[Youngian]

The Tories at least had professional rigour and experience in their ranks. Reform running a major city is a grim prospect.

[Boiler]

It is, and you'd hope that them doing so and the electorate at large watching them fuck up big time would be a warning: but sadly, a large chunk of the electorate are taken in by the FFC and his rich mates and will say it's someone else's fault, just like how they say the reasons their lives are shit is not because they made poor life decisions in their past.

[davidjay]

Having thought I’d left frantic polling day activity behind me, I’ve been persuaded to have our abode used as the Campaign Centre for two wards (my own ward and its neighbour) here in south Brum.

Things haven’t really got started yet, but the house feels a bit like the condemned cell. Before the whirlwind.

Ahh well. C’est la guerre. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger and all that bollocks.

Wish us luck. We’re going to need it.

Good luck. I feel bad about not helping but I can't in all conscience go out and defend this council.

[mattomac]

My hope is that some places remain Labour.

Plymouth is a comedy in that it elects thirds and will remain with a Labour council before it changes next year into a unitary authority.

I did note in some of the voxpops though more of a supportive view of the council from some so maybe it won't be a complete disaster for Labour, probably helps that Tories were removed only a few years back and Labour have been doing things (Though that seems lost nationally).

Plaid hopefully will repel Reform (I'm not a fan but its that or Reform and frankly Reform will be a minority government anyhow as the Tories look completely wiped). I would expect Plaid to govern as a minority with support from Lab and the Greens.

SNP will take Scotland again, I don't think Sarwar's outburst helped him in anyway, the time if any to call for Starmer was post election and blame it on WM.

My area is just about Labour but has a sizeable LD opposition and I expect that they will become the council, Tories are on 7 and they will be squeezed and maybe these independent parties make a dent. Reform will no doubt take areas in Tolworth and Old Malden but probably won't make a massive impact in places like Kingston, New Malden and so on.

My hope nationally for Labour is it can hold on in places and the Greens don't hit it too much in London.

[mattomac]

I didn't get chance to vote this time anyhow, in fact party politics has turned me off in recent months, Populism from the left and right even from the centre is fundamentally damaging.

My mums not been well and the GP sort of gave her the last rights only for a blood test to show her condition was related to calcium and blood levels so she ended up in hospital (And I ended up staying in Cornwall, work have been excellent), she isn't anywhere near as good as she was 6 months ago but she is eating and at least back to being able to have a conversation with. For some reason very little matters outside of that in the context as Labour will still be in power and their local authority is Independent/Lib Dem and isn't voting.

Also with the global situation whether Starmer was told something or not which has dominated this period is not that important. As for any leadership context, there isn't currently anyone better not for the international stage, and I would be concerned that we would turn away from closer ties with Europe under at least one of the names.

[Boiler]

Spot on. And I hope your mother continues to improve.

[The Weeping Angel]

I voted for my councillor and friend.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I hope your mum continues to improve, Matt.

[Samanfur]

Likewise, Matt.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Likewise from me too.

[Tubby Isaacs]

We're fortunate enough to have got our council elections done in 2023, so we don't have any Reform councillors. Even Shropshire and Gloucestershire next door, which elected the Lib Dems last year, have 16 and 11 Reform respectively. The less said about Worcestershire the better.

[The Weeping Angel]

I hope your mom's health improves Matt.

[mattomac]

Thanks for the well wishes

[Oboogie]

Hope your Mum's health continues to improve Matt

[davidjay]

Best wishes to you both Matt.

[mattomac]

Large turnouts rarely bode well.

[Boiler]

I couldn't bear to listen to the radio this morning. I think one of our contributors might be pleased to see the almost total elimination of the Tories by Lib Dems from his council...

We had no elections in my little corner of England.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

In Sutton and Carshalton the Tories have been wiped out - none at all. 2 Reform (interchangeable Karens), no Greens, 1 Labour (down 2). Other than one ward, where once the BNP had a foothold, Reform were bottom of the pile. Areas that were once true blue turned orange.So we stay overwhelmingly Lib Dem. (The Independentis an ex Lib Dem who stands on very local issues).


Number of councillors elected:
Christian Peoples Alliance: 0
Conservatives: 0
Green: 0
Independent: 1
Labour: 1
Liberal Democrats: 51
Reform: 2

[Youngian]

According to John Curtis its former Tory voters (essentially the Boris Brexit alliance of 2022) that Reform is still wooing but Labour voters less so. He claimed the Greens grabbed more Labour voters than Reform.
A popular and even more reactionary Tory leader than Kemi would benefit Labour. To dampen Reform's vote and keep LD gains safe.
As for Labour, there's no way they should change leader three years from an election. Inflation and possible shortages from the Iran conflict haven't fed through yet. Do Rayner or Burnham fancy taking the bullet for it?

[AOB]

I think I give the English too much credit when I think that when it comes to politics they are ignorant and/or stupid. If you vote Reform you're racist, no ifs or buts. You're not that stupid to not know what Nigel Farage stands for because he has been in the public spotlight for a couple of decades now. They'll get in in 2029, and like with Brexit many will regret it when they are personally affected, which they will be unless you are very rich, but by then it will be too late.