So Not Too Good For Labour But Are Local Elections Really Indicitive Of A General Election?

[youngmafbog]

And is it not possible that Tory voters may get complacent and not turn up to vote or labour voters are stirred to get to the polling booth?

I think only one thing can be sure. UKIP are finished. Two Martini's for Mickey tonight!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39810488

[DTCwordfan]

There must be water in Mikey's cornflakes this morning, the milk well diluted. However, he can take heart and an extra piece of toast that his vote counted in Swansea.

[ummmm]

I think the results will make Tory supporters more determined to vote.

[murraymints]

my vote for General election will not be the same as local...so don't think today's results are truly indicitive of a national result..in Scotland anyway

[mikey4444]

YMB...yes, you are right....no sign of UKIP at all ! But not too bad here in Wales. Nothing like as bad as it was being forecast to be. My local Council is still overwhelmingly Labour, and its looking good for Cardiff as well.

Some strange results though....increase in Independent Labour....well, at least its not the Tories.

[youngmafbog]

Yes, now that could be interesting. Are we seeing the seedlings of the next Social Democratic Party like last time Labour went off a bit and Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams started it ?

[mikey4444]

Maybe ymb, maybe !

[mushroom25]

since the election was announced, the tories have been harping on about "strong and stable", mantra-like; whereas labour have been floating tangible ideas - sensible or otherwise. today's results could well provide labour with some intelligence as to what needs to be in their manifesto, which doesn't get decided until the clause 5 meeting next week.

[mikey4444]

Mush....alas, I think it won't really matter what Labour has in its manifesto, as people will still vote Tory anyway. Someone sent me this on Facebook last night :::

https://www.facebook.com/645290335533007/photos/a.645305238864850.1073741828.645290335533007/1454298877965478/?type=3&theater

[ToraToraTora]

I think they are an indication when this close to a GE YMB. Tezza can be confident with big swings to the Tories in Wales and Scotland, added to the recapture of UKIP votes and the non opposition, I think mikey's EC site may be close to the mark:
http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/homepage.html

[ToraToraTora]

mikey what is in the facebook link? can't access it at work.

[mikey4444]

TTT....when I quoted EC in the run up to the 2015 Election, I was roundly condemned, by many people, including you. But now you seem to put some faith in its ability to foretell the future.

Make your mind up, why don't you !

[mushroom25]

TTT, it would appear to be "scare-propaganda" from a group calling itself Anniversary of the Miner's Strike.

[mikey4444]

Mush....but its true though, isn't it ?

The Tories are going to abandon the pension triple lock, a policy that THEY brought in, and a very popular policy it has become !

Social care budgets are being slashed, causing huge problems for our NHS, and the Tories have, and will continue to offer tax breaks for wealthy people and companies.

Its the Tory way.

[mushroom25]

//but its true though, isn't it ? //

I don't know. it's pretty strong stuff and if the PM had actually said that, there would rightly be uproar; but there isn't. the electorate aren't as stupid as some parties make out, so perhaps that facebook post is a teensy-weensy bit exaggerated?

[mikey4444]

Mush....we will have to wait for the Tory manifesto then, won't we ?. Every indication so far shows that they won't proceed with the triple lock.

If that is the case, they may be the first party in our history, that won by making pensioners poorer !

[mushroom25]

if that's what they do - but the difference between triple and double lock is a few pence.

[mushroom25]

in this area, the 6 seats available all went to the conservatives; but in every case labour were a strong second and in all but one, the difference was a few tens of votes. the parliamentary constituency has been alternately red and blue for many years. this is the sort of battle ground the parties need to be targeting, not those constituencies where a goat with the right rosette wins every time.

[youngmafbog]

I think the main parties are doing that though.

[mushroom25]

// I think the main parties are doing that though. //

not here they're not. in the last 6 weeks I've seen only one campaign leaflet on the doormat, and no doorsteppers or the usual lamp-post posters. speaking at staged events where the specially invited loyalists hang on their every word and cheer on cue might give today's politicos a warm fuzzy feeling, but it's doing nothing to convince me.

[Togo]

3t It was sent by someone calling themselves "Coal not Dole" to mikey, and was a tribute to darling buddy May. Next up could be someone calling themselves "Relight the Gas Lamps" or even "Riveters and Chain Makers Link". Only about 40 years out of time. Haha. Splice the mainbrace and run out the cannons.