Author Archives: Mark Valladares

Two years ago, I remember campaigning for election to Mid Suffolk District Council and the sun shone for the last six weeks of the campaign. This year, the weather has been pretty unfriendly for the most part, and I’m struck down by shingles. It really was better in the old days…

Only one principal authority by-election last night, in the Angmering ward of Arun District Council in West Sussex, which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. The result;

• Andy Cooper (Conservative) – 878 votes (64%, +25% on 2011)
• Carly Goodwin

…

It’s been a fascinating week, hasn’t it? The death of Baroness Thatcher has been a reminder of a rather different political world, one of confrontation and ideology, of a sort that we don’t apparently see now. And, interestingly, most of the key players in the Thatcher administrations are quietly passing their days in the Lords, which made Wednesday