Tories Hold Sunderland

[Griffin NoName]

Well, I am glued to the local election overnight results bonanza, with one result in so far, the only interesting thing about which I can think to say, is one set of grandparents came from Sunderland.

Disappointingly Ken and Boris wont declare until tomorrow by which time I shall be asleep.

Oh hang on, a Key Ward is in........... can I be bothered?

Year after year I fail to understand the significance to the major parties of local elections. Personally I vote on totally different issues in general and local elections and the parties stance on those different issues don't seem to have any coherence between local and national policies. Major parties that is; I exclude the BNP, The Greens and the Raving Loonies.

I vote on things like speed bumps, parking spaces for the disabled, etc. I don't expect there to be any link between someone who disapproves of speed bumps and national economic policies. Yes, I know an argument could be made, speed bumps cost money to install, but it's tenuous. Similarly I expect people in St Ives to be more interested in art galleries than people in Corby, and although it may be sad that this is the case, I don't believe any policies are going to change that. On the other hand it may not be sad at all. It may just be part of life's rich tapestry.

Hey, Tessa Jowell has just more or less said what I just said. Could that be because labour have just gone down 3% and the Tories up 6% ?  Or is Tessa Jowell just a like thinker and a jolly good thing?

[beagle]

Year after year I fail to understand the significance to the major parties of local elections. Personally I vote on totally different issues in general and local elections...

You're probably unusual (in the nicest possible way). Unless there's a local hospital or post office closure issue most people just treat it as an opinion poll on national government, IMHO.

Currently the Tories appear to be running 20% ahead of Labour , but you may still get to keep Red Ken.

[Swatopluk]

I also vote local on different criteria than national*. Additionally the difference between the major parties on the local level (Spandau) is virtually nonexistent (no problem with me as long as they do a good job)

*state (Berlin) is another extra category where my vote shifts from election to election. If all three elections were on the same day, it would be not that unlikely that all my crosses would be for different parties/candidates.

[Griffin NoName]

Unless there's a local hospital or post office closure issue most people just treat it as an opinion poll on national government, IMHO.

But there always is/are. Whether it's dustbin collections reduced to only once a month or the replanting of the military flower bed, there are always passionate local issues.

Looking at the correlation between percentages in local elections and general elections, I can't see much of a correlation. And opinion polls are just opinions

Anyway, good news. Now we can watch Boris demolish whatever chance the Tories had of a comeback

[beagle]

I wouldn't count on it. For all the press play up on the so called "gaffes" I think an awful lot of people appreciate his straight talking. Also he was considered a damn good manager at The Spectator, who inspired people who worked for him.
Let's face it, neither GB or KL make you feel happier for having seen them, whereas Boris invariably does.
There's also the possibility of corruption and cronyism under KL now being exposed, hence that speech joke about shredders. There was an article in the Torygraph today implying this was a real possibility, and that the Tories were trying to ensure evidence is not destroyed.

Finally, even if he fouls-up, it may not stick to the main party any more than K.L.'s excesses stuck to Labour. 

On the down side the left wing press will be picking up on every politically incorrect comment and blowing it up as a major thing, like they do with the D of E . The evidence from yesterday though is that the public aren't that gullible, and, as I said before,prefer honesty to anodyne soundbite spin or just plain "only a treaty" type lies. It used to worry me that Boris's joker image would tarnish the whole party, but I too was underestimating public sense in seeing through media bias I think.

There is a wonderful irony in that every time Paul Merton thought he was ridiculing Boris, he was actually helping elect him.

I now reckon Boris has a very good chance of outlasting GB.  Perhaps GB can work for President Blair in the EU.

[Griffin NoName]

Well they let Ken in to clear his desk today

My sister reckons Cameron will provide Boris with Minders.

I am sure you are right about dodgy dealings.

Boris certainly cheers one up, but so does Paul Merton; although Brian Blessed even made him wince and Ian Hislop seemed to find it even harder than usual to crack a smile.

[Swatopluk]

How political is the London mayorship btw? Does it mean a real change in how things are done, if there is a mayor of the other party or does it depend mainly on the specific person independent of party affiliation?

[Griffin NoName]

I'd say it was elastic - can be political or a-politicial.

The main visible effect of Boris should be the disappearance of bendy buses. If that is a simile for Brown's dithering, then it's political.

Of course, Ken was in and out of the Labour party but Boris is A Big Tory Toff so we may see more political than a-political. The poor of London may starve in the gutters and the number of first class carriages on trains increase.

[beagle]

Boris's immediate plans are here.

Less spin, more people doing something useful is the most obvious trend.

How political is the London mayorship btw? Does it mean a real change in how things are done, if there is a mayor of the other party or does it depend mainly on the specific person independent of party affiliation?

Ken treated it as a political power base to rival No. 10.  It's fairly safe to say that Boris won't be cutting deals with Hugo Chavez or criticising Middle East policy.  Both instinctively and due to Tory policy he'll be expected to get down-to-earth things improved quickly.

You get a sense of that from his...
Question and answer session

There will be a real change in that Ken and his "advisers" are already out. On the other hand the Mayor has to work with central government and the boroughs, and has outright control in only a few areas.

[beagle]

Boris has a new hat, and become one of the extra policemen himself.

Even the IHT calls him Boris in the URL.

[Griffin NoName]

I feel duty bound to reflect that we have one hour left until London becomes a joke.

Goat, we need you.

[beagle]

He's never around when you want to gloat. Very annoying...