2024 Local, Mayoral and PCC Elections

[Peter Mugridge]

I really don't understand why more people don't sign up to postal voting?

There is no way I would trust the Royal Mail to deliver a postal vote on time, to the right location or even at all.

It will always be the trudge to the polling station for me.

 

[Busaholic]

There is no way I would trust teh Royal Mail to deliver a postal vote on time, to teh right location or even at all.

It will always be the trudge to the polling station for me.

Hear hear!

 

[birchesgreen]

There is no way I would trust teh Royal Mail to deliver a postal vote on time, to teh right location or even at all.

It will always be the trudge to the polling station for me.

My mum's postal vote for the mayoral vote didn't turn up indeed.

 

[Enthusiast]

I also vote by post, but the big problem is that it makes you vote too early and if you’re likely to change your mind because of events and canvassing then it’s not good. Probably like you, I already know how I’ll vote (Labour, as in tactical vote against Conservatives) in the next general election but not everyone thinks the same way.

Quite frankly, if you're likely to change your mind within a couple of weeks of a General Election (or any other election for that matter) because a chancer knocks at your door and promises you the Earth in return for your vote, you really ought to think whether you should be voting at all. Nobody should cast their vote based on what politicians tell them during election campaigns. In fact it might be a good idea to consider prohibiting campaigning entirely once an election has been called. Simply make manifestos available and leave it at that.

To be fair, I’m not opposed to PR per se. Of course, you make an excellent point regarding the maturity that would be needed from politicians, and that is in very short supply in our system. To be fair to both parties, at least the 2010 coalition did last a full term.
The whole UK system is designed to be adversarial, down to the layout of the House of Commons. I highly doubt that anyone looks on with pleasure at the behaviour of both sides in the chamber. Altering the voting system would require a complete cultural change within our political system - that may be the most difficult challenge.

It would also require a cultural change among some voters. There is an awful habit among some to denigrate the party they'd least like to see in power (e.g. "The Looney Left" and "Tory Scum").

 

[takno]

There is no way I would trust teh Royal Mail to deliver a postal vote on time, to teh right location or even at all.

It will always be the trudge to the polling station for me.

It took them a month to deliver my credit card statement the other month. I woudn't mind but my insurance had renewed on it, and the interest from the ensuing mess cost 40 quid. No way I'm chancing my vote on those jokers.

 

[317 forever]

At Oddschecker these are the decimal odds for the month of the next election. Small values mean you win less money if you win.

May       201
June       21
July        8.5
August     51
September  19
October     5
November    2
December    8
January    18.6

The favourite is November, with even odds, so if you bet £10 you would get your £10 stake back and win £10.

They seem to think that December is slightly more likely than July.

 

[gg1]

It would also require a cultural change among some voters. There is an awful habit among some to denigrate the party they'd least like to see in power (e.g. "The Looney Left" and "Tory Scum").

A pre-requisite for that is the media to lead by example. Considering "loony left" (to take one example) was a term coined by the likes of The Sun back in the 80s I see no realistic hope of that ever happening.

 

[geoffk]

To be fair, I’m not opposed to PR per se. Of course, you make an excellent point regarding the maturity that would be needed from politicians, and that is in very short supply in our system. To be fair to both parties, at least the 2010 coalition did last a full term.
The whole UK system is designed to be adversarial, down to the layout of the House of Commons. I highly doubt that anyone looks on with pleasure at the behaviour of both sides in the chamber. Altering the voting system would require a complete cultural change within our political system - that may be the most difficult challenge.

We need a new debating chamber with members arranged in a horsehoe shape, as we see in other Parliaments and Assemblies. A nominated seat for each MP would enable electronic voting, getting rid of the time-consuming 19th century tradition of trooping through lobbies, where MPs can be bullied or even physically manhandled. This would reduce the power of the Whips, which I guess would not go down well in some quarters.

 

[Gloster]

The great problem is that, however demonstrably good other systems of voting and running the House of Commons are, you have got to persuade a majority of MPs that the system that elected them and that they use is not the best. If you can do that, then you might get some change.

 

[Bantamzen]

Quite frankly, if you're likely to change your mind within a couple of weeks of a General Election (or any other election for that matter) because a chancer knocks at your door and promises you the Earth in return for your vote, you really ought to think whether you should be voting at all. Nobody should cast their vote based on what politicians tell them during election campaigns. In fact it might be a good idea to consider prohibiting campaigning entirely once an election has been called. Simply make manifestos available and leave it at that.

