Conservative Anxiety Peaks Ahead of Crucial Local Elections

[Social Media]

 

As voters in England and Wales prepare to cast their ballots in the upcoming local elections, the Conservative Party braces for what could be a pivotal moment in its political trajectory. These elections, set to take place on Thursday, are not just about choosing mayors and council members; they serve as a litmus test for the party's standing amidst a backdrop of persistent public dissatisfaction and daunting poll numbers.

 

Analysts and pundits are closely watching to see if the Conservatives can weather the storm or if their losses will exceed expectations, exacerbating existing concerns within the party. With the Labour Party consistently leading in the polls and the Conservatives facing a slew of challenges ranging from economic stagnation to healthcare crises, the stakes are high.

 

The prevailing question isn't whether the Conservatives will lose seats – that much seems inevitable according to pollsters – but rather, by how much. Experts suggest that if the party can limit its losses to under 500 council seats out of the 985 it's defending, it may be viewed as a tolerable setback by party loyalists. However, if Labour and other parties manage to seize more than 500 Tory seats, it could trigger a fresh wave of turmoil within the Conservative ranks, potentially even endangering Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's leadership.

 

 

While the 500-seat benchmark may seem arbitrary, it symbolizes a critical threshold in gauging the Conservatives' performance and their ability to retain public support. Local elections, particularly those held close to a general election, are influenced by intangible factors like momentum and public sentiment, making them highly consequential for political parties.

 

Amidst an atmosphere of palpable uncertainty, several key issues have emerged as focal points in the lead-up to the elections. Immigration and the Israel-Hamas conflict have garnered attention, with the Conservatives attempting to leverage these topics to their advantage. Prime Minister Sunak's controversial policy proposal to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda has resonated with the party's base, despite legal and logistical challenges casting doubt on its viability.

 

Additionally, Labour's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict has stirred internal dissent within the party, particularly among Muslim communities. Leader Keir Starmer's cautious approach has left some feeling disillusioned, leading to defections and independent candidacies in traditionally Labour strongholds with sizable Muslim populations.

 

However, the outcome of local elections is not solely determined by national issues; local concerns such as infrastructure, public services, and housing also play a significant role. Moreover, the results of mayoral races in key regions like Tees Valley, the West Midlands, and London will offer insights into voter sentiment and party dynamics on a more localized level.

 

For Prime Minister Sunak and the Conservative Party, these local elections represent a critical juncture in their political journey. While victory in certain races could provide a much-needed boost, significant losses could spell further trouble for the beleaguered party leadership. As the countdown to Thursday's elections continues, all eyes are on England and Wales to see how the political landscape will unfold.

 

2024-05-03

 

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[Chomper Higgot]

The following link will provide live updates of seats lost/gained/retained as the counts come in: 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2024/may/02/local-elections-2024-full-council-results-for-england

[herfiehandbag]

Personally I really cannot be bothered. 

The Tories are in a mess, and face devastating poll results.

It is quite simply their own fault.

Party discipline, party loyalty, effective leadership and formulating effective policies nationally are all in bits, and subservient to the egos of the movers and shakers in the parliamentary party. They squandered a significant majority and threw out the leader who won them that majority, in the pursuit of advancing their egos.

 

They are "Donald Ducked", all worn out; the electorate know that and have abandoned them, even traditional tories like me ( not a member, not uncritical, but have consistently supported them electorally) have pretty much given up on them.

 

They're toast, locally and nationally. They did it to themselves. They know it, and the electorate know it.

 

I would love to know how many local council seats they will lose, not because people are enthused by Labour or heaven help us the Liberal Democrats, but because their traditional voting base can't be bothered to turn out. That would be the most telling statistic.

 

As for the general election, they haven't a hope of winning it with the current leadership, and it is far too late to change.

 

I'll hazard a guess, but if they had stood by Johnson, who was after all elected by the membership, and convincingly won them an election, whilst they could have been facing a challenge, they would still have been very much in the race.

 

What an abject failure.

