Results so far Labour -2, Conservatives -34, LDs + 17, Ind + 2, Ref +1, UKIP -2
So at the moment it is mainly the LDs and Independents taking Conservative seats, not Labour. Labour even seeing losses, though still the Labour heartland of London to come.
Tory losses not great but not devastating for Boris either so far
Professor Michael Thrasher on Sky News has also described the results as disappointing for Labour. The party doing well in Wandsworth and Barnet isn't enough.
Early days but this looks like a disaster for Labour given the state of the government and the wider political context.
There’s an obsession with the “leave voter” or Corbyn (stull!) but the real reason seems obvious: Starmer is crap. Really, really crap.
And it could be argued he’s just the leader and face of a Parliamentary Labour Party that is really really crap. They certainly seem content with his leadership.
Look forward to how this is spun. A reminder that Labour’s 2018’s results were regarded as disappointing at the time, so it’s not like the comparison is a high watermark either.
Well actually, Oliver, the electionologists have been saying for weeks and reiterating tonight, 2018 is good high mark for Labour to be compared against.
With well over 150 key wards now declared, the Conservatives are down by 3 percentage points on their performance the last time these areas were contested in 2018, Labour is down 1 point, and the Liberal Democrats are up 4 points.
If we compare the results with last year, then Labour is up 4 points, the Tories are down 6 points, and the Liberal Democrats are up 3 points.
So while the Liberal Democrats have so far stolen some of the headlines and Labour's advance has been limited, it's still the case that the Conservatives have lost considerable ground since 12 months ago.
Results so far Labour -2, Conservatives -34, LDs + 17, Ind + 2, Ref +1, UKIP -2
So at the moment it is mainly the LDs and Independents taking Conservative seats, not Labour. Labour even seeing losses, though still the Labour heartland of London to come.
Tory losses not great but not devastating for Boris either so far
Quite a few council leaders have called on Boris to be sacked already tonight, he doesn’t seem to have much praetorian guard out there does he? What do you make of that, the amount of calls for Boris to go we have already had?
With well over 150 key wards now declared, the Conservatives are down by 3 percentage points on their performance the last time these areas were contested in 2018, Labour is down 1 point, and the Liberal Democrats are up 4 points.
If we compare the results with last year, then Labour is up 4 points, the Tories are down 6 points, and the Liberal Democrats are up 3 points.
So while the Liberal Democrats have so far stolen some of the headlines and Labour's advance has been limited, it's still the case that the Conservatives have lost considerable ground since 12 months ago.
The Tories have lost ground since peak Boris at Hartlepool last year? Blow me down with a feather.
Well actually, Oliver, the electionologists have been saying for weeks and reiterating tonight, 2018 is good high mark for Labour to be compared against.
I’m know you’re being wry, but a few key quotes from news sources in 2018 to ensure there’s no attempts to rewrite history.
Daily Mail in 2018: “ Labour has made a small number of gains but fallen well short of expectations”
BBC in 2018: “The election results will come as a disappointment to Labour, relief for the Conservatives and mild encouragement for the Liberal Democrats.”
Sky News in 2018: “Labour, in the other hand, will no doubt stage an inquest into why they didn't do better, particularly in London, and suffered losses outside the capital.”
Turns out lots of media outlets are behind paywall these days making this sort of thing trickier than it used to be.
Results so far Labour -2, Conservatives -34, LDs + 17, Ind + 2, Ref +1, UKIP -2
So at the moment it is mainly the LDs and Independents taking Conservative seats, not Labour. Labour even seeing losses, though still the Labour heartland of London to come.
Tory losses not great but not devastating for Boris either so far
Quite a few council leaders have called on Boris to be sacked already tonight, he doesn’t seem to have much praetorian guard out there does he? What do you make of that, the amount of calls for Boris to go we have already had?
There may well still be a leadership challenge, however the results so far are not yet bad enough for Boris to be forced out in my view. However I do accept the London results mainly still to come will likely be poor
Professor Michael Thrasher on Sky News has also described the results as disappointing for Labour. The party doing well in Wandsworth and Barnet isn't enough.
LONDON Labour......that's the problem.....for the national party.
