it sail away.

[Conservatopia]

Just got back from the office.  Off to vote later this evening probably.

Only elections on my ballot will be West of England mayor and Avon & Somerset PCC.

Obviously I will back the Tories on first preferences.

Who shall I second preference?

[Conservatopia]

Just got back from the office.  Off to vote later this evening probably.

Only elections on my ballot will be West of England mayor and Avon & Somerset PCC.

Obviously I will back the Tories on first preferences.

Who shall I second preference?

I mean if you are confident that the Tories will make it to round two in both contests, and the Tories are your first preference, then there is no theoretical need for a second vote. But I understand the sentiment.

Sure - it will probably be redundant.  But it is obviously symbolic.

In the PCC election I will 2nd pref Independent John Smith.  He may actually end up winning.  The current PCC is an independent and he is her hand picked successor.

Still undecided on my 2nd pref for metro mayor.  I might do the unthinkable and back That Still Great Movement of Yours simply because I loathe the LolDems and Greens so much.

[Conservatopia]

Big Tory gains in Cornwall, largely at the expense of the Lib Dems.

Cornwall elections are normally delightfully idiosyncratic but they seem to have finally succumbed to voting the same way for General and local elections.

[Conservatopia]

Big Tory gains in Cornwall, largely at the expense of the Lib Dems.

Cornwall elections are normally delightfully idiosyncratic but they seem to have finally succumbed to voting tge same way for General and local elections.

Apparently this result was largely expected, but I’m not exactly sure why.

Nice to see Andrew George has an elected job again.  I had begun to feel rather sorry for him.

[Conservatopia]

Big Tory gains in Cornwall, largely at the expense of the Lib Dems.

Cornwall elections are normally delightfully idiosyncratic but they seem to have finally succumbed to voting tge same way for General and local elections.

Apparently this result was largely expected, but I’m not exactly sure why.

Nice to see Andrew George has an elected job again.  I had begun to feel rather sorry for him.

On the flip side Mike Thornton lost near me in Eastleigh. Former Tory MPs Edwina Currie and Simon Kirby both also lost.

Trying to think of something witty...

[Conservatopia]

The Tories have picked up Avon & Somerset PCC.  Skimming the results it looks promising for Labour in the WECA mayoral election.  Lots of votes in Bristol.

[Conservatopia]

The Tories have picked up Avon & Somerset PCC.  Skimming the results it looks promising for Labour in the WECA mayoral election.  Lots of votes in Bristol.

Heard that the Greens were hoping to potentially unseat Marvin Rees - sounds unlikely but any news?

I don't see it happening and the PCC results don't suggest it unless they can pick up the second prefs of all other parties.


But for sure the Greens have done well here and I reckon they get second place.  I loathe the Green Party but Rees is a nasty person and a bad mayor so not sure what to hope

[Conservatopia]

English assembly when?

Very unlikely and certainly not under this government. We can dream.

Until we get a Wessex Assembly I will shout "Free Wessex" outside Parliament every day. 😠

Just like that Steve Bray bloke.

[Conservatopia]

English assembly when?

Very unlikely and certainly not under this government. We can dream.

Until we get a Wessex Assembly I will shout "Free Wessex" outside Parliament every day. 😠

Just like that Steve Bray bloke.

I will happily join you and look forward to being elected on the WNP Hampshire list.

Alfred the Great will rise again!

[Conservatopia]

There is a Mayor of the West of England? Ridiculous country.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough is even more ridiculous, Cambridge and Peterborough are over 40 miles away from each other. At least the 'West of England' is basically Greater Bristol (the boundaries of Bristol city really should be expanded but that's a whole other issue) plus Bath and a handful of other towns (Yate etc.). The name 'West of England' is hilariously dire though as it could mean practically anywhere in England west of Oxford.

Over my dead body.

[Conservatopia]

There is a Mayor of the West of England? Ridiculous country.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough is even more ridiculous, Cambridge and Peterborough are over 40 miles away from each other. At least the 'West of England' is basically Greater Bristol (the boundaries of Bristol city really should be expanded but that's a whole other issue) plus Bath and a handful of other towns (Yate etc.). The name 'West of England' is hilariously dire though as it could mean practically anywhere in England west of Oxford.

Over my dead body.

They definitely should be expanded. People from places like Bradley Stoke, Filton, Patchway, Kingswood, Mangotsfield etc. consider themselves as being from Bristol and many are quite confused as to why they come under South Gloucestershire instead. If it were up to me I'd return Yate, Thornbury and the rural areas to Gloucestershire proper and bring the rest into Bristol dissolving the 'West of England' area in the process.

You from these parts?  Not a snide question, genuinely interested.

Whilst those places might look close on a map they aren't actually all that near and culturally they are rather different.  Almondsbury is rather unlike Lawrence Weston and Thornbury nothing like Brislington.

[Conservatopia]

There is a Mayor of the West of England? Ridiculous country.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough is even more ridiculous, Cambridge and Peterborough are over 40 miles away from each other. At least the 'West of England' is basically Greater Bristol (the boundaries of Bristol city really should be expanded but that's a whole other issue) plus Bath and a handful of other towns (Yate etc.). The name 'West of England' is hilariously dire though as it could mean practically anywhere in England west of Oxford.

Over my dead body.

They definitely should be expanded. People from places like Bradley Stoke, Filton, Patchway, Kingswood, Mangotsfield etc. consider themselves as being from Bristol and many are quite confused as to why they come under South Gloucestershire instead. If it were up to me I'd return Yate, Thornbury and the rural areas to Gloucestershire proper and bring the rest into Bristol dissolving the 'West of England' area in the process.

You from these parts?  Not a snide question, genuinely interested.

Whilst those places might look close on a map they aren't actually all that near and culturally they are rather different.  Almondsbury is rather unlike Lawrence Weston and Thornbury nothing like Brislington.

I went to Uni there and because I don't tend to get on all that well with the stereotypical Bristol Uni students, a large proportion of my friends from my time there are locals so I like to think I know the area pretty well.

My suggestion would not be to put Almondsbury or Thornbury into Bristol, that would be absolutely ridiculous. I would give these areas back to Gloucestershire proper and transfer the built up areas of South Gloucestershire district  to Bristol City as the people from these places see themselves as being from Bristol.

That's interesting.

I'm sorry it seems I misunderstood the scale of what you were proposing.  Would I end up governed by Bristol?  If not then I'm probably chill with your idea.

[Conservatopia]

Does anybody have a summary of the resulting coalitions in the NOC councils from this cycle?

I have the county councils and unitary authorities but not borough and district councils.