Posted on 05/04/2006 9:03:10 PM PDT by Heatseeker
The Conservatives look to be on course for their best local election performance since they last won national power in 1992.
On the projected share of the votes if the local polls were held nationwide, the Tories are on 40%, ahead of the Lib Dems' 27% and Labour's 26%.
As well as net gains of more than 200 seats, the Tories have won control of councils like Crawley and Merton.
But opponents say they have failed to breakthrough in northern cities.
Ealing gain
There have been Tory wins in areas such as Shrewsbury & Atcham, Bassetlaw and Mole Valley.
The party's win in Crawley stripped Labour of control of the town for the first time since the early 1970s.
And the Tories picked up Ealing from Labour in what is seen as a "bellweather seat" for general election prospects.
Conservative chairman Francis Maude told BBC News 24: "None of us are... saying we are about to storm into Downing Street.
"This is a good start...it looks like where we are is at the top end of people's expectations."
But in St Albans, Hertfordshire, the Tories lost a seat to the Liberal Democrats on the length of a pencil.
After three recounts in Wheathampstead ward each had 1,132 votes, and the seat was won by the party that picked the longest pencil.
The Tories also lost Gosport to no overall control, with the Lib Dems making gains.
Among the councils the party has so far held are Tamworth in Staffordshire - where they gained five seats from Labour - and Brentwood in Essex, where they gained six seats from Liberal Democrats.
It is the first electoral test for Conservative leader David Cameron since he became leader last December.
But Lib Dem frontbencher Ed Davey said the Tories had failed to make inroads in cities such as Manchester and Liverpool.
Are the Tories that much different from Blair right now. I know they were in Maggies day but now....can anyone explain.
Blair has taken a lot of shite for us.
Tories are meh with David Cameron at the helm as far as I can see, he has pushed away from Thatcher legacy.
Sadly, no one seems to be forcefully addressing the failing of multiculturalism and immigration and related issues; this has in turn led many frustrated voters to turn to the racist BNP.
Excellent results for the Conservatives, especially in London. They say that whichever party wins Ealing in the local elections will win the next general election. Here's hoping.
Also very glad that the Lib Dems have made hardly any progress, and may actually end up with a net loss of seats.
How did they manage this? Did they come out against the war?
also, David Cameron has been described, in policy terms at least, as a blank canvas.
And really, isn't that what really counts when we're speaking of statesmen?
Is Ealing where the brothels are? I think Marvin Gaye had a song about it....
According to wiki, "He voted in favour of the Iraq war in common with his party[22] and has described Israel as "a lone democracy in a region that currently boasts no others." [23]."
LOL. Like gary_b_UK says, Ealing is where their local-election results predict the outcome of the next general election.
ping
I'm happy with this, particularly with the result of my old stomping ground, Hammersmith & Fulham - the council there has been Labour since before I was born. Finally, the bastards have been thrown out.
Regards, Ivan
That's it!
I'm demanding a recount.
:-))
There is really no difference at all, and in some ways, Cameron is moving to the left of Blair, suggested he is tight fisted, and soft on the environment. The fact of the matter, is that there is not much political disagreement between Labor and the Tories at the moment on the big issues, and it is a personality game. On that score, the charming, artiulate youthful, aristocratic Cameron, is just what the doctor ordered. He is really gaining traction.
If neither party takes a firm stance against Islam and immigration, the BNP will keep gaining votes, and possibly the brown shirts may form, enacting a kinda vigilante justice.
AWESOME!...the lion awakeness in Britian as it did before us in WWII.
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