Forum Topic

Well done to Labour

Well we lost the election today in the Isleworth and Syon wards to Labour and I would like to congratulate them all especially Linda Green who was elected for the first time and I am sure will make an excellent councillor for IsleworthI would like to extend my sincere best wishes to all of the them and hope they do their utmost in making our area an even better place to live

Paul Fisher ● 4361d13 Comments

Well said Fadi. Even David W Griffiths saw the funny side when it was anounced that he had received 50 votes.

Andrew Sibley ● 4359d

This is my first post on here. I would wish to echo all the gracious and congratulatory comments said on here. Labour's victory was comprehensive and I was personally moved by the flow of happy tears trickling down Lyn Green's cheeks as the result was announced. I'm sure she will make a good councillor...guided by the know-how, experience and growing community presence of Ed Mayne and Sue Sampson. 49 councillors to our 11 is a bitter pill to swallow but the electorate has spoken and one cannot argue with that. I can only console myself with the fact that the Conservatives have increased their majority in Richmond (which is where I work and where Labour failed to even get a seat never mind 11 seats) but this blog is not about Richmond. In respect of Vanessa's question on whether such a sizeable majority in Hounslow would be a good thing, the short answer is yes but there is a potential for things to turn sour. We are only half way through the cuts that need to be made. So, the next four years will be more  challenging than the first four years and, with virtually no decisional opposition on the council, the accountability for any mistakes or perceived mistakes will land straight on Labour's table as a dominant administration(or so one might say in 2018). On a last point, it was great meeting everybody at the Civic Centre. All I saw was passionate local people who, irrespective of party affiliation, cared about their local community.

Fadi Farhat ● 4359d

There were some rather harsh criticisms of some of the Chiswick Conservative councillors prior to the elections from people I would think would normally be their natural supporters. There was a feeling that several were past their sell-by date and were just time servers rather than interested, active representatives. That really isn't a healthy prospect, they really do need to be at the top of their game now, but I fear they will just be there to make up the numbers. This isn't good for Chiswick or for the borough as a whole, or if it comes to that, the Labour party either, especially looking at some of the names in the Labour group now. I do think that the ICG is a strong local pressure group and that I think is where the main opposition will come from here, and their colleagues in the 15+ group across the rest of the borough.

Vanessa Smith ● 4359d

Thank you for your kind words Guy.I note your point about the need for a strong opposition.  I once met Alan Craig, who enjoyed the rather grand title of "Leader of the Opposition" on Newham Council a few years back by virtue of the fact that he was the sole Christian Peoples Alliance councillor on an authority which otherwise comprised 59 Labour members - not a situation I envied.With the Tories having been annihilated and, with the exception of Councillors O'Reilly and Carey, representing only Chiswick wards, the most effective "opposition" to the new administration is likely to come from without rather than from within, although as far the ICG is concerned I would like to think that support will also be offered when appropriate rather than just criticism - opposition for the sake of opposition is petty and rather pointless.This was the kind of relationship we would have preferred following the 2010 election but we made it dependent upon the approval of the elected members and that approval was not forthcoming.  This time I think it is likely that we will just go ahead and unilaterally reposition ourselves as a non-electoral community action group, and see what happens.For what it is worth I think Labour has the strongest team of councillors in these local wards that it has had for a long time, and I really do wish them all every success.

Phil Andrews ● 4359d

Thanks to the ICG posters for their good grace. I sincerely hope there can be a meeting of minds and setting aside of differences to improve quality of life for all residents.Having helped out in a modest way with the Lab campaign, I'm obviously delighted with the result but I do share the concerns about the lack of a strong opposition. I don't think this is healthy for democracy and I think some form of PR would be better.At least we're not as extreme as Knowsley (Lab 63, all others nil) or Manchester (Lab 95, independent 1)

Guy Lambert ● 4359d

I told myself I wouldn't be drawn to contribute to this forum for a few days but I've crept back. The obvious thing wrong with local council voting structures is the FPTP system which has delivered virtual Labour one party states in both my current and former employer councils Lambeth and Islington, because of the demise of the Lib Dems, and the same in Barking and Newham. However low people's opinions might be of the Tories and Lib Dems, and mine is largely, they do deserve a voice on those councils to reflect their voters. I daresay there are Tory dominated areas where Labour has the same problem. The system needs reforming to have PR voting on an area basis, eg IBAF area councillors should be elected over the 4 wards on a PR basis, or there should be one ward councillor elected by FPTP and top up councillors via PR like the GLA.

Ian Speed ● 4360d

Thanks to all who have posted on here aboout the Labour victory, your comments are greatly appreciated. As a Labour Party activist can I also say thank you to all, from whatever party for the way in which everyone conducted themselves throughout the campaign. Yes there were some little glitches along the way, but hey, that's politics! I am sure that all of us are knackered after 2 long sessions in the Civic Centre, but it was great to talk to people who I know, and meet new people who I didn't.

Christopher Boucher ● 4360d

I would guess that the current government is very unpopular in the working class areas and the Tories and Lib Dems have suffered accordingly in Hounslow. The Tory defections to UKIP did not help either. It must also be said that the Labour Party machine is very efficient at the moment, something that the ICG struggle to compete with. But well done to the Isleworth and Syon candidates who were elected.

Andrew Sibley ● 4360d

What Labour will need is a strong Leader and iron discipline. The cabinet style of local councils does not lend itself to that in my opinion. It places decision making really into the hands of a small group, with the old committee system everyone had a role to play, this way the devil makes work for idle hands once people have a bit of experience. I hope that this will give all councillors the time to engage meaningfully with local communities and listen to the electorate and not the paid officers.

Vanessa Smith ● 4360d

Thank you Vanessa, but I meant what I said.  Lynn's personal popularity and hard work was by no means the only reason for Labour's decisive victory in Isleworth but it was a significant contributing factor.With regards to Labour's overwhelming victory borough-wide, I would echo your concerns.  It is worth remembering that over 80% of the borough's electorate did not vote Labour, and I say this not to call into question the legitimacy of the outcome but simply by way of an indication that the potential exists for this verdict to be reversed if the new administration is not successful.

Phil Andrews ● 4360d

May I say that that is a very gracious response. I wonder though if you have any more idea than we do how this overwhelming result occurred? 49 seats is a real shock, not sure it's a healthy one. I always remember Alf King many years ago when Labour had another huge majority telling me that it wasn't necessarily a good thing internally. A good, savvy opposition will be needed but I fear that will not be the case.

Vanessa Smith ● 4360d

I would like to echo Paul's sentiments here and to give my very best wishes to all of the successful Labour candidates who will, I'm sure, serve their constituents with dedication and commitment.I also agree wholeheartedly with Paul's comments about Lynn Green, who has been an enormous figure in Labour's campaign in Isleworth and whose exceptionally hard work was reflected in the final result.  She is very popular in the ward and I have no doubt whatsoever that she will make an excellent ward councillor.

Phil Andrews ● 4361d

Commiserations, Paul. You live to fight again.

Greg Walker ● 4361d