St George West local election 3 May 2007: Tory vote share 36.83% (2nd place, 1.5% behind 1st place)
St George West local by election 9 October 2008: Tory vote share 18.75% (3rd place, 15% behind 1st place)
As the Tory vote predictably collapsed last night in the St George West by-election after they ditched their successful 2007 candidate in favour of Colin Bretherton, one of leader Bunter Eddy’s personal friends – who can now make the unusual claim of being a ten time Bristol local election loser – can the Tory boss stake a claim to the title of worst political strategist ever?
Surely this is the end of the road for the stupid fat twat? No sane party would let him lead them in to another election … Oh hang on a minute …
(Cartoon by Evelyn Post. Evelyn Post is The Bristol Blogger’s resident cartoonist. He has a woman’s name)
I don’t think any senior member of the 3 political parties in the council house have a clue about Bristol and what needs to be changed and what does not. Bunter is in good company.
I have to say that the Conservative “tactics” in St George were in a class of their own.
In leaflets
1 Claiming that St Georges park was going to be sold off. (Even Bristol Labour would back away from that one.)
2 Mounting a “Campaign” to save Frenchay hospital(on 10/01/06 Every Tory on BCC backed the Labour motion supporting the downgrade of Frenchay in favour of Southmead.)
3 Claiming that Lib Dems. voted Labour in to power in Bristol ,conventiently forgetting it was the Tory party who threw us out in favour of Labour)
and to top it all I was presented by a chuckling resident on polling day with a Tory leaflet that had been delivered that day saying that Lib Dems were out of the race and it was between them and Labour.
Deluded or Dishonest??
I am tempted to say “You couldn’t make it up” but they did.
4. Campaigning before John Deasy’s funeral. Oh no, that was you, wasn’t it?
It was actually the TORIES who started their election campaign before Deasy’s funeral.
(OK the Lib Dems did put out a Focus leaflet in August, but Tony Potter has been doing these for 3-4 years).
Oh and by the way the LABOUR started their campaign for the Crewe and Nantwich by-election before Gwyneth Dunwoody’s funeral.
Not true. The Lib Dems were putting out a focus leaflet on the Saturday after John died. Their candidate posted a petition on the Council’s website about three days after he died – complete coincidence I’m sure.
Interesting that when the poisenous Ms McCarthy was asked for the first time by the Labour group to remove her offensive attacks on this subject (her way of campaigning ?) she posted some sarcastic comments about “why would Lib Dems be putting out leaflets in between elections ?”.
Not the first time of course that we have had this sort of stuff from Ms McCarthy or her close co-operators.
Glad to report that at the second attempt the request from the Labour group to Ms McCarthy to desist resulted in the blog being edited .
For the record the Labour party started and the Liberal democrats resumed putting out leaflets the day after the funeral ,which was attended by Cllrs from all sides as Cllr Deasy was well liked.
what about the petition then Gary? Would it not have been tasteful to have not put out leaflets (planned before John’s death or otherwise) and for your candidate not to have rushed out a petition days after John had died?
Kerry’s blog seems to have gone incredibly quiet on everything recentky – no comments on her failed government’s economic mess, no defence of her disastrous council administration’s going backwards in our city – as if she’s dropped off the face of the earth. (we can hope, can’t we?)
i don’t think it’s surprising at all that the lib dems won the st george seat & will continue to win at local level!
local labour perform with similar incompetence as their party nationally, pretty much a shambles!!
the local tories under eddy are even worse, if thats humanly possible, but then again so are the tory party nationally.
i’m not a lib dem member & i have never voted for them, but like a lot of people i do think it’s time for a change from the 2 main parties.
i find it interesting that local labour members are calling for the resignation of stephen williams over a change in policy concerning students tuition fees which alledgedly got him elected!?!
quite rich coming from labour who have over the years changed & lied about practically every policy & also failed to keep the promises & pledges that got them elected.
the tories just chop & change theirs to suit whatever the people want to hear, usually on a daily basis!!!!!!!
Gary says
‘Claiming that Lib Dems. voted Labour in to power in Bristol, conveniently forgetting it was the Tory party who threw us out in favour of Labour)’
Yes, Gary, but as we all know – your party could have taken control of Bristol last May – but you chose not to. I and the Tories voted against the continuation of the Tories in power – you abstained.
Personally, I think you should be forcing a vote of no confidence in Labour next Tuesday. I think this is the last, best opportunity to stop incineration.
We both know the current administration/West of England take no notice of the opposition have put to them.
We both know they are remorselessly pursuing the pfi credit route, which – with a reference project of incineration – will be likely to result in incineration.
And, as we both know, we are at the moment – with the West of England governance arrangements close to being signed – where Bristol will have to pay huge indemnities to get out of the agreed arrangement.
Yeah vote of no confidence Tuesday. That sounds like fun.
(And perhaps while you’re all at it could you arrange between you to get Richard Fletcher, the council’s green spaces officer the sack for being a complete and utter tosser? Thanks.)
Charlie
We all know that Eddy was instructed by Tory HQ to distance himself from Labour as happened around the country. He announced to the media that we were taking over but had failed to speak to us or on this occasion Labur.He tried to make out it was a local decision but we know that was not true and have had the contents of the written instruction confirmed since. Since that time there has been the continued cover up for the administration by the Tories despite several of their group being very unhappy about it. Until a few of these unhappy Tories get up the gumption to rebel we have no majority to govern effectively. Although Labour lost the seat in St George the biggest loser was Cllr. Eddy . A clear message was sent that people are fed up with the silly game playing.
