UK local elections, May 2012

[ObserverIE]

Kennedy might hold his seat, if the boundary changes go through, i reckon he'll beat Alexander for the selection

Would he be allowed to beat Alexander for the selection, or would he be pressurised into standing aside?

[Pilchard]

So the Lib Dems have held on to control of Cambridge, the last act of the outgoing mayor (who stepped down as a councillor at the elections) was using his casting vote in favour of the Lib Dem candidate after a 21-21 tied vote for the new mayor. The new mayor used her casting vote after two more tied votes for council leader and deputy mayor.

Interestingly, the lone Conservative and the Independent (a former Lib Dem) both voted for Labour's candidates. Anyway, I'd expect a Labour majority at the next elections in 2014 if things stay the way they are nationwide.

[YL]

Kennedy might hold his seat, if the boundary changes go through, i reckon he'll beat Alexander for the selection

Would he be allowed to beat Alexander for the selection, or would he be pressurised into standing aside?

I'm sure the SNP will be hoping that Kennedy isn't allowed to beat Alexander.

[Harry Hayfield]

Welsh Local Election Results 2012
(NB: One ward still to formally declare)

Labour   594355   41.61%    (577 Seats +233)
Plaid Cymru   203601   14.25%    (158 Seats -49)
Independent   201760   14.12%    (222 Seats -57)
Conservative   192415   13.47%    (104 Seats -69)
Liberal Democrat   120713    8.45%    (72 Seats -94)
Non Party Independent    47959    3.35%    (56 Seats +7)
Green    14494    1.01%
Ratepayers     9379    0.65%    (1 Seat -3)
Llais Gwynedd     7326    0.51%    (13 Seats +1)
Llanwit First Independents     6488    0.45%    (4 Seats +1)
Swansea Independents     4591    0.32%    (3 Seats -5)
Heath and Birchgrove Independents     3539    0.24%    (1 Seat)
None of the Above Parties     3012    0.21%    (2 Seats +2)
United Kingdom Independence Party     2552    0.17%    (2 Seats +2)
People Before Politics     2226    0.15%    (1 Seat)
Merthyr Independents     2212    0.15%    (2 Seats -4)
Social Democratic Party     2156    0.15%    (1 Seat -2)
Independent Ratepayers     2084    0.14%    (1 Seat +1)
James Michael Brinning, Ind Lab     1992    0.13%
Trade Unionists and Socialists     1476    0.10%
Llandaff North Independents     1114    0.07%
Communist      813    0.05%
Christian People's Alliance      745    0.05%
Socialist Labour Party      678    0.04%
British National Party      261    0.01%
Independent Plaid Cymru      214    0.01%    (1 Seat)
National Front      138    0.00%

[YL]

The one city to vote Yes to a mayor in May, Bristol, is having its election on 15 November together with the Police Commissioner elections.  The list of candidates is out, and Bristolians have no shortage of choice:

Tom Baldwin - TUSC
Tony Britt - Independent
Tim Collins - Independent
Dave Dobbs - The Birthday Party
George Ferguson - Bristol 1st
Rich Fisher - Independent
Stoney Garnett - Independent
Owain George - Independent
Geoff Gollop - Conservative
Neil Maggs - Respect
Spud Murphy - Independent
Philip Pover - Independent
Daniella Radice - Green
Marvin Rees - Labour
Jon Rogers - Lib Dem

That's 15 candidates, of whom more than two are serious; SV was not designed for this.

I found a brief summary of all of the candidates at http://bristolculture.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/15-bristol-mayor-candidates/

[minionofmidas]

Three serious candidates would still be soluble if voters understand the situation and behave "logically" - ie not vote for any hopeless candidate. Four potentially serious candidates, and SV is up the creek with no paddle in sight.

[minionofmidas]

Also, I assume this is the only true Spud Murphy standing, as the original Spud Murphy is dead.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I don't think SV was really designed for anything; Dale Campbell Savours literally wrote it on the back of an envelope if I recall rightly.

[Andrew1]

Also, I assume this is the only true Spud Murphy standing, as the original Spud Murphy is dead.

Bristol's Spud Murphy was a Tory cllr. for Avonmouth before losing his seat on the drawing of lots to Labour ex-MP Doug Naysmith.

Tim Collins is a former Avon County Cllr., first for Labour, then he defected to Conservative.

George Ferguson is a former Liberal councillor who stood for Bristol West twice for the Liberals.


Agreed, the SV system is ridiculous for a 15 candidate election. The Torbay mayoral election was similarly a farce. You just have to take a lucky guess as to who will be in the top 2!

[minionofmidas]

Agreed, the SV system is ridiculous for a 15 candidate election. The Torbay mayoral election was similarly a farce. You just have to take a lucky guess as to who will be in the top 2!

You get two guesses; you need to be right with at least one of them.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Donny.

[minionofmidas]

Donny.

Does anybody have a breakdown of the 25k wasted votes in that - how many actually  went to eliminated major candidates, how many were blanks?

[YL]

I don't think SV was really designed for anything; Dale Campbell Savours literally wrote it on the back of an envelope if I recall rightly.

According to Wikipedia he described it in an article he wrote for the New Statesman in 1989, and it was recommended by a Labour commission in 1993 for parliamentary elections.  It doesn't say what they thought its advantages were.

Speaking of Labour ex-MPs, is the Green candidate for Bristol mayor any relation to Giles Radice?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

... and has a Wikipedia page.

[YL]

Doktorb in another place posted an interesting election leaflet from Dave Dobbs, the Birthday Party candidate for Bristol mayor.

[You kip if you want to...]

Doktorb in another place posted an interesting election leaflet from Dave Dobbs, the Birthday Party candidate for Bristol mayor.

Just had a quick scan and that wouldn't be too out of place for a Tea Party candidate.

[YL]

Bump for Bristol mayoral election today.  Some reports (and a very strange poll which appeared) suggest that Labour are most likely to win, followed by George Ferguson.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/nov/14/bristol-mayor-election-george-ferguson

[YL]

Some reports suggest Ferguson may have won.

[Andrew1]

Bristol Mayor 1st prefs:

George Ferguson (Ind) 35.1%
Lab 29.0%
Con 9.1%
LD 7.0%
Grn 5.9%
Ind 2.7%
Ind 2.1%
Respect 1.8%
Ind 1.6%
TUSC 1.6%
Ind 1.2%
Ind 1.1%
Ind 0.9%
Ind 0.6%
BP 0.5%

[Andrew1]

Returning officer just clarified the total for Ferguson, apparently misheard due to his "Liverpool accent". I think the figures are correct now.

[YL]

In the second round, Ferguson went from 31,321 to 37,353, and Rees went from 25,896 to 31,259.

So this guy is Mayor of Bristol.

Elsewhere, Hartlepool voted to abolish the mayoral system, so it's farewell to the Monkey.

[MaxQue]

In the second round, Ferguson went from 31,321 to 37,353, and Rees went from 25,896 to 31,259.

So this guy is Mayor of Bristol.

Elsewhere, Hartlepool voted to abolish the mayoral system, so it's farewell to the Monkey.

For once, that independant doesn't seems to be a nut, nor an extremist. He actually seems decent.