Tories Slaughter Labour Party in England

superdude17* · #1 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:39 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7372860.stm

Quote:

Gordon Brown has admitted a "bad and disappointing" election for Labour, as the party suffered its worst council results in at least 40 years.

BBC research suggests Labour won 24% of votes cast in England and Wales, behind the Tories on 44% and Lib Dems on 25%.

In total Labour lost 331 councillors and key councils like Reading. Tory gains include Bury and North Tyneside.

Mr Brown insists his party will learn lessons. David Cameron called it a "big moment" for the Conservative Party.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said his party had "regained momentum" by gaining 30 councillors despite its projected national share of the vote falling on last year.

General secretary 'quits'

He claimed Labour had lost touch with ordinary people and that Mr Brown had lost his ability to lead.

The margin is similar to the drubbing received by Tory Prime Minister John Major in council elections in 1995, two years before he was ejected from Downing Street by Tony Blair.

'No crisis'

The Tories have gained control of several councils including Southampton, Bury, Harlow, Maidstone and North Tyneside.

BBC analysis suggests Labour's vote appears to have fallen most heavily in its traditional heartlands - suggesting MPs were right to fear the 10p tax row had damaged their core support.

In Wales, Labour lost control of five councils and could also be out of office in another.

Labour was defeated in its south Wales valley heartland areas of Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Caerphilly. It also lost Flintshire.

Ministers were trying to put a brave face on the results and pledging to listen to voters' concerns.

Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the results had been "very disappointing indeed", but said the elections had taken place against a background of rising economic concerns.

"We didn't respond early enough to those groups of people who were going to lose out as a result of the change in the 10p rate which overall benefits lower income people but there were some people who lost out and we didn't react early enough," she said.

Labour's chief whip Geoff Hoon said: "There's no crisis. This isn't something that's going to affect the fundamental stability of the government."

Liberal Democrat leader

Mr Clegg told BBC Breakfast: "We were 13% a few months ago, we're now 25%. We've over-taken Labour, we've taken seats off the Conservatives, we've taken seats off Labour.

"If you call that a disappointment then we inhabit different planets. I am actually delighted, we are regaining momentum."

Well, it appears Gordon Brown is a lame duck Prime Minister. Should have kept Tony.

Along the same lines, Europe continues to grow more and more conservative. London's new mayor is very conservative, Italy's new president is conservative as is Rome's new mayor. France has a conservative president, Germany has a moderate conservative. Eastern European countries continue to be conservative.

How can a liberal US President (Obama) expect to make any dent with these individuals who hold vastly different beliefs politically?

Bye bye Obama.

Good to see some conservatives once again in England.

MasTequila · #2 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:40 PM

Chalk this one up to another Bush victory.

Makedde · #3 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:42 PM

I wasn't even aware there even was an election going on in Britain...

I'm still hopeful for Brown, though, although it doesn't look good.

Daybreaker · #4 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 10:33 PM

It's so weird to hear an American cheering for Tories.

sunnyside · #5 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daybreaker

It's so weird to hear an American cheering for Tories.

Haven't they been for close US/UK ties for the last 50 or so years?

B L Zeebub · #6 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 12:05 AM

Dont get to excited, they were local election, with some of the lowest turnouts for years.

As to the lame duck comments about Brown I suppose Americans can recognise a lame duck, Dubya?

superdude17* · #7 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B L Zeebub

Dont get to excited, they were local election, with some of the lowest turnouts for years.

As to the lame duck comments about Brown I suppose Americans can recognise a lame duck, Dubya?

after serving 8 successful years as US president, he deserves to be called a lame duck. Brown hasn't even served 2

Lackluster · #8 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 09:09 AM

My goodness, are we just cheering for a team here, or standing for anything?

Seems to me that the London mayoral race was a particularly difficult one in terms of voting for the lesser of two evils. With Red Ken cozying up to the worst sort of Islamist filth imaginable and Boris Johnson appealing to the old-style bigots and xenophobes, wasn't there anybody sensible available?

B L Zeebub · #9 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superdude17*

after serving 8 successful years as US president, he deserves to be called a lame duck. Brown hasn't even served 2

Sorry what is Dubya's approval ratings, hows the budjet,$ good and strong, still borrowing from the Chinese, hows unemployment,the record of a fiscal conservative or drunken sailor, a lame duck is a lame duck the only difference is one has been lame longer than the other

AmusedToDeath · #10 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superdude17*

Well, it appears Gordon Brown is a lame duck Prime Minister. Should have kept Tony.

You brought a Scotsman to do an Englishman's job... C'mon, give me a break

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