Mikeuk

The EDs may have trounced uKIP but their share of the vote is nothing to crow about.

I suspect their 'take' on the fire station closure may have been better than UKIP's

cassie

Heavens this is so petty! Those candidates with double digit shares of the turnout must chortle like mad over what they will see as the niggling of those with single digit support!

Given that most of us (if not all) are vehemently anti-EU, the pity is that neither anti-EU candidate got 10% or more of the vote! The difference between the EDP candidate and UKIP's is 1.9%. The difference between the EDP candidate and Labour's (who came third) is 7.0%! Doesn't this set things in perspective?

Regardless of actual position, when EDP and UKIP candidates start getting upwards of 20% between them, the other parties will become very nervous! Now, what's to worry about with a total anti-EU vote of 5.3%?

Surely there are better targets for our spleen!


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blueblood1920

Very well said, would of been interesting to see how the BNP would of fared here. May of seen even lower results for UKIP and EDP.

cassie

Thank you!

I say full marks to both the EDP and UKIP candidates for sticking their heads above the parapet and giving voters a choice.

Yes, the impact of the BNP there would have been interesting!


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Mikeuk

...would have fared here

May have seen even lower results...

rjt

Yes I agree with the first bit, you have got to be in it to win it.

As for the BNP I would have noted there performance with intrest, they are entitled to there views but frankly how nayone can vote for that sort of filth is beyond me.

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(Margaret Thatcher 30 Oct 1990)

Ignore List: The Prophets of ST Al the Unelectable.

Richard the Lionheart

I know some of the EDP Portsmouth lads and they're a good hardworking bunch. I'd be interested to see what their leaflet was like. I would guess no matter what was put out, it just wasnt going to be their night. It seems the LD candidate was holding all the aces with regard to the local issue.

Mikeuk

According to the TV local news, the by-election was won by 'The Copnor Road Fire Station'.

I did hear that the winner couldn't make the count. Now we know the reason.

Obviously the strong, silent type. Can't see it making many appearances in the council chamber, either.

Aardvark

The thing is that picking up on a local campaign issue will help win votes. Not understanding it will lose them.

A few years ago I was re-elected to my Town Council above 2 Tories and a known Labour supporter because I campaigned to keep a footpath open (lost the seat last year after 8 years).

In 2006 I got 40% of the vote as an Independent (only 2 candidates so I lost). I lived in the district council ward and knew one of the key issues inside out. It got me an extra 50-100 votes in all probability. The Tory leadership rather cynically dealt with the problem (a blocked drainage ditch full of shopping trolleys and rats) just before the election. Last year my vote was pushed below 20% by similar cynical tactics.

Carping or crowing about local election results is usually pointless. Most seats can change hand on local issues, but don't. Small parties can be elected against national swings if the individual is popular locally. Locally an Independent took a District seat from the Tories by only 7 votes having campaigned to block a town centre Asda. The Greens took their first seat on Witney Town Council by sheer hard work and having a well known campaigning candidate not because there was a swing to the Greens.

Chances are the EDs could have won the seat if they had got to the LibDem candidate first. A lot of people at local level are induced to be candidates by promises of support or, oddly, promises that they will be a paper candidate and won't get elected. The BNP must be regretting the calibre of some of their councillors in Dagenham; they clearly didn't expect to win. Sometimes elected members don't even know their party's policies and are interested only in parochial issues.

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When in Woking do as the Wokes do.

"I do not wish to form my opinions by thoughtlessly quoting others; I wish others to support their opinions by sensibly quoting me." Paul Wesson (Aardvark) 13th April 2008

Mikeuk

And after all that fuss...the County Council have decided to close the Fire Station.

Apparently 2 Portsmouth councillors turned traitor and voted to close. At least we can be sure they weren't UKIP