Well, with 109 of 279 results declared, it seems as if the LibDems are getting a serious pasting.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13297573

Where I live, they have lost 11 seats to the Tories and Labour, who has got one seat.

Nick Clegg’s constituency, Sheffield, is now Labour controlled, and he is being called to resign.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13303885

I can only surmise right now that these results will reflect on the AV referendum, for which counting starts at 4pm today. I suspect that it will be a resounding “no”.

Local and national elections are separate, there is no reason for Clegg to resign. And if people vote no to AV just to punish Clegg/LD then there really is no hope for politics in this country.

Not sure that's a definite leap. I didn't vote LibDem but I voted yes, for example.

Edit: In other election news, looks like the BNP aren't doing well.

It just goes to show, stupid extreme views should be heard just so that they can be shown for what crap they are.

True, however I think with the AV vote people will have been thinking in more immediate terms with their vote.

i.e. I like Lib Dems so I'll vote yes as I want them to win.
or
I like the tories so I'll vote no as I want them to win.

In reality the referendum had much further reaching consequences but most people will not have seen this and only thought about the immediate result.

Since when have people voted on the issues and not the "personalities"? There are a lot of people who vote Lab/Con/LibDem every time irrespective of the policies, simply because that's what they've always done. I suspect the reason behind this is that people have become cynical about how long pre-election promises will last (probably about 5 days).

What we need is a change in the political landscape, something the fringe parties can't do. There needs to be a fourth party that represents a real challenge to the established three, because at the moment they're all pretty useless.

B&NES has NOC again, with 89% of the seats being taken by Tory and LibDem councillors. Pretty much exactly as it's been since the 1995 elections, then.

You should be so lucky. Apart from a brief period of NOC in the 1990s, Tonbridge & Malling has been blue-blue-bluetty-blue since at least 1966.

My council's gone labour. It was NOC for about the last 10 years and Labour for a considerable period before that. In fact, it pretty much does the exact opposite of whatever the national mood is towards labour .

Jon

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13280105 - the 15:13 entry in the box on the left.

I would if I could but I can't

My theory. It's not the cuts that are hurting the Lib dems (as you've expect to see the Tories suffer too) It's:
A) The betrayal of students
B) Some people would rather have seem them shack up with labour, so are punishing them.
In England their votes are going to Labour as there is no real alternative, hence their gains despite causing this crisis.
In Scotland there is another main party other than Labour, which is why the SNP have been doing very well as people still want to punish Labour for their mess ups.

So, what you're saying is that the voting population are driven by revenge - the desire to 'punish' - without a thought to issues or what it'll mean for the future? I'd quite like to think people for what they believe in.
It makes me genuinely sad if you're correct about that.

Lol, I know it went a bit mental. Posted in here instead of the one in the MP (where it is now) and deleted it. It still had me as the last poster though, with no post.

Random.

Part of my voting this time was to ensure that we have an opposition party in the council chambers which is not a party affiliated to the government. We have two in opposition now - two more than yesterday (1 Labour and 1 Independent). The LibDems always contest that they are the opposition party, but my assertion is that all they need is a reminder to toe the government line from HQ, and they will.

Well I voted yes, I can punish Clegg at the next election.