Tory Leader in Carlisle John Mallinson (where Tories have lost a slew of seats): “It didn’t help with people like George Eustice telling people to use value brands…there was a lot of animosity towards the PM…I don’t think people think he can be relied upon to tell the truth.”...
Asked by @thehuwedwards whether he agrees with them, Mallinson says “I can see their point of view.” Then says he thinks the Prime Minister should go.
Well actually, Oliver, the electionologists have been saying for weeks and reiterating tonight, 2018 is good high mark for Labour to be compared against.
I’m know you’re being wry, but a few key quotes from news sources in 2018:
Daily Mail in 2018: “ Labour has made a small number of gains but fallen well short of expectations”
BBC in 2018: “The election results will come as a disappointment to Labour, relief for the Conservatives and mild encouragement for the Liberal Democrats.”
Sky News in 2018: “Labour, in the other hand, will no doubt stage an inquest into why they didn't do better, particularly in London, and suffered losses outside the capital.”
Turns out lots is behind a paywall these days.
Ha ha! That was nothing compared to what was to follow.
I’m going to stick with the electionolgists who say Labour we’re not in a bad place in 2018 in the red wall, so standing still there compared to 2018 is not a bad result.
Have to say though, you are very clued up, and you have given it a damn good try.
Being Not-Johnson only takes one so far. Like other centrists before him, he needs to project a vaguely hope-and-chaangey image for voters to project what they want on him.
Being Not-Johnson only takes one so far. Like other centrists before him, he needs to project a vaguely hope-and-chaangey image for voters to project what they want on him.
Or even an actual policy or two. Being not Boris will certainly not be enough if the man retires before the next election.
Being Not-Johnson only takes one so far. Like other centrists before him, he needs to project a vaguely hope-and-chaangey image for voters to project what they want on him.
SKS has several problems - he's emblematic of a London Labour that can't answer a simple question like "what is a woman?" While Blair was as metropolitan as Starmer he represented a northern constituency - Starmer has a double whammy. And on the economic consequences of Brexit he's hamstrung as as soon as he says "it's a disaster" he has to get into why he doesn't want to rejoin....
Well actually, Oliver, the electionologists have been saying for weeks and reiterating tonight, 2018 is good high mark for Labour to be compared against.
I’m know you’re being wry, but a few key quotes from news sources in 2018 to ensure there’s no attempts to rewrite history.
Daily Mail in 2018: “ Labour has made a small number of gains but fallen well short of expectations”
BBC in 2018: “The election results will come as a disappointment to Labour, relief for the Conservatives and mild encouragement for the Liberal Democrats.”
Sky News in 2018: “Labour, in the other hand, will no doubt stage an inquest into why they didn't do better, particularly in London, and suffered losses outside the capital.”
Turns out lots of media outlets are behind paywall these days making this sort of thing trickier than it used to be.
And there is a second supporting viewpoint.
Where a whole council isn’t up at once, but thirds over 4 years, direct comparisons with four years ago isn’t the whole story. What has happened in between plays a part in a distinct local narrative.
Do you know HYUFD by the way? He is another very polite and clued in Tory like yourself, working the jug on this blog for many years now, like a pro pub stripper trying to capture the rooms attention. Last week he said Starmer needs to take Swindon. When you look into it Tories had such an excellent result there last year, taking two seats that forever have been Labour, in all fairness it actually takes a few elections to work back from such bad years? In all honesty would you agree?
I’m Jade (identify she, her, Libdem) my girlfriend thinks I’m nuts to stay up next 60 hours to follow this, that only makes me even more determined to do it 😉
And there are more than 7 million people like Kirill in the country, Putin’s middle and upper class. Six months before disaster struck one of them told me, “You and Navalny are tilting at windmills. We are the middle class, and everything suits us fine. Putin lets us earn money, and so what that there aren’t elections — you don’t make money off elections.” He had all the rest: children in private schools now and off to the best European universities later, holidays in Crimea and the Emirates three or four times a year, better restaurants than in Europe, clothing, luxury gated communities, etc. Who cares about elections when Chanel and Louis Vuitton make life worth living? Right?