[In the jungle]

According to the BBC Boris Johnson arrived to vote without ID and was turned away.  Clueless.

[johng]

1 hour ago, In the jungle said:

According to the BBC Boris Johnson arrived to vote without ID and was turned away.  Clueless.

He probably thought that as he is a VIP  the rules are for thee and not for me  as demonstrated during the Covidiocy.

[Chomper Higgot]

It turns out the Tories had good cause to be anxious.

 

With more anxiety to come.

[placeholder]

On 5/3/2024 at 9:26 AM, herfiehandbag said:

I'll hazard a guess, but if they had stood by Johnson, who was after all elected by the membership, and convincingly won them an election, whilst they could have been facing a challenge, they would still have been very much in the race.

 

What an abject failure.

As I recall, da previous set of local elections resulted in another rout for the Tories. And Johnson was PM back then.

[connda]

In England
Conservative / Labor
Flip the coin and put the party who shows up on top into power. 

However?  It's the same coin.

Ditto in the US
Democrat / Republican

Flip the coin and put the party who shows up on top into power. 

However?  It's the same coin.

Flip the coin regularly and your country is called "A Democracy." 

Edited May 5 by connda

[OneMoreFarang]

On 5/3/2024 at 9:32 AM, In the jungle said:

According to the BBC Boris Johnson arrived to vote without ID and was turned away.  Clueless.

And he was the one who implemented that ID rule. 

[RuamRudy]

Congratulations must be offered to Sadiq Khan for his remarkable 3rd term as London Mayor. 

 

Susan Hall

Pronouns: Has/Been

[Nick Carter icp]

On 5/3/2024 at 9:32 AM, In the jungle said:

According to the BBC Boris Johnson arrived to vote without ID and was turned away.  Clueless.

 

  He turned up with a magazine with his photo on the front page and his address , that wasn't accepted , so he used his drivers licence, which was accepted 

[Chomper Higgot]

10 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Congratulations must be offered to Sadiq Khan for his remarkable 3rd term as London Mayor. 

 

Susan Hall

Pronouns: Has/Been

Increased his vote by 3.8% into the bargain.

 

And Blackpool by-election delivered a 26. % swing to Labour.

 

That noise you hear from the Tory back benches is the sound of a ceremonial sword being sharpened, while Bravermann puts the blame squarely on Sunak, hoping perhaps nobody noticed she backed every failing policy he came up with.

 

”She added many Conservative MPs were privately "demoralised" and "at this rate we'll be lucky to have any Conservative MPs at the next election".

 

Is that a bad thing I wonder?

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68961195

[placeholder]

15 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  He turned up with a magazine with his photo on the front page and his address , that wasn't accepted , so he used his drivers licence, which was accepted 

After he was turned away he had to fetch his driver's license:

Writing in his Daily Mail column, he said: "I want to pay a particular tribute to the three villagers who on Thursday rightly turned me away when I appeared in the polling station with nothing to prove my identity except the sleeve of my copy of Prospect magazine, on which my name and address had been printed.

"I showed it to them and they looked very dubious… within minutes I was back with my driving licence and voted Tory."

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-pays-tribute-to-polling-station-staff-who-refused-to-let-him-vote-without-photo-id-13128674

[Nick Carter icp]

31 minutes ago, placeholder said:

After he was turned away he had to fetch his driver's license:

Writing in his Daily Mail column, he said: "I want to pay a particular tribute to the three villagers who on Thursday rightly turned me away when I appeared in the polling station with nothing to prove my identity except the sleeve of my copy of Prospect magazine, on which my name and address had been printed.

"I showed it to them and they looked very dubious… within minutes I was back with my driving licence and voted Tory."

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-pays-tribute-to-polling-station-staff-who-refused-to-let-him-vote-without-photo-id-13128674

 

 Yes , that is what I also said 

[placeholder]

18 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

 Yes , that is what I also said 

No. You failed to mention that he was turned away.

[Chomper Higgot]

“Conservative Anxiety Peaks Ahead of Crucial Local Elections”

 

I have a feeling Conservative anxiety gained new peaks after the results of the local elections sank in, and still

has the legs for more distress as the General Election approaches.

