Local Council by-elections 3rd February 2022

[Chris from Brum]

Jan 21, 2022 16:23:16 GMT andrew111 said:

Jan 21, 2022 13:17:09 GMT Chris from Brum said:

Good piece in Private Eye (you'll have to buy the magazine to read it in full) on the Campden and Vale (Cotswold) by-election: the Tory candidate is the son of previous council leader Lynden Stowe, who was running the council when the Cotswold Water Park business was becoming murky. And Tom Stowe has threatened to sue LD candidate Danny Loveridge if he repeats any stories from the Eye in his local newsletter. Clearly no love lost, and the count could be an interesting occasion ...

I would have a field day on that! "Tory candidate says he will sue me if I quote Private Eye! I wonder what that is all about??

The Eye covered the Cotswold Water Park business quite extensively in its Rotten Boroughs section.  As Stowe's father was council leader at the time, I'd imagine he's quite sensitive about implications of guilt by association, though he has in fact been quite closely associated with his father's political dealings.

[finsobruce]

Jan 21, 2022 16:29:04 GMT Chris from Brum said:

Jan 21, 2022 16:23:16 GMT andrew111 said:

I would have a field day on that! "Tory candidate says he will sue me if I quote Private Eye! I wonder what that is all about??

The Eye covered the Cotswold Water Park business quite extensively in its Rotten Boroughs section.  As Stowe's father was council leader at the time, I'd imagine he's quite sensitive about implications of guilt by association, though he has in fact been quite closely associated with his father's political dealings.

It's one of those local government scandals that should be nationally known (to those not subscribing to Private Eye) but isn't as it didn't happen in London.

[shadsy]

Had to go with the next-door neighbours in The Cotswolds for this week:

smarkets.com/event/42587852/politics/uk/by-elections/campden-vale-by-election

Started off with odds at 50/50

[phil156]

They all count on Thursday night except Tamworth which is Friday morning

[shadsy]

Campden & Vale will be the local by-election with the most money traded on it since we began offering a weekly market three months ago.
Odds started off at 50/50. the Lib Dems were then favourites before the Tories took over. Right now the prices suggest the Conservative candidate has about a 63% chance of winning.

[evergreenadam]

www.britainelects.com/2022/02/03/previewing-the-by-elections-of-03-feb-2022/

[sjorford]

Feb 3, 2022 15:59:27 GMT evergreenadam said:

www.britainelects.com/2022/02/03/previewing-the-by-elections-of-03-feb-2022/

"The candidate here is (and I have checked this) Chris Cooke junior, who followed in his father’s footsteps by representing Tamworth’s Glascote ward from 2016 to 2021"

So the candidate is called Christian Christopher Cooke, and in the 2016 election he was proposed by Christopher Cooke and Christine Cooke:

candidates.democracyclub.org.uk/elections/local.tamworth.glascote.2016-05-05/sopn/

Is there a name shortage in Tamworth?

[John Chanin]

Feb 3, 2022 15:59:27 GMT evergreenadam said:

www.britainelects.com/2022/02/03/previewing-the-by-elections-of-03-feb-2022/

Only just clocked where the Cotswold election is.  Mickleton is a pleasant village with a nice pub, and I’ve done quite a bit of walking round here on the Warwickshire - Gloucestershire border, across Meon and Ebrington hills.  The highest point in Warwickshire is on the county border here.

[iainbhx]

Feb 3, 2022 17:05:48 GMT sjorford said:

Feb 3, 2022 15:59:27 GMT evergreenadam said:

www.britainelects.com/2022/02/03/previewing-the-by-elections-of-03-feb-2022/

"The candidate here is (and I have checked this) Chris Cooke junior, who followed in his father’s footsteps by representing Tamworth’s Glascote ward from 2016 to 2021"

So the candidate is called Christian Christopher Cooke, and in the 2016 election he was proposed by Christopher Cooke and Christine Cooke:

candidates.democracyclub.org.uk/elections/local.tamworth.glascote.2016-05-05/sopn/

Is there a name shortage in Tamworth?

I think he may have been, may still be a member here or was that the Old Board?

[andrewteale]

Feb 3, 2022 15:59:27 GMT evergreenadam said:

www.britainelects.com/2022/02/03/previewing-the-by-elections-of-03-feb-2022/

Just to clear up one point of confusion which unfortunately made it into the published version: it was Lynden Stowe, not Tom Stowe, who threatened to sue Danny Loveridge.

[minionofmidas]

Feb 3, 2022 19:51:54 GMT andrewteale said:

Feb 3, 2022 15:59:27 GMT evergreenadam said:

www.britainelects.com/2022/02/03/previewing-the-by-elections-of-03-feb-2022/

Just to clear up one point of confusion which unfortunately made it into the published version: it was Lynden Stowe, not Tom Stowe, who threatened to sue Danny Loveridge.

I'm a little confused by the final bit about "Hutchinson and her supporters"... I get it she's unhappy with her successor, but surely she wasn't seeking to succeed herself?
I remember Ancoats as basically a boarded-up ghost town from when I stayed in a hostel there in 2001... though I notice the pub around the corner has changed, not for the better, but is still trading under the same name.