None of the people I spoke with could formulate the idea or ideology that was the basis of their loyalty. They are all just opportunists who regarded support for the regime as a form of capital investment. They viewed Putin's aggressive rhetoric toward the West as the correct strategy: if a competitor cannot be beaten in business, then he must be crushed, broken, and forced to surrender.
But unlike the 1998 collapse, the current financial and economic crisis has no positive outlook. There is only one direction it can take: down. The bureaucrats, the siloviki, and the loyalists who have become (almost) an opposition still hope to reverse the negative trend.
I was in Indonesia when Suharto fell. The deal was "I'll make you rich, and don't bother about democracy." He lasted 9 months after he could no longer support his side of the deal.
Prof Thrasher: overall Tory losses may be around 150.
If it is really as low as that then some of the opinion polls are not accurate.
People having been trying to paint me as a soft spot for Boris remaining in power, I’ve merely been trying to say to them, these votes inform us in a better way if we are on for a 1992 result next time better than the opinion polls can do. Why? Because the leads and deficits in opinion polls don’t clearly show where votes going to fall - Labour don’t just need more votes than 2019 GE, they need those votes where they are needed - not just in London where they already have the parliament MPs, but even in red wall, they don’t need them piling up in constituency next door they already hold, they need them in the places they need to win.
Mike has used the headline LD MAKING GAINS IN BLUE WALL – LAB NOT MAKING PROGRESS IN RED WALL very early on here, but already it looks the key take out from this set of elections.
I suggest LD MAKING GAINS IN BLUE WALL – LAB NOT MAKING PROGRESS IN RED WALL will be the summoning up too after every vote is counted.
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent vote share when it's released.
The prediction was made by Martin Baxter, not CCHQ.
I was referring to the guff they kept pummelling about 500 or even 800 seat losses, pedalled around by them. It was impossible for them to lose that many.
The prediction was made by Martin Baxter, not CCHQ.
I was referring to the guff they kept pummelling about 500 or even 800 seat losses, pedalled around by them. It was impossible for them to lose that many.
The prediction was made by Martin Baxter, not CCHQ.
I was referring to the guff they kept pummelling about 500 or even 800 seat losses, pedalled around by them. It was impossible for them to lose that many.
That was the prediction by Martin Baxter.
I was referring to the way CCHQ and the tory press kept pummelling it and passing it around the press.
The much more sensible and psephologically based analysis by the Britain Elects / News Statesman team got this spot on, at least that's the way it looks.
Which is why I said yesterday that it will be 'meh'.
The prediction was made by Martin Baxter, not CCHQ.
I was referring to the guff they kept pummelling about 500 or even 800 seat losses, pedalled around by them. It was impossible for them to lose that many.
That was the prediction by Martin Baxter.
I was referring to the way CCHQ and the tory press kept pummelling it and passing it around the press.
The much more sensible and psephologically based analysis by the Britain Elects / News Statesman team got this spot on, at least that's the way it looks.
Which is why I said yesterday that it will be 'meh'.
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
I’m all over this. The best psephologisings around. When you were asleep, Labour flopped in its Red Wall fight back. From here Labour look set to pile on some councillor and council gains, even Westminster too close to call, Wandsworth and Barnet in bag. But flopping in the red wall battle throws removing Boris majority in a GE very much into doubt.
There are still signs of the legacy of Brexit in tonight's results.
If we compare them with what happened in the 2016 local elections, shortly before the EU referendum, the Conservative performance is clearly stronger in the most pro-Leave areas - up 8 percentage points - than it is in the most pro-Remain ones - down 9 points.
Labour's performance is also up compared with where it was in 2016 in pro-Remain areas, but weaker in the most pro-Leave ones.
Although not as stark, some of this pattern is also evident in the change since 2018, when these seats were last contested. The Tories are down 7 points in the most Remain areas, but only by 2 points in the most pro-Leave ones.
These figures illustrate the limitations in the success of Labour's attempt to woo Leave voters away from the Conservatives and back in their direction."
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
I’m all over this. The best psephologisings around. When you were asleep, Labour flopped in its Red Wall fight back. From here Labour look set to pile on some councillor and council gains, even Westminster too close to call, Wandsworth and Barnet in bag. But flopping in the red wall battle throws removing Boris majority in a GE very much into doubt.