The difference Charlie between your vote and Eddies is principle and whilst we know your word can be trusted any arrangement or structure that relies in any way upon Cllr Eddy is doomed to failure.
Sorry to remind you but you also voted us out and Labour in last year but I doubt if you would repeat that.
Translation: Thanks, but no thanks.
Kerry’s started blogging again but nothing much about the by-election result yet. I was wondering if she might have been advised against blogging as the election draws closer.
I don’t think the Lib-Dems will want to take power for just a few months before next May and risk losing seats as a consequence. Better to stick where they are and let Labour make the unpopular decisions, so preparing the ground for a gaining a working majority in May.
‘Matthew Mark’ etc. has still not answered why Labour should demand that nobody puts out leaflets between a Councillor’s death and funeral in Bristol, when they did i themselves in Crewe when the Labour MP dies.
That’s the trouble with New Labour, they say one thing in the north of England and another in the South!
I don’t see how a vote of no confidence in Labour at Tuesday’s Council meeting would scrap plans for an incinerator.
There are currently 32 Councillors who would vote against the inerator (31 Lib Dems and 1 Green), 36 who would vote in favour (24 Labour and 12 Tories), and 2 who would abstain (1 Tory plus the Lord Mayor).
The by-elections has strengthened the fight against the incinerator,as the Lib Dems made it a campign issue, but the battle cannot be won on Tuesday.
Barry Blaze:
If on Tuesday the LibDems, as the largest party, do what they failed to do in May and take on the responsibility to run this council, they could immediately prevent signing over Bristol’s waste policy to the West of England. Simple as that.
And they could justify it by
a) pointing out that they are the largest party (especially since last week’s byelection), and
b) quoting the full council’s resolution last month, accepting that “(ix) that Council notes that the majority of Council Members are opposed to a “feed the beast” mass burn incinerator.” In other words, they represent the will of the full elected council, which Labour is ignoring.
Very laudable.
The Tories could hardly support Labour against such a vote, not if they’ve got instructions from on high not to get too close to Labour.
Gary’s response doesn’t give much confidence, though. Just an easy smokescreen of slagging off the Tories and avoiding the issue. As Chris says, the LibDems seem to prefer the political luxury of opposition to the chance of putting their policies into practice. And in doing that, for their own political advantage, they’re every bit as guilty as Labour of lumbering us with an incinerator that neither they nor the rest of us want.
Go on Gary, prove me wrong.
thats what great about the BCC as shown above, even members of the council bring their party bickering to the bloggers page. Why cant we all stop behaving like children, put party politics to one side for one moment and do what is best for the people of bristol.
To answer Archie’s rhetorical question – human nature, plus they can never agree what’s best for the people of Bristol. Even the people of Bristol can’t agree, which is why there are different political parties.
I agree with the comments about the local Tories and Labour parties, but I can’t really take the Lib Dems seriously either, especially on a national level. There’s not really any point in paying any attention to their policies as the Lib Dems, after all, will promise anything and everything to anyone and everyone.
Vince Cable however seems to be the only person in the House of Commons who has any idea how economics works.
Building an incinerator (or phase 3 of the residual waste strategy) is a £1billion plus decision. Bristol will pay 43% of the costs, subject to annual review of the WoE board.
As soon as governance arrangements are signed, Bristol loses control over its destiny. It becomes a decision of the West of England partnership.
There are safeguards, but the arrangments explicitly commit us to pfi funding, which heavily favours incineration. And they also commit us to penalties if we try to withdraw.
(The decision has to be ‘bankable’ ie something banks would lend money on – ironic, really)
I am only aware of one pfi bid where there has been a change in technology from reference project (which is incineration in Avonmouth) to delivery.
We may be lucky. But most likely we will not.
I actually entirely respect the policy of the Labour administration (although I completely disagree with it) – which pursues pfi, and will, most likely leave us with an incinerator. I also entirely respect the LibDem policy (which opposes incineration in favour of pyrolysis).
The trouble is – if this agreement is signed -we are pushed further down the route of incineration, and will have to pay dearly to get out.
With these fines, there will come a time when no one will be able to afford not to build an incinerator. That’s why I believe we need to build in safeguard now.
Anyway, I can’t do it. It looks like Gary and the LibDems aren’t up for it though. A pity.
Politics, supposedly, is about managing difference. It’s a shame no one can do this effectively and that in the absence of political ideologies local politics seems more about managing budgets than building a better society or making the right decision (because the utilitarian ethic is supreme, supposedly). This is because more money has been ploughed into government agancies and national bodies (and that great mecca, London – sarcasm here), leaving local councils to squabble over the few pennies they get.
Peter – I agree with “the LibDems seem to prefer the political luxury of opposition” but the benefit of this (to those of a particular mindset) is that this can have a preserving effect on our city by blocking certain plans and initiatives, such as the aims of BAMBI.
p.s. Just want to clear up an earlier comment I made about blogging as a form of social control. I meant it is a convenient arena for the cynics to be contained within (as opposed physically using local democracy) and I was not criticising individuals as authors.