Lib Dems or Labour - Best for the City?

[Chris B]

I was just browsing the local election results on the council's website, and what caught my eye wasn't actually any of the contests, but the number of rejected ballot papers. Across the whole city, the following were rejected -

* being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty – 636
* voting for more candidates than voter was entitled to – 157
* writing or mark by which voter could be identified – 25
Total = 818

So over 800 people went out on Thursday to exercise their democratic right to vote, and had their vote disregarded. Across the whole country, that must run into ten of thousands of voided ballots. I wonder whether electronic voting, with a computer program only allowing you to do exactly what you're supposed to do may be something the Electoral Commission should look into?

EDIT - 7000 posts. That's quite a waste of time

[Chris B]

From the Echo -

Liberal democrat councillor Rosie Jolly defects to Labour in Liverpool

A SENIOR Liberal Democrat on Liverpool council has defected to Labour.

Cllr Rosie Jolly, who was the opposition’s education and children’s shadow cabinet member, switched sides last night, citing her disillusionment with her party’s record in government.

She told the ECHO that she couldn’t stand by and watch the Lib Dems propping up a Tory government that was attacking the poor.

She added: “I have been unhappy with the national situation for a long time.

“I’ve expressed that point of view over the last 12 months and I have become increasingly disillusioned with it.

“I don’t think the Lib Dems have been challenging enough towards the Conservatives on key policy issues like benefits reform and the bedroom tax.

“They’ve not done enough for the country or the city.”

Her defection swells the Labour ranks to 75 – more seats than the Lib Dems had at the height of their success under Mike Storey in the 2000s.

Article continues here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...name_page.html

Hmm, pardon me while I put my cynical hat on for a moment. But isn't this a case of Ms Jolly knowing full well that the Lib Dems in Liverpool face electoral oblivion next year? The two other seats in Wavertree - which as recently as 5 years ago was regarded as a Lib Dem stronghold - have already gone to Labour, and with the political landscape as it is, only a very brave or very foolish person would bet against Labour taking the third Lib Dem seat in that ward. Thus standing as a Lib Dem meant she was virtually certain to lose her seat, while defecting to Labour virtually safeguards it. Now (removes cynical hat), I don't blame her for having issues with what the Lib Dems are doing in government - no right thinking person could - but I do feel this decision was just a little self-serving.

[Paul D]

I'm inclined to agree, any Lib Dem worth their salt would've defected a long time ago for the very reasons stated.

[Awayo]

Jolly Rosie Jolly doesn't want to lose her expenses jolly.

[Awayo]

Very, very interesting...

Marie Rimmer, leader of St Helens MBC has been ousted in an internal Labour party coup by her deputy leader, Barrie Grunewald, a long-term Labour party insider who amongst other things has worked as St Helen S MP, Shaun Woodwood's parliamentary assistant.

It doesn't seem to be online but an article in the print version of today's Liverpool Post reports on speculation being voiced by Labour party members that this seems to be part of the process of opponents of Joe Anderson's wish for a "Mersey" mayor (M'side county or Liverpool City Region it isn't clear). One Labour informant notes that something seems to be happening in the fire authority and that Steve Foulkes in Wirral MBC as well as Rimmer's oustings fit into a larger picture.

Some of us will recall that not long ago Knowsley cllr Mark Dowd was ejected from the Mersey Travel chair with a mate of Joe's from LCC replaced in the role.

Liverpool may be behind Manchester and Leeds city regions' combined authority moves but big boss Joe might getting there faster it seems by whacking anyone else in charge anywhere else in the region who's against him, leaving him in total command of the whole area. It reminds me of the last 10 minutes in The Godfather.

Adding to the fun, it appears that Joe's brah, the new St Helens council leader lives outside the borough and in Liverpool!

And "Last night", the Post reports Anderson opined that "an elected mayor for Merseyside is what a lot of progressive politicians wanted to see".

He also was reported as saying that Marie Rimmer wasn't stopping the bringing about of a metro mayor but that the government had "yet to instigate the debate by making the offer to the region".

Think on.