I do agree with you though, that the expectation management from Tories was laughable, last week the electionologists said 150-200 Tories losses, and with all these results in, it’s exactly what they are still saying.
But I, Mike, and that header, is also right, it’s not where the losses are, it’s where they didn’t turn out to be that is big take out here.
Here in West Oxfordshire the Conservatives have hung on to one seat by four votes and another by five! But a couple of formerly very safe seats have fallen (one Green, one LD) and it looks like there could be more to come.
Yep. The greens have done it. No more Labour mayors in Bristol. As predicted by me on PB this week, after being told by Snooks it was going to happen by 9/10 margin. Well it sure wasn’t that.
What it now means is, green, con, Lib Dem gang together to control something they were never likely to control if it remained a mayor.
Is this start of a trend, chopping mayors to make a makeshift traffic light coalition - as the Penguin Cafe Orchestra would put it.
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
I’m all over this. The best psephologisings around. When you were asleep, Labour flopped in its Red Wall fight back. From here Labour look set to pile on some councillor and council gains, even Westminster too close to call, Wandsworth and Barnet in bag. But flopping in the red wall battle throws removing Boris majority in a GE very much into doubt.
I do agree with you though, that the expectation management from Tories was laughable, last week the electionologists said 150-200 Tories losses, and with all these results in, it’s exactly what they are still saying.
But I, Mike, and that header, is also right, it’s not where the losses are, it’s where they didn’t turn out to be that is big take out here.
The other question is whether Labour is, in its move to the centre, shedding left-leaning votes to the greens (or LibDems).
Looks like the tories may be about to be wiped out in Richmond: losing all 11 of their councillors.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
I’m all over this. The best psephologisings around. When you were asleep, Labour flopped in its Red Wall fight back. From here Labour look set to pile on some councillor and council gains, even Westminster too close to call, Wandsworth and Barnet in bag. But flopping in the red wall battle throws removing Boris majority in a GE very much into doubt.
I do agree with you though, that the expectation management from Tories was laughable, last week the electionologists said 150-200 Tories losses, and with all these results in, it’s exactly what they are still saying.
But I, Mike, and that header, is also right, it’s not where the losses are, it’s where they didn’t turn out to be that is big take out here.
The other question is whether Labour is, in its move to the centre, shedding left-leaning votes to the greens (or LibDems).
And the answer is, no it isn't.
Maybe just hold your fire and wait for the fuller results.
Here in West Oxfordshire the Conservatives have hung on to one seat by four votes and another by five! But a couple of formerly very safe seats have fallen (one Green, one LD) and it looks like there could be more to come.
And now one to Labour as well. This is turning out to be a very bad night for the Tories in Cameron country - they will lose control of the council for the first time in decades.
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
I’m all over this. The best psephologisings around. When you were asleep, Labour flopped in its Red Wall fight back. From here Labour look set to pile on some councillor and council gains, even Westminster too close to call, Wandsworth and Barnet in bag. But flopping in the red wall battle throws removing Boris majority in a GE very much into doubt.
I do agree with you though, that the expectation management from Tories was laughable, last week the electionologists said 150-200 Tories losses, and with all these results in, it’s exactly what they are still saying.
But I, Mike, and that header, is also right, it’s not where the losses are, it’s where they didn’t turn out to be that is big take out here.
The other question is whether Labour is, in its move to the centre, shedding left-leaning votes to the greens (or LibDems).
Yeah it’s a good point. And I don’t think they can rely on this green vote voting tactically at GE.
Looks like the tories may be about to be wiped out in Richmond: losing all 11 of their councillors.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
We will have to wait to see if there is a golden dawn in the south west in the count tomorrow - the Tories have done well there recently to expect too much change, but if there is, Tory losses could still be pushed over 200.
Looks like Mike has jumped the gun with this thread
Nope. He’s spot on.
Good morning by the way.
Good morning. No, he has jumped the gun. Labour look to be doing exactly as expected.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
I’m all over this. The best psephologisings around. When you were asleep, Labour flopped in its Red Wall fight back. From here Labour look set to pile on some councillor and council gains, even Westminster too close to call, Wandsworth and Barnet in bag. But flopping in the red wall battle throws removing Boris majority in a GE very much into doubt.
I do agree with you though, that the expectation management from Tories was laughable, last week the electionologists said 150-200 Tories losses, and with all these results in, it’s exactly what they are still saying.
But I, Mike, and that header, is also right, it’s not where the losses are, it’s where they didn’t turn out to be that is big take out here.
The other question is whether Labour is, in its move to the centre, shedding left-leaning votes to the greens (or LibDems).
And the answer is, no it isn't.
Maybe just hold your fire and wait for the fuller results.
You think no-one should comment until all the results are in, which will be some time Saturday?
When @MForstater accidentally referred to a bearded person who identifies as non-binary as 'he', woke Twitter decided she was an evil bigot who deserved all she got. Today Stonewall's barrister called a bearded person who identifies as a woman 'Mr'... Where is the global fury?
IO: Re Mr Drummond - AB: Is it Miss Drummond? IO: Ms Drummond perhaps
Looks like the tories may be about to be wiped out in Richmond: losing all 11 of their councillors.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
Tories tipped to win Sutton from Lib Dems. It’s Brexit still very much in play out there in England you understand?
Looks like the tories may be about to be wiped out in Richmond: losing all 11 of their councillors.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
We will have to wait to see if there is a golden dawn in the south west in the count tomorrow - the Tories have done well there recently to expect too much change, but if there is, Tory losses could still be pushed over 200.
There's expected to be an "against the trend" result in Sutton, although it may not materialise.
My point about jumping the gun on Labour was just to wait a bit. There is a mixed picture, which sensible people were expecting.
The red wall old Brexit seats are going to be the hardest to turn back to Labour and it's probably the cost of living crisis that will finally lose Boris his lustre in them. Even stupid stunts like Rwanda may not sway them at the next GE.
But there are a lot of results still to come and we need to see the bigger picture. The national equivalent vote share will be key.
The final result will be an impressive win by 10 seats?
ConHome conceding Westminster HY?
Quite possibly, again follows the trend. Westminster like Wandsworth is ultra Remain and Remain areas are where the biggest swings against the Tories are happening tonight.
Should also be noted Cities of London and Westminster is now in the top 100 Labour target seats
It seems that Hillingdon is not as secure as the tories on here were saying yesterday. We were told that the Atlantic would freeze over before Hillingdon ditched the tories. Well, there are rumours that they're in trouble.
Looks like the tories may be about to be wiped out in Richmond: losing all 11 of their councillors.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
We will have to wait to see if there is a golden dawn in the south west in the count tomorrow - the Tories have done well there recently to expect too much change, but if there is, Tory losses could still be pushed over 200.
There's expected to be an "against the trend" result in Sutton, although it may not materialise.
Against the trend, solid remain council solid leave voting public? The trend tonight is Brexit still alive and well in elections isn’t it?
Looks like the tories may be about to be wiped out in Richmond: losing all 11 of their councillors.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
We will have to wait to see if there is a golden dawn in the south west in the count tomorrow - the Tories have done well there recently to expect too much change, but if there is, Tory losses could still be pushed over 200.
There's expected to be an "against the trend" result in Sutton, although it may not materialise.
The trend tonight is Brexit still alive and well in elections isn’t it?
The latest figures suggest a swing to Labour of around 2% in Brexit red wall seats but this needs to be confirmed.
If I were a tory pinning my hopes on that, I would be extremely concerned. If the rest of the country is turning against the tories, a modest swing against in Brexit seats wouldn't save Boris' bacon.
And the likelihood of that domino toppling further as the cost of living crisis bites is considerable.
Anyway, I await the national equivalent vote share and bigger picture later today.
Looks like the tories may be about to be wiped out in Richmond: losing all 11 of their councillors.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
We will have to wait to see if there is a golden dawn in the south west in the count tomorrow - the Tories have done well there recently to expect too much change, but if there is, Tory losses could still be pushed over 200.
There's expected to be an "against the trend" result in Sutton, although it may not materialise.
Against the trend, solid remain council solid leave voting public? The trend tonight is Brexit still alive and well in elections isn’t it?
Is it? Brexit has happened. Suppose instead it is levelling up that is still in play in the Red Wall — the results would look much the same.