 

 

 

[mogandave]

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

After he was turned away he had to fetch his driver's license:

Writing in his Daily Mail column, he said: "I want to pay a particular tribute to the three villagers who on Thursday rightly turned me away when I appeared in the polling station with nothing to prove my identity except the sleeve of my copy of Prospect magazine, on which my name and address had been printed.

"I showed it to them and they looked very dubious… within minutes I was back with my driving licence and voted Tory."

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-pays-tribute-to-polling-station-staff-who-refused-to-let-him-vote-without-photo-id-13128674

Yeah, in the US you can just pick a ballot out of the trash, fill it out and drop it off.

 

No one is smart enough to have an ID.

[Nick Carter icp]

15 minutes ago, placeholder said:

No. You failed to mention that he was turned away.

 

   I was making the point that he did turn up with some I.D , but the I.D that he had wasn't accepted , so he needed different I.D which was accepted .

[youreavinalaff]

The next few years will be interesting.

 

It's looking very likely Labour will win the election but, by will they have a majority?

 

The local council losses by the Conservative party were shared across a few parties.

 

If labour win and manage to achieve everything they say they can, we'll all be thousands of pounds better off. Universities will be free, nurses will be earning 40k a year, minimum wage will be £15 an hour, NHS waiting times will be minutes and there will be no asylum seekers left as all applications will have been processed, to name a few scenarios. It's all a bit unlikely.

 

If Labour win and fail to achieve all they say, when they announce they'll have to raise taxes or cut public spending, when they realise they need to make a few more Uturns, voters will realise it was more the situations getting worse by outside pressures rather than government making them worse.

 

Then, hopefully, someone will have the balls to admit taxes collected are not enough, across the board, and will raise them. Also reform the benefits system. Simple economics. There is more going out than coming in.

 

The burning question is how long, after Labour win, will it be until the current bunch of naysayers stop saying "It's not Labour's fault they can't do this, or can't do that"?

[placeholder]

57 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I was making the point that he did turn up with some I.D , but the I.D that he had wasn't accepted , so he needed different I.D which was accepted .

Sure. That's what made the story newsworthy. That eventually he turned up with an acceptable I.D.  

[placeholder]

7 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

The next few years will be interesting.

 

It's looking very likely Labour will win the election but, by will they have a majority?

 

The local council losses by the Conservative party were shared across a few parties.

 

If labour win and manage to achieve everything they say they can, we'll all be thousands of pounds better off. Universities will be free, nurses will be earning 40k a year, minimum wage will be £15 an hour, NHS waiting times will be minutes and there will be no asylum seekers left as all applications will have been processed, to name a few scenarios. It's all a bit unlikely.

 

If Labour win and fail to achieve all they say, when they announce they'll have to raise taxes or cut public spending, when they realise they need to make a few more Uturns, voters will realise it was more the situations getting worse by outside pressures rather than government making them worse.

 

Then, hopefully, someone will have the balls to admit taxes collected are not enough, across the board, and will raise them. Also reform the benefits system. Simple economics. There is more going out than coming in.

 

The burning question is how long, after Labour win, will it be until the current bunch of naysayers stop saying "It's not Labour's fault they can't do this, or can't do that"?

I think just restoring the NHS will be quite enough to earn voters' gratitude after the Tories turned it into a shambles. And given that the British public is no longer buying the Conservative line about the benefits of Brexit, we might expect to see an improvement in relations with the EU.

[youreavinalaff]

3 minutes ago, placeholder said:

I think just restoring the NHS will be quite enough to earn voters' gratitude after the Tories turned it into a shambles. And given that the British public is no longer buying the Conservative line about the benefits of Brexit, we might expect to see an improvement in relations with the EU.

You clearly didn't read all of my post.

 

Nice, attempted, segue by the way. Sadly, for you, it stuck out like a sore thumb.

[Chomper Higgot]

14 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

The next few years will be interesting.

 

It's looking very likely Labour will win the election but, by will they have a majority?

