Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

[British] Tories get best result since 1992 [in local elections]
BBC ^ | 5 May 2006 | BBC

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.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: britain; conservativeparty; councilelections; labourparty; liberaldemocrats; localelections; ukip
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last
Is anybody else here interested in the British council elections tonight? Huge gains for the Tories and losses for Labour. (Ealing!!) Any British FReepers up early this AM?
1 posted on 05/04/2006 9:03:15 PM PDT by Heatseeker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Heatseeker

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.


2 posted on 05/04/2006 9:06:06 PM PDT by wardaddy (I am buying Shelby Steele's new book: White Guilt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wardaddy

Tories are meh with David Cameron at the helm as far as I can see, he has pushed away from Thatcher legacy.


3 posted on 05/04/2006 9:09:52 PM PDT by Pikamax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: wardaddy
On the Westminister (national) level, no, not that I see (I'm just a Yank who's long followed British politics) now that David Cameron is Tory leader - he seems a sort of new sort of red tory - perhaps an "orange tory" would be a better description, since he seems to lead more towards the LibDems.

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.

4 posted on 05/04/2006 9:11:35 PM PDT by Heatseeker (Never underestimate the left's tendency to underestimate us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Heatseeker

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.


5 posted on 05/04/2006 9:19:54 PM PDT by gary_b_UK
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heatseeker

How did they manage this? Did they come out against the war?


6 posted on 05/04/2006 9:20:44 PM PDT by Cinnamon Girl (OMGIIHIHOIIC ping list)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cinnamon Girl
To be honest I don't know what David Cameron's position on the Iraq war is. Perhaps a British FReeper can advise. Conservatives in the US must view this now-almost-certain twilight of Tony Blair's leadership with some concern given his steadfast support for the WOT. That said, New Labour is still Labour and I'm hoping that the Tory backbenchers and grassroots will push Cameron to the right.
7 posted on 05/04/2006 9:35:54 PM PDT by Heatseeker (Never underestimate the left's tendency to underestimate us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: gary_b_UK
Apparently Labour's worst result in local elections since 1968. I too am glad the LibDems were not the beneficiaries.
8 posted on 05/04/2006 9:38:40 PM PDT by Heatseeker (Never underestimate the left's tendency to underestimate us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Heatseeker
Cameron chosen as new Tory leader

also, David Cameron has been described, in policy terms at least, as a blank canvas.

9 posted on 05/04/2006 9:49:05 PM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pikamax
Yes, but at least he looks good on television.

And really, isn't that what really counts when we're speaking of statesmen?

10 posted on 05/04/2006 9:55:07 PM PDT by Do not dub me shapka broham ("The moment that someone wants to forbid caricatures, that is the moment we publish them.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Heatseeker
(Ealing!!)

Is Ealing where the brothels are? I think Marvin Gaye had a song about it....

11 posted on 05/04/2006 10:04:39 PM PDT by Diddle E. Squat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cinnamon Girl

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]."


12 posted on 05/04/2006 10:05:40 PM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Diddle E. Squat; gary_b_UK

LOL. Like gary_b_UK says, Ealing is where their local-election results predict the outcome of the next general election.


13 posted on 05/04/2006 10:08:10 PM PDT by Heatseeker (Never underestimate the left's tendency to underestimate us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Do not dub me shapka broham
Ironically, Cameron made #92 in this list of the world's 100 sexiest men.
14 posted on 05/04/2006 10:08:53 PM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: MadIvan

ping


15 posted on 05/04/2006 10:16:57 PM PDT by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nutmeg

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


16 posted on 05/04/2006 10:29:19 PM PDT by MadIvan (I aim to misbehave.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: sageb1
I don't see my name.

That's it!

I'm demanding a recount.

:-))

17 posted on 05/04/2006 10:37:05 PM PDT by Do not dub me shapka broham ("The moment that someone wants to forbid caricatures, that is the moment we publish them.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: wardaddy

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.


18 posted on 05/04/2006 10:45:31 PM PDT by Torie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Heatseeker

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.


19 posted on 05/04/2006 10:55:52 PM PDT by John Geyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Heatseeker

AWESOME!...the lion awakeness in Britian as it did before us in WWII.


20 posted on 05/05/2006 12:32:17 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson