[Politics] May 2021 local elections and Hartlepool by-election

[ManOfSussex]

Have you actually read up on him? All he does is bang on about MSM and Fake News. If that is your thing then fine but I learnt last time round to check the background of Independents. Sounds like a good thing if you just read Independent and ex copper. And yet his stance on defending your home sounds a bit US gun lobbyish. Again, if that is your thing then fine but looking at my choice of Independents today, I have this guy and an ex UKIP candidate. I thing the last election we had, the Independent was ex BNP.

No I hadn't, so thanks for this. I've just Googled him and concur. Think it'll be a spoilt ballot paper then on that one.

The independent in the East Sussex election in my ward is a good egg however and I know somebody who knows her.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

No I hadn't, so thanks for this. I've just Googled him and concur. Think it'll be a spoilt ballot paper then on that one.

The independent in the East Sussex election in my ward is a good egg however and I know somebody who knows her.

I don't know why I always assumed Independent was automatically a good thing but I did. I am guessing that is what they rely on. I only mentioned it as I had just looked him up a few minutes before your post. His statement was a bit all over the place so I had a further look and found his rant when the Argus tried asking him questions. Independents can be great and I think the best example of this is the Shing family in Polegate/Willingdon. I think they have 3 or 4 members of the family on various councils and they just seem to act on behalf of their constituents. I don't live in the area but I think they are very popular and win handsomely in what is normally a traditional blue area. I guess the problem with Independents is breaking the red/blue/yellow vote that is cast without reading manifestos.

 

[Notters]

View attachment 136414

Birotastic !

Having just got back, they had a massive pot of pens for anyone without one.

The odd thing was that they only had one booth in use, which didn't seem terribly covid-safe.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Having just got back, they had a massive pot of pens for anyone without one.

The odd thing was that they only had one booth in use, which didn't seem terribly covid-safe.

Good to know, thanks.

I'm going fully tooled up.

 

[ManOfSussex]

I don't know why I always assumed Independent was automatically a good thing but I did. I am guessing that is what they rely on. I only mentioned it as I had just looked him up a few minutes before your post. His statement was a bit all over the place so I had a further look and found his rant when the Argus tried asking him questions. Independents can be great and I think the best example of this is the Shing family in Polegate/Willingdon. I think they have 3 or 4 members of the family on various councils and they just seem to act on behalf of their constituents. I don't live in the area but I think they are very popular and win handsomely in what is normally a traditional blue area. I guess the problem with Independents is breaking the red/blue/yellow vote that is cast without reading manifestos.

Rother District Council is another good example of independents. The leader of the council now is one. A group of independents who were known in their relevant wards stood and unseated the council from Tory control, working alongside Labour, The Lib Dems and Greens to form a coalition. The first thing they did was to cut the cabinet to the legal minimum required with councillors doubling up on roles to save money on expenses, which was put straight into the budget for kids sports facilities. You'd never have thought that RDC would be anything other than blue, but it happened.

 

[keaton]

I don't know why I always assumed Independent was automatically a good thing but I did. I am guessing that is what they rely on. I only mentioned it as I had just looked him up a few minutes before your post. His statement was a bit all over the place so I had a further look and found his rant when the Argus tried asking him questions. Independents can be great and I think the best example of this is the Shing family in Polegate/Willingdon. I think they have 3 or 4 members of the family on various councils and they just seem to act on behalf of their constituents. I don't live in the area but I think they are very popular and win handsomely in what is normally a traditional blue area. I guess the problem with Independents is breaking the red/blue/yellow vote that is cast without reading manifestos.

Yeah my missus was going to vote for the independent PCC. I try not to interfere but did suggest if she looked a bit further on his stuff he seemed a bit of an odd one

 

[The Clamp]

I am very past politics at the moment. Cannot abide any party. However, I shall go for Labour in all three of the ballots in my area. Won’t make any difference but I’ll do my duty.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Should have bought shares in an election pencil making company

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Rother District Council is another good example of independents. The leader of the council now is one. A group of independents who were known in their relevant wards stood and unseated the council from Tory control, working alongside Labour, The Lib Dems and Greens to form a coalition. The first thing they did was to cut the cabinet to the legal minimum required with councillors doubling up on roles to save money on expenses, which was put straight into the budget for kids sports facilities. You'd never have thought that RDC would be anything other than blue, but it happened.

I'm of the opinion that local councillors shouldn't be attached to a political party - i.e. they should all be independent. I'm more than bored of local affairs being run across party lines.

 

[Doonhamer7]

I will vote - as we say people died so we can, so it’s our duty to do it. I’m totally dismayed by the lot of them Tories seem worse than ever (and I hate Thatcher) but I’m shocked by how poor the alternative is. Maybe I’ll just write none of the above. Big vote is the one in Scotland - could lead to the end of the Uk

 

[BN41Albion]

A few years ago I visited my daughter who was working in Vienna. Now Vienna is a beautiful city but absolutely spoiled by mindless graffiti everywhere - doors, walls, shop windows, statues, peoples’ flats and houses and even along the embankment of the Danube.

When I commented on this she explained that the local authorities considered graffiti to be art and so any culprits are never prosecuted or punished and therefore allowed to carry on regardless.

Art? My arse!

I really like proper street art, but tagging like that does seem to be a particular problem on the continent (or not!)

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Agree with everything you have said, but can't give a thumbs up as if you don't agree with it you need to make that clear on your ballot paper. Not voting is implicitly supporting the status quo.

(And same with [MENTION=25402]Blue Valkyrie[/MENTION]).

I see your point but by participating in the process, even if it is only to spoil my ballot paper, I'm implicitly supporting that the process is a valid one.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The only candidate to knock on my door and answer my questions was the Tory. I'll be voting against the Henfield Village Plan, so I'll certainly be turning out.

My understanding is that if the electorate vote FOR a Village Plan then the planners have to work with what has been agreed.

If the electorate vote AGAINST then it becomes a developer 'free for all'.

In Ashington our village plan has agreed to take c. 220 new houses, but if people vote against it we could end up with 600.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I see your point but by participating in the process, even it is only to spoil my ballot paper, I'm implicitly supporting that the process is a valid one.

I can also see your point, but I am leaving them in no doubt on my ballot paper that I see the process as invalid. I wouldn't want them to interpret my non participation as tacit agreement with the process, if not the options (and I'll use a bright red felt tip ) .

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Voting is a precious thing which millions around the world are denied and which generations fought and died for the right to allow us to do. The least you can do is toddle off down the local church hall and put an X on a bit of paper. Or just write write "****" against all of them if you truly want to register a protest.

I've voted Lib(Dem), Labour and Tory in the past.

I spoilt my ballot for Borg Queen vs Magic Grandad.

Spoiling did no good.

Things are much, much worse now. And we have an electorate who laps it all up.

So I'm stepping away and joining the blissful millions who don't vote.

.... Until we start to see some honour and integrity and some resignation consequences again for despicable behaviour and sleaze.

 

[beorhthelm]

My understanding is that if the electorate vote FOR a Village Plan then the planners have to work with what has been agreed.

If the electorate vote AGAINST then it becomes a developer 'free for all'.

In Ashington our village plan has agreed to take c. 220 new houses, but if people vote against it we could end up with 600.

sounds sensible. the previous routine was to simply block everything at local level, while at national level everyone demands something is done about housing.

 

[stewart12]

very long queues in Angmering today- about 20 minutes wait to get into the polling station

 

[Badger Boy]

I have voted Katy Bourne to retain her role as Commissioner. That was my only voting requirement today. However disengaged I am from politics, I will always take up my responsibility to vote.

 

[jackalbion]

Only had Police and Crime Commissioner in Hove, as I was about to head out to vote I read the manifestos, the Green Candidate said they wanted to abolish this pointless election, the Green candidate therefore got my vote.

 

[Brovion]

Went to the polling station, saw the length of the queue, turned round and came home again. This was at 4 in the afternoon, so who knows what it'll be like after work. I'm guessing it's down to all the OTT Covid precautions.