 

The local council losses by the Conservative party were shared across a few parties.

 

If labour win and manage to achieve everything they say they can, we'll all be thousands of pounds better off. Universities will be free, nurses will be earning 40k a year, minimum wage will be £15 an hour, NHS waiting times will be minutes and there will be no asylum seekers left as all applications will have been processed, to name a few scenarios. It's all a bit unlikely.

 

If Labour win and fail to achieve all they say, when they announce they'll have to raise taxes or cut public spending, when they realise they need to make a few more Uturns, voters will realise it was more the situations getting worse by outside pressures rather than government making them worse.

 

Then, hopefully, someone will have the balls to admit taxes collected are not enough, across the board, and will raise them. Also reform the benefits system. Simple economics. There is more going out than coming in.

 

The burning question is how long, after Labour win, will it be until the current bunch of naysayers stop saying "It's not Labour's fault they can't do this, or can't do that"?

Labour will publish their manifesto when Sunak stops hiding from the electorate and announce the General Election.

 

The electorate will then get sight of Labour’s actual electoral promises.

 

You’ll not then have to imagine what they are.

[youreavinalaff]

16 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Sure. That's what made the story newsworthy. That eventually he turned up with an acceptable I.D.  

Newsworthy? Really?

 

Maybe that's why he did it, to get himself in the news,  and ya all fell for it. 

Edited May 6 by youreavinalaff

[youreavinalaff]

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Labour will publish their manifesto when Sunak stops hiding from the electorate and announce the General Election.

 

The electorate will then get sight of Labour’s actual electoral promises.

 

You’ll not then have to imagine what they are.

I didn't say I would imagine. I'm not imagining. Starmer and his merry wo(men) have been talking about how much of a better job they'll do in so many areas. 

 

Were they lying? Oh dear.

Edited May 6 by youreavinalaff

[Nick Carter icp]

7 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Sure. That's what made the story newsworthy. That eventually he turned up with an acceptable I.D.  

 

   Boris Johnson first wrote about it in his newspaper column *exposing it* , seems like it was just a bit of humour on his part and something to write in his newspaper column , turning up with a magazine with his photo and name on the cover as I.D 🙂

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, youreavinalaff said:

I didn't say I would imagine. I'm not imagining. Starmer and his merry wo(men) have been talking about how much of a better job they'll do in so many areas. 

 

We're they lying? Oh dear.

No, they were not lying.

 

22 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

If labour win and manage to achieve everything they say they can,

 

Government’s are elected on their Manifesto.

 
Labour have not yet published their manifesto and will not do so until the election is called.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No, they were not lying.

 

 

Government’s are elected on their Manifesto.

 
Labour have not yet published their manifesto and will not do so until the election is called.

 

 

That's strange. Starmer has been banging on about how the people "have spoken" during the local and mayoral elections, also every single by election, and how they want a Labour government.

 

He's been calling for a GE because the people want him and his party as the next government. 

 

All that but no manifesto. He must be deluded.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

That's strange. Starmer has been banging on about how the people "have spoken" during the local and mayoral elections, also every single by election, and how they want a Labour government.

 

He's been calling for a GE because the people want him and his party as the next government. 

 

All that but no manifesto. He must be deluded.

 

 

Nothing strange about that at all.

 

The Blackpool by-election result suggests he’s right.

 

That does not distract from the fact that the next UK Government, which ever party wins the coming election will be elected on the basis of its manifesto.

 

It will be very interesting to see what each party’s manifesto contains and which wins the support of the electorate.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

Nothing strange about that at all.

 

The Blackpool by-election result suggests he’s right.

 

That does not distract from the fact that the next UK Government, which ever party wins the coming election will be elected on the basis of its manifesto.

 

It will be very interesting to see what each party’s manifesto contains and which wins the support of the electorate.

 

 

It seems Starmer would disagree.

 

He has said "the people have spoken". The people have "made their minds up".

 

No manifesto but people have already decided. From the horses mouth. 🐎. As apposed to, from an internet troll's mouth.