Comments
So at the moment it is mainly the LDs and Independents taking Conservative seats, not Labour. Labour even seeing losses, though still the Labour heartland of London to come.
Tory losses not great but not devastating for Boris either so far
With well over 150 key wards now declared, the Conservatives are down by 3 percentage points on their performance the last time these areas were contested in 2018, Labour is down 1 point, and the Liberal Democrats are up 4 points.
If we compare the results with last year, then Labour is up 4 points, the Tories are down 6 points, and the Liberal Democrats are up 3 points.
So while the Liberal Democrats have so far stolen some of the headlines and Labour's advance has been limited, it's still the case that the Conservatives have lost considerable ground since 12 months ago.
Con doing worse in the South - but neither Lab nor LD are making an advance.
Independents are doing very well - with 20% in key wards where they are standing.
Jiggle them baby!
Daily Mail in 2018: “ Labour has made a small number of gains but fallen well short of expectations”
BBC in 2018: “The election results will come as a disappointment to Labour, relief for the Conservatives and mild encouragement for the Liberal Democrats.”
Sky News in 2018: “Labour, in the other hand, will no doubt stage an inquest into why they didn't do better, particularly in London, and suffered losses outside the capital.”
Turns out lots of media outlets are behind paywall these days making this sort of thing trickier than it used to be.
Asked by @thehuwedwards whether he agrees with them, Mallinson says “I can see their point of view.” Then says he thinks the Prime Minister should go.
https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1522396229438775296
https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1522393843655757827
I’m going to stick with the electionolgists who say Labour we’re not in a bad place in 2018 in the red wall, so standing still there compared to 2018 is not a bad result.
Have to say though, you are very clued up, and you have given it a damn good try.
INCOMING!
Seats: no change
Councils -1
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2022/england/results
Lab +2
Con -57
LD + 30
Con 1411
Lab 1384
This is in Angela Rayner's constituency.
https://tameside.moderngov.co.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=386&RPID=6530475
Where a whole council isn’t up at once, but thirds over 4 years, direct comparisons with four years ago isn’t the whole story. What has happened in between plays a part in a distinct local narrative.
Do you know HYUFD by the way? He is another very polite and clued in Tory like yourself, working the jug on this blog for many years now, like a pro pub stripper trying to capture the rooms attention. Last week he said Starmer needs to take Swindon. When you look into it Tories had such an excellent result there last year, taking two seats that forever have been Labour, in all fairness it actually takes a few elections to work back from such bad years? In all honesty would you agree?
I’m Jade (identify she, her, Libdem) my girlfriend thinks I’m nuts to stay up next 60 hours to follow this, that only makes me even more determined to do it 😉
None of the people I spoke with could formulate the idea or ideology that was the basis of their loyalty. They are all just opportunists who regarded support for the regime as a form of capital investment. They viewed Putin's aggressive rhetoric toward the West as the correct strategy: if a competitor cannot be beaten in business, then he must be crushed, broken, and forced to surrender.
But unlike the 1998 collapse, the current financial and economic crisis has no positive outlook. There is only one direction it can take: down. The bureaucrats, the siloviki, and the loyalists who have become (almost) an opposition still hope to reverse the negative trend.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/05/05/a-heart-to-heart-with-russias-elites-a77587
I was in Indonesia when Suharto fell. The deal was "I'll make you rich, and don't bother about democracy." He lasted 9 months after he could no longer support his side of the deal.
IIRC a "central' estimate for Tory losses was about 200 - so 150 would still be respectable.
Mike has used the headline LD MAKING GAINS IN BLUE WALL – LAB NOT MAKING PROGRESS IN RED WALL very early on here, but already it looks the key take out from this set of elections.
I suggest LD MAKING GAINS IN BLUE WALL – LAB NOT MAKING PROGRESS IN RED WALL will be the summoning up too after every vote is counted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9J9N3w5pwk
https://sotn.newstatesman.com/2022/05/our-local-election-forecast-for-2022/
Good morning by the way.
If you look at the NewStatesman / Britain Elects predictions this all looks exactly right. We await London results with interest, where Labour are looking good.
The key figure will be the equivalent national vote share when it's released.
https://sotn.newstatesman.com/2022/05/our-local-election-forecast-for-2022/
Lab +0.2%
Con -4%
Curtice: Lab not making abnormal gains in London.
Last year Con lead = 7%
Implies Lab lead now of 4%.
The much more sensible and psephologically based analysis by the Britain Elects / News Statesman team got this spot on, at least that's the way it looks.
Which is why I said yesterday that it will be 'meh'.
https://sotn.newstatesman.com/2022/05/our-local-election-forecast-for-2022/
As for the New Statesman prediction. Spot on? Have you actually compared their prediction to the current results?
When you were asleep, Labour flopped in its Red Wall fight back.
From here Labour look set to pile on some councillor and council gains, even Westminster too close to call, Wandsworth and Barnet in bag.
But flopping in the red wall battle throws removing Boris majority in a GE very much into doubt.
"Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert
There are still signs of the legacy of Brexit in tonight's results.
If we compare them with what happened in the 2016 local elections, shortly before the EU referendum, the Conservative performance is clearly stronger in the most pro-Leave areas - up 8 percentage points - than it is in the most pro-Remain ones - down 9 points.
Labour's performance is also up compared with where it was in 2016 in pro-Remain areas, but weaker in the most pro-Leave ones.
Although not as stark, some of this pattern is also evident in the change since 2018, when these seats were last contested. The Tories are down 7 points in the most Remain areas, but only by 2 points in the most pro-Leave ones.
These figures illustrate the limitations in the success of Labour's attempt to woo Leave voters away from the Conservatives and back in their direction."
https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/bristol-mayoral-referendum-2022-results-night-live/
But I, Mike, and that header, is also right, it’s not where the losses are, it’s where they didn’t turn out to be that is big take out here.
As predicted by me on PB this week, after being told by Snooks it was going to happen by 9/10 margin. Well it sure wasn’t that.
What it now means is, green, con, Lib Dem gang together to control something they were never likely to control if it remained a mayor.
Is this start of a trend, chopping mayors to make a makeshift traffic light coalition - as the Penguin Cafe Orchestra would put it.
I'm a little bit more confident about my Woking tip for the LibDems. Someone mocked this the other day: but the tories are in real trouble in West/south-west London and Surrey. I can see them losing up to 10 MPs to the LibDems in 2024 and this could be decisive.
When the red wall Brexit voters realise that their Boris dream is just a chimera, they will tumble too. It just takes them a little longer than the rest of us to cotton on.
There are still over 3,000 seats to declare in England .
Maybe just hold your fire and wait for the fuller results.
Aligns with them doing better in Remain areas, as are the LDs, while the Conservative vote holds up in Leave areas
https://twitter.com/UKLabour/status/1522416486509424641?s=20&t=C1zdlqaRw--GrQj57zP07A
IO: Re Mr Drummond -
AB: Is it Miss Drummond?
IO: Ms Drummond perhaps
https://twitter.com/simonjedge/status/1522283620697878529?s=20&t=AFSgRNUpkKia04Yfpnx9qw
The first time Wandsworth has been won by Labour since 1978.
https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1522416919495725077
Yay!!!
ConHome conceding Westminster HY?
The red wall old Brexit seats are going to be the hardest to turn back to Labour and it's probably the cost of living crisis that will finally lose Boris his lustre in them. Even stupid stunts like Rwanda may not sway them at the next GE.
But there are a lot of results still to come and we need to see the bigger picture. The national equivalent vote share will be key.
So just wait!
Should also be noted Cities of London and Westminster is now in the top 100 Labour target seats
I still stand by Mikes header as the main take out from this night for PBers to ponder.
LD MAKING GAINS IN BLUE WALL – LAB NOT MAKING PROGRESS IN RED WALL
https://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1522421010322100224?s=20&t=C1zdlqaRw--GrQj57zP07A
If I were a tory pinning my hopes on that, I would be extremely concerned. If the rest of the country is turning against the tories, a modest swing against in Brexit seats wouldn't save Boris' bacon.
And the likelihood of that domino toppling further as the cost of living crisis bites is considerable.
Anyway, I await the national equivalent vote share and bigger picture later today.
Greens doing well in Oxford, picking up two seats that would otherwise be Labour. EDIT: make that three!