Local Council by-elections 13th July 2023

[elinorhelyn]

Is the Independent win in Newham a harbinger of the return of Respect/Aspire type poltics to Newham?

[mrtoad]

I'm intending to write up the Newham elections but the health issue has been playing up and has left me exhausted today. I'm also baffled by the Boleyn result.

[finsobruce]

Jul 14, 2023 16:33:52 GMT mrtoad said:

I'm intending to write up the Newham elections but the health issue has been playing up and has left me exhausted today. I'm also baffled by the Boleyn result.

Wish you better!

[stodge]

Jul 14, 2023 16:33:52 GMT mrtoad said:

I'm intending to write up the Newham elections but the health issue has been playing up and has left me exhausted today. I'm also baffled by the Boleyn result.

Labour complacency perhaps or perhaps they thought the main threat came from the Greens.

As I said in my earlier, Mirza has been able to bring together elements of the anti-Labour Left and they put in the time and effort in Boleyn and got the result.

elinorhelyn asked if this is the return of Aspire/Respect style politics in Newham - in truth, it's never gone away. Mirza and those Corbynites who broke with Fiaz contain, I suspect, many who backed Respect.

In 2006, Respect polled 23% across Newham and won three seats so there's a reservoir of support on which Mirza has been able to draw in Boleyn.

[timmullen1]

Jul 14, 2023 21:08:21 GMT stodge said:

As I said in my earlier, Mirza has been able to bring together elements of the anti-Labour Left and they put in the time and effort in Boleyn and got the result.

I did notice earlier TUSC were even claiming some credit on Twitter as showing what could be achieved if Socialists voted for Socialism not “more Tory rule under Starmer & the PLP”.

[mrtoad]

Article on the Newham elections now up www.onlondon.co.uk/newham-two-by-elections-one-dent-in-labours-dominance/

Thanks to people here who have commented about Boleyn in particular.

[The Bishop]

As ever a very readable rundown, again showing there are very few local by-elections with no intrinsic interest.

Though the very low Tory score in Boleyn (way down on last year) might have been worth a mention for two reasons - firstly, it appears they stopped campaigning a bit before polling day and sent their workers to Wall End instead (which surely didn't do them any harm there) and secondly, it is almost certain some of their previous support will have voted for "left of Labour" Mirza this week - far from the first time this has happened, but still notable.

[stodge]

Jul 16, 2023 12:27:06 GMT The Bishop said:

As ever a very readable rundown, again showing there are very few local by-elections with no intrinsic interest.

Though the very low Tory score in Boleyn (way down on last year) might have been worth a mention for two reasons - firstly, it appears they stopped campaigning a bit before polling day and sent their workers to Wall End instead (which surely didn't do them any harm there) and secondly, it is almost certain some of their previous support will have voted for "left of Labour" Mirza this week - far from the first time this has happened, but still notable.

Oddly enough, and I noticed this last year, the local policies put up by Mirza, the Conservatives and Reform were almost the same.

I think the point is well made.

As for Wall End, the Conservatives were very visible on Polling Day and certainly at the polling station near Stodge Towers, they were in numbers and there was more than a hint of intimidation in the evening as I reported which led to the Police being called.