Congratulations to Councillor Steve Bradley (above), the new Liberal Democrat Councillor for Vassall ward in Lambeth, which is now a split ward with Labour.
LD (Steve Bradley) - 1,209 (50.4%, +14.9)
Lab - 859 (35.8%, -8.4)
Con - 206 (8.6%, -2.8)
Grn - 109 (4.5%)
This rounds off a truly horrible week for the Labour Leader of Lambeth Council Steve Reed, who also narrowly lost the battle for Labour candidate selection to the Streatham Parliamentary seat (on second preferences) to a "left-wing" activist, whose main previous contribution to public life was as a leading cheerleader for hate-campaigner Miranda Grell.
Labour made large gains against the Liberal Democrats to take control in Lambeth in the 2006 local elections after pouring in resources from London Region to create one good headline on an otherwise bad night for the party. The Vassall swing would tend to suggest that such a result could be reversed in 2010, and if replicated in the Greater London Assembly election in May would see Val Shawcross lose to Caroline Pidgeon (centre above).
3 comments:
Brilliant news, congratulations. Good luck in May
I dont think this result is indicative of anything - the labour vote dropped, the liberal vote remained steady.
This is by some measures the poorest ward in Lambeth so many many people are disenfranchised and not inclined to vote (and especially after a long day at work at the start of a bank holiday period when they face going out into the rain to vote)
And dont forget that this election was 'unnecessary' because the voters elected three Labour councillors in 2006 - only the sad death of Liz Atkinson meant that a byelection was necessary.
Other factors at work:
Recent necessary decisions such as the move towards adopting an ALMO to achive the £100million+ funding for social housing in the borough have been met by suspicion by the 50%+ of people in the ward in social housing.
The election also came the week after council tax bills and rent rises came through (both of which are higher than general inflation headline figures (5% and 7% increases respectively)) but over the elctoral cycle the bills will come down.
But hats off to the Liberal Democrats for running a successful campaign - it is always easier to raise the questions and criticisms, never so easy to defend the actions of a council.
Now that the election is over I'm sure that Steve Bradley will be working hard for the interests of all the ward population. I met him on the doorstep and he struck me as an able, likeable kind of person that will share the concerns of local residents to advance Vassall.
Electorally though I think it will make everyone in Lambeth redouble our efforts to stop the pigeon and ensure that much respected GLA member Valerie Shawcross is re-elected in may.
Sophie
(labour Party member in the area)
'The election also came the week after council tax bills and rent rises came through (both of which are higher than general inflation headline figures (5% and 7% increases respectively)) but over the elctoral cycle the bills will come down.'
A startling admission.
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