Thread 22 Starmer - Running up to local elections

[BIossomtoes]

Here we go. Previous thread.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5305431-thread-21-starmer-casting-nasturtiums?page=40&reply=143731831

And phone calls at all hours of the day or night. It’s part of what you sign up for, to help people in distress. I’m not sure people realise this when they say councillors (or MPs etc) are only in it for themselves. Both my parents did it at different levels. Put me right off.

The outgoing leader of Durham County Council has given advice to all those baby Reform councillors.
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/25135634.amanda-hopgood-urges-reform-deliver-promises-county-durham/

I like the last paragraph!

Made me smile, too. She still has a seat so they will be torn between asking her for advice and asking her to make the coffee.

The potential reform council leader was in the previous coalition, originally as a Tory. Even he acknowledges that a lot of the new councillors have no political experience.

There will be quite a few ex Tory councillors around.

The Leader of our lovely new Reform Council is an ex Tory with quite a lot of experience. Labour MP says she worked productively with him in that incarnation, so there’s that.
The young, inexperienced ones who don’t live in their areas will be dreadful and have to be propped up by anyone from the other parties who can bring themselves to give a shit about a place where 80% couldn’t be bothered to vote. But of course, that will turn out to be all Labour’s fault.
At County level, any positives will be claimed as a Reform victory and any negatives will be Labour’s fault.
The end game is Nige with a seat in Parliament, so there will be lots of carping on about Labour, little to no meaningful activity at grassroots level unless someone else steps up and does it. A fair proportion of Reform incumbents will be bitten on the arse by their own dodgy pasts.

Where the Reform councillors are ex-Tory councillors they will at least understand their role, but are there enough of these - I don't think so. The new mayor of hull/East Riding of Yorkshire didn't appear to realise he wouldn't have any control of the councils. He was getting £400m to improve his area, but whilst Reform despise clean air stuff one of the largest businesses in the area is clean air stuff - one example but definitely going to be some conflict there.
People often find local councils useless, whatever colour, if they don't resolve their individual gripe and obviously as local services get run down, which is happening everywhere.
I do own to voting on the person not the party in times past - their willingness to help/be interested in resolving local issues, and once an opposite vote just due to a lack of known domestic abuse/high alcohol intake - I was very locally assumed to be voting for this guy, as he was a 'good lad' - I didn't! - but typing this out makes me realise some of the reasons the Frogface has happened.
All disasters will be 'spun' but I hope that overall this puts people off voting for that 'good lad in the pub' by the next GE. Though I don't wish disasters on the areas where Reform has control - just expecting them.

Not seen it anywhere yet but what are the Tories now doing to address their descent? Has Kemi said anything?

Yes, that's very true! It's all been about Labour. The Tories are toast.

Just to clarify on voting for person - I drew the line at certain parties! Though I doubt I could find someone standing for these certain parties a personal preference ever.

She is apparently listening to her people after a tough time. But they're a family so it's ok.

I always voted for my local Tory councillor. He was brilliant. In fact I thought he was a Labour councillor for years because our views were so similar (I’m quite centric anyway). For very local the best person is always worth the vote. He did so much good for our local area.

The Tory Councillor in the council ward next to where I live is excellent - full of energy, always out and about, same with a Lib Dem Councillor in the ward on the other side. Our ward has two Labour Councillors who are invisible - one of them apparently spends a large part of his time in another country and is unavailable.

I appreciate that it may just be that the Tory & Lib Dems are very skilled self-publicists but they are being seen to get stuff done and have Facebook pages, newsletters, commenting on news of local interest on X etc, even if their parties don't control the Council. I struggle to even find out where my Councillor holds her Constituency surgeries.

I'm not a Tory or Lib Dem supporter but if I lived in either of the other two wards I think I know who I'd be voting for as a local Councillor.

Happy Star Wars Day to everyone who celebrates

Has Starmer posted it on X yet?

Just watching Kuenssberg. She is woefully as usual, no fact checking/correcting going on. She's too busy thinking about her next question to pick up the twat fron reform.

He intends to hire lawyers, spend a shit ton of money on lawyers and take the government to court to stop refugees being held in his area. He didn't say what services he was going to cut to pay for this, and Kuenssberg didn't ask.

People don't tend to turn out to vote if they are ok with the status quo.
80% staying home for a local election says that they aren't that invested in this, and to a certain extent, local councils have a lot of civil servants who keep the wheels on.

A general election is a different kettle of fish, and I predict that the more reform push themselves forward as potential government, the more good people will turn out to say no. Exactly as Canada, Germany and Australia have done.

Australia gave a big fat NO to the anti-immigration rhetoric

People don't tend to turn out to vote if they are ok with the status quo.

Something the good citizens of Birmingham really hate hearing. However I won't stop pointing out that 70% of them were clearly happy enough with the regime to sit on their arses and not vote.

"We didn't vote for this !"

Well, in a very literal sense, you did ... deciding not to choose is still a choice. Now fuck off.

The difference is that Australia has compulsory voting.

i think it was pointed out somewhere, probably on Bluesky, that this means :

1. Parties don’t have to put effort in to getting their core voters out and
2. Parties need to offer something to all voter groups rather than just rely on the politically interested.

Id like to see how that worked here - still leaves it open to people to spoil their ballot.

I vote for my local independent because he genuinely does things for and in the area, he listens and he gives a shit. He's right wing and pro Brexit, but on a local level that is less important than the fact that he stands up for our small town against a county council that would like to pretend we don't exist. He's forced votes that have diverted much needed funding into our patch, and it has gone where it's needed - into services for young people and vulnerable people.

Star Wars Day is the anniversary of my mum's death - 6 years ago today.

It was actually a blessing in disguise, so I make a point of celebrating her as a wonderful mother, not as the alcohol-addicted utterly lost woman she ended up becoming.

@pointythings

Sorry to read that Pointy - but I raise my cup of tea to you and the positive memories you have

Absolutely do hope you have a good day as it can be 💐

Your positivity is inspirational @pointythings. 💐