Elmhurst on Aylesbury Vale (UKIP defence, resignation of sitting member) Result: Liberal Democrat 785 (64% +38%), Labour 151 (12% -10%), Conservative 147 (12% -9%), United Kingdom Independence Party 111 (9% -14%), Green Party 43 (4% -4%) Liberal Democrat GAIN from United Kingdom Independence Party with a majority of 634 (52%) on a swing of 24% from Labour to Liberal Democrat (26% from UKIP to Lib Dem)
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I actually visited Elmhurst on Wednesday afternoon and spent the afternoon delivering in the spring sunshine. The Lib Dem team were clearly well organised, up for the fight, and very hopeful of a win. I understand that the main concern was over UKIP - however their vote really melted away even with a well known and decent candidate. UKIP are defending Bucks County Council seats in Aylesbury next month, this bodes very well for the Lib Dems looking to take them back as well.
I confess that I wouldn't have guessed there was a by-election on if I hadn't been there for political reasons. It's interesting how we assume that political life is far more central to daily life than it really is, simply reminding people that there was an election the next day was far more important than any nuanced messages or campaign points.
https://mobile.twitter.com/election_data/status/850314235221614593
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39529714
Looks like his dreams of playing county cricket are over...Dreams being the operative word.
Even if it was true that he had signed for a club, it should not have altered the judgement. That's what's so off about the whole thing IMO: the judge got it utterly wrong.
18 months is a bit more like it, I assume it'll be 9 in then 9 out on tag ?
https://twitter.com/DavidCoburnUKip/status/850242829301366785
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/07_04_17_garden_bridge_report.pdf
"Decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven by electoral cycles rather than value for money."
"The project has already used £37.4 million of public money and the agreement to underwrite
cancellation costs by the Government could bring the bill to the taxpayer up to £46.4 million."
"These were not open, fair or competitive procurements"
"It is my view that there was no agreement among those to whom I talked about the purpose
of the Garden Bridge. "
And on, and on. Everyone involved with this sordid scheme should be forced to pay back the public's money.
Edit: and
"Boris Johnson himself reflected the confusion of purpose when he was asked about it by The New Civil Engineer, in January 2014. They reported he "wasn’t really sure what it was for", other than making a "wonderful environment for a crafty cigarette or a romantic assignation."
Way to spend our money, Boris!
https://twitter.com/DavidCoburnUKip/status/850242829301366785
Its difficult because i want the punishment to be big in cases like this... But at the same time recognise that prison tends to make things worse when the person does get out...
But the Garden Bridge? It had no defined purpose, was in utterly the wrong place, and was massively costly.
Hopefully the authorities have figured that out by now...
Definitely shouldn't be trusted with the new Royal Yacht however.
Macron 24%
Le Pen 23%
Fillon 19%
Melenchon 18%
The better the UK/EU (and thus Ireland) deal is, the better a future rUK/Scotland one is likely to be.
The SNP should not seek to frustrate or denigrate Brexit but instead seek to make independence a success and then seek to go a step further by getting their own exit.
(* ) Or "the so-called 'Islamic State' group" as the BBC ("GosTelekom of the so-called 'Kingdom' group") call it.
'British values' was used a great deal in the run-up to the referendum. Now it's been won, the phrase isn't seen as much. I'd argue that one of the values we need to maintain the most is our ability to stand up for the little guy in the face of oppression - the maintenance of individual liberty.
ISIS are oppressive. Assad's government is oppressive. We should not ignore one in the face of the other, but try to help the innocent caught in between the two.
Some local infrastructure choices seem odd at times, though. As an example, here in Cambridge we have a massively expensive Misguided Bus ...
Personally, I warmonger from my computer chair anyway.
I've been open that it was posting on this site that got me more involved, and it was at a PB meetup I was encouraged to join up by RikW in particular (admittedly wrong party but still....)
My avatar is part of my council ward.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39510351
Cheers for this, Mr. Hayfield.
One of the possible scenarios for the re-emergence of an effective Opposition is that Labour is sidelined but then, at some point in the not too distant future, a dominant Conservative Party - no longer constrained by the threat of Labour - splits over a key area of policy. Mass immigration coupled with too many compromises with the EU could be enough to do the job.
The minimum the Government needs to achieve at the end of the Brexit process is to ensure that Parliament has complete control over taxation; that future *unskilled* migration is restricted; and that the country is free to decide its own international trading arrangements. Beyond that I reckon it has room to bargain.
Plus if Brexit happens in 2019, 2020 sees the SNP sweep Scotland again while the Tories win another UK majority and they put a manifesto commitment to a new indyref2 in 2021 then the SNP will have momentum on their side.
Play the long game. Don't throw it away prematurely.
Brexit is now the political consensus and it's happening. Obviously, not a lot will change over night, but in the longer term it will, as we decouple from EU political structures and respond to differently from the EU to events.
This does risk the race being cancelled, of course.