That actually depends on the candidates. Once upon a time they would hit the streets with their team going doo to door, so those that wanted to could look them in the eye and ask them about the issues that most concerned them. It was always a good litmus test, and I think made it just that bit harder for candidates to getting away with bull-crap. These days however we're lucky that we see any candidates (at least in my area), instead having only the manifestos and campaign leaflets that are often little more than fluff and the aforementioned bull-crap. Chuck in the echo chambers of social media and candidates can say pretty much anything they like, knowing that the goldfish memory of the internet will be kind to them....

(Tracy Brabin, I'm looking at you and your spades in the ground in four years...)

It would also require a cultural change among some voters. There is an awful habit among some to denigrate the party they'd least like to see in power (e.g. "The Looney Left" and "Tory Scum").

This I agree with, but in this world of echo chambers and binary thinking there is sadly little chance of that.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Zoë Garbett will be joining the London Assembly today, after Siân Berry stepped aside for the councillor in Hackney and recent Mayoral candidate.

Zoë, who previously worked in the National Health Service (NHS), will join colleagues Zack Polanski AM and Caroline Russell AM for the new Assembly term.

Following the announcement, Zoë said:

“I am excited to join the Assembly and get to work for Londoners. There is so much to do improve the quality of our lives in London, stand up for people on the margins and hold the Mayor to account.”

Siân Berry, who previously served on the Assembly from 2016, remarked:

“Zoe has shown how much of a difference she will make in City Hall, listening to Londoners and bringing their voices into the political debate. That’s why she needs to be in this job as soon as possible. She is already brilliant councillor and will be a brilliant Assembly Member for Londoners.”

Siân Berry steps aside, welcomes Zoë Garbett to London Assembly Green Group

Zoë Garbett will be joining the London Assembly today, after Siân Berry stepped aside for the councillor in Hackney and recent Mayoral candidate.

www.london.gov.uk

Looks like Berry wants to focus on campaigning in Brighton and work with constituents.

 

[Thirteen]

There's a bit of hoo ha about Sian Berry stepping down from the London Assembly to let Zoe Garbett come in. Sian Berry is going to the candidate for the Greens for Brighton Pavilion as Caroline Lucas is stepping down but I find it strange she didn't step down before the election.

 

[deltic]

There's a bit of hoo ha about Sian Berry stepping down from the London Assembly to let Zoe Garbett come in. Sian Berry is going to the candidate for the Greens for Brighton Pavilion as Caroline Lucas is stepping down but I find it strange she didn't step down before the election.

Agreed - its all a bit odd. Given she was on the regional list that probably very few people ever look at and her name recognition for most voters would be none existent it all seems a bit pointless unless its a way of generating a bit of extra publicity. For a party that did well in London and in quite a few other places they don't get the media coverage they should. Although I'm intrigued how many of their councillors who stood on a pro-Gaza platform are fully committed to some of the Green's progressive views on Trans rights for example.

 

[takno]

There's a bit of hoo ha about Sian Berry stepping down from the London Assembly to let Zoe Garbett come in. Sian Berry is going to the candidate for the Greens for Brighton Pavilion as Caroline Lucas is stepping down but I find it strange she didn't step down before the election.

It may be finally dawning on her that a huge proportion of the Green vote in Brighton was actually a personal vote for Caroline Lucas. Sian Berry has never had a fraction of the presence or general air of competence that Lucas has, so it's not really an option to breeze in and expect to just hold it.

Whilst I tend to agree though that she probably didn't command much enthusiasm on the London poll either, I'm not sure about the rules in London. Do the parties have to declare their picks for the list members in advance, or the ordering? In Scotland I'm not aware of the lists being published in advance, and in fact many of the list members are people who also stood in consituencies, so it couldn't be known in advance who would or wouldn't be available.

 

[deltic]

Whilst I tend to agree though that she probably didn't command much enthusiasm on the London poll either, I'm not sure about the rules in London. Do the parties have to declare their picks for the list members in advance, or the ordering? In Scotland I'm not aware of the lists being published in advance, and in fact many of the list members are people who also stood in consituencies, so it couldn't be known in advance who would or wouldn't be available.

Party lists are published and included in the mailing that goes out to voters

 

[takno]

Party lists are published and included in the mailing that goes out to voters

Oh, I seem to remember the booklet from last time now. Admirably comprehensive including a page for every single nutcase contesting the mayoral race, and much more than I've ever seen for any other elections.

Honestly I think they missed a trick by not selling sticker packs in all good newsagents - hours of fun for the capital's remaining children, and with stickers distributed in proportion to expected vote share there would be just one or two children "lucky" enough to get a Laurence Fox.

 

[Thirteen]

It may be finally dawning on her that a huge proportion of the Green vote in Brighton was actually a personal vote for Caroline Lucas. Sian Berry has never had a fraction of the presence or general air of competence that Lucas has, so it's not really an option to breeze in and expect to just hold it.

Whilst I tend to agree though that she probably didn't command much enthusiasm on the London poll either, I'm not sure about the rules in London. Do the parties have to declare their picks for the list members in advance, or the ordering? In Scotland I'm not aware of the lists being published in advance, and in fact many of the list members are people who also stood in consituencies, so it couldn't be known in advance who would or wouldn't be available.

TBH she wouldn't be the first GLA member to abandon it to become an MP, Kemi Badenoch only did 2 years as an Assembly member and then contested the Saffron Walden seat and won.

Retaining the seat while not difficult could come down to the wire.

 

[Pete_uk]

Stroud District Council now has 22 Greens and 20 Labour councillors.

 

[Enthusiast]

Stroud District Council now has 22 Greens and 20 Labour councillors.

That's awfully bad luck. Poor things!

 

[TheGuy77]

The Tories are doing so badly that even the Lib Dems have more councillors than them.

 

[Gloster]

The Tories are doing so badly that even the Lib Dems have more councillors than them.

I am not so sure. Wikipedia gives 5605 Conservative to 3082 Liberal Democrats, but this is dated 2 May. Presuming it doesn’t include changes from last Thursday’s election, I make it (adding the BBC‘s change figures) 5131 to 3286. But I may have missed something.

 

[jfollows]

I am not so sure. Wikipedia gives 5605 Conservative to 3082 Liberal Democrats, but this is dated 2 May. Presuming it doesn’t include changes from last Thursday’s election, I make it (adding the BBC‘s change figures) 5131 to 3286. But I may have missed something.

Indeed; it’s 522 LibDem (+104) versus 515 Conservative (-474) in the 107 councils contested last week only (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c1rx59zvy3pt).

 

[Gloster]

Indeed; it’s 522 LibDem (+104) versus 515 Conservative (-474) in the 107 councils contested last week only (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c1rx59zvy3pt).

Is that all the seats in those councils or just the change in status of the seats contested? I think that in some councils only a third were up for (re-)election.

 

[JamesT]

Is that all the seats in those councils or just the change in status of the seats contested? I think that in some councils only a third were up for (re-)election.

Just those contested. Which was around 2,600 of the 19,000 councillors across all the different councils in England.

 

[THC]

Is that all the seats in those councils or just the change in status of the seats contested? I think that in some councils only a third were up for (re-)election.

Many two-tier district councils in particular retain elections by thirds, despite the best efforts of officers to persuade members otherwise! The politicians love being in campaign mode but it is a nightmare for strategic planning, not least as in close-fought areas there can be almost annual changes of control.

THC

 

[DynamicSpirit]

There's a bit of hoo ha about Sian Berry stepping down from the London Assembly to let Zoe Garbett come in. Sian Berry is going to the candidate for the Greens for Brighton Pavilion as Caroline Lucas is stepping down but I find it strange she didn't step down before the election.

What exactly happened there?

 

[Snow1964]

What exactly happened there?

A London Assembly member is stepping down, and is a parliamentary candidate in Brighton.

The bit about stepping down before election is a bit of red herring as there were no London Assembly or council elections in London, although a mayoral contest did happen

 

[simonw]

A London Assembly member is stepping down, and is a parliamentary candidate in Brighton.

The bit about stepping down before election is a bit of red herring as there were no London Assembly or council elections in London, although a mayoral contest did happen

There were London Assembly elections

As seen here

Results 2024 | London Elects

www.londonelects.org.uk

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Ah thanks, found the story now. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/pol...london-assembly-member-brighton-b1156055.html

The Green Party’s former co-leader Sian Berry has resigned from her role on the London Assembly, just three days after winning re-election.

Her departure from City Hall means that the party’s mayoral candidate, Zoe Garbett, will take her place, without the need for a by-election.
Ms Berry is running to replace Caroline Lucas as Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, though she had previously told the Standard that she would “keep representing the people of London” until the general election - and would only resign if she successfully became an MP.

 

[DC1989]

It will be interesting to see how the greens develop after taking Labour's momentum gang and some of the 'gaza' candidates. The video of that one old school green next to guys shouting god is great is amazing.