[Chris from Brum]

Feb 3, 2022 19:51:54 GMT andrewteale said:

Feb 3, 2022 15:59:27 GMT evergreenadam said:

www.britainelects.com/2022/02/03/previewing-the-by-elections-of-03-feb-2022/

Just to clear up one point of confusion which unfortunately made it into the published version: it was Lynden Stowe, not Tom Stowe, who threatened to sue Danny Loveridge.

Was anything untrue about the Eye stories? What would the basis of the suit be?

[Pete Whitehead]

Feb 3, 2022 20:50:21 GMT minionofmidas said:

Feb 3, 2022 19:51:54 GMT andrewteale said:

Just to clear up one point of confusion which unfortunately made it into the published version: it was Lynden Stowe, not Tom Stowe, who threatened to sue Danny Loveridge.

I'm a little confused by the final bit about "Hutchinson and her supporters"... I get it she's unhappy with her successor, but surely she wasn't seeking to succeed herself?
I remember Ancoats as basically a boarded-up ghost town from when I stayed in a hostel there in 2001... though I notice the pub around the corner has changed, not for the better, but is still trading under the same name.

I haven't been to Manchester since 1996. Ancoats and Beswick were utter slums at that time, as indeed was virtually the whole the area around the city centre. It seems weird to hear it described as 'trendy' now

[andrewteale]

Feb 3, 2022 20:50:21 GMT minionofmidas said:

Feb 3, 2022 19:51:54 GMT andrewteale said:

Just to clear up one point of confusion which unfortunately made it into the published version: it was Lynden Stowe, not Tom Stowe, who threatened to sue Danny Loveridge.

I'm a little confused by the final bit about "Hutchinson and her supporters"... I get it she's unhappy with her successor, but surely she wasn't seeking to succeed herself?
I remember Ancoats as basically a boarded-up ghost town from when I stayed in a hostel there in 2001... though I notice the pub around the corner has changed, not for the better, but is still trading under the same name.

Hutchinson had set up some group which was basically seeking to get more black councillors elected in Manchester.

Ancoats has changed a lot in the last few years.  Some of the mills have gone and others have become apartments, which is no mean feat because cotton mills are difficult buildings to repurpose. The place even has trams now.  Try doing a Google Image search for "New Islington" and prepare to be amazed.

Oh, and this ward was also the location of the B of the Bang.

[Toylyyev]

Feb 3, 2022 20:50:21 GMT minionofmidas said:

Feb 3, 2022 19:51:54 GMT andrewteale said:

Just to clear up one point of confusion which unfortunately made it into the published version: it was Lynden Stowe, not Tom Stowe, who threatened to sue Danny Loveridge.

I'm a little confused by the final bit about "Hutchinson and her supporters"... I get it she's unhappy with her successor, but surely she wasn't seeking to succeed herself?_(my underscore)
I remember Ancoats as basically a boarded-up ghost town from when I stayed in a hostel there in 2001... though I notice the pub around the corner has changed, not for the better, but is still trading under the same name.

aboutmanchester.co.uk/danny-moran-the-trouble-maker-rebel-councillor-marcia-hutchinson-speaks-as-ancoats-beswick-goes-to-the-polls/

Longish read which should clear up most confusions   and also has her probably informed take on the votes to be gleaned from both parts of the ward.

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Ancoats and Beswick turnout is 17.8%.

[Merseymike]

Feb 3, 2022 23:12:24 GMT Toylyyev said:

Feb 3, 2022 20:50:21 GMT minionofmidas said:

I'm a little confused by the final bit about "Hutchinson and her supporters"... I get it she's unhappy with her successor, but surely she wasn't seeking to succeed herself?_(my underscore)
I remember Ancoats as basically a boarded-up ghost town from when I stayed in a hostel there in 2001... though I notice the pub around the corner has changed, not for the better, but is still trading under the same name.

aboutmanchester.co.uk/danny-moran-the-trouble-maker-rebel-councillor-marcia-hutchinson-speaks-as-ancoats-beswick-goes-to-the-polls/

Longish read which should clear up most confusions   and also has her probably informed take on the votes to gleaned from both parts of the ward.

Sounds exactly the sort of person needed in places like Manchester, but also sums up the problems with one party states run on the basis of patronage and boss politics.

[minionofmidas]

Feb 3, 2022 22:38:59 GMT andrewteale said:

Feb 3, 2022 20:50:21 GMT minionofmidas said:

I'm a little confused by the final bit about "Hutchinson and her supporters"... I get it she's unhappy with her successor, but surely she wasn't seeking to succeed herself?
I remember Ancoats as basically a boarded-up ghost town from when I stayed in a hostel there in 2001... though I notice the pub around the corner has changed, not for the better, but is still trading under the same name.

Hutchinson had set up some group which was basically seeking to get more black councillors elected in Manchester.

Ancoats has changed a lot in the last few years.  Some of the mills have gone and others have become apartments, which is no mean feat because cotton mills are difficult buildings to repurpose. The place even has trams now.  Try doing a Google Image search for "New Islington" and prepare to be amazed.

Oh, and this ward was also the location of the B of the Bang.

it seems some of the boarded-up state that shocked me in 2001 was caused by speculative buying in the 90s in anticipation of what has happened since.
I also recall the Edinburgh Castle had a map of a council regeneration scheme pinned up.

[iang]

Are you sure everyone except Tamworth was counting tonight?

[jm]

According to Twitter Boxmoor will be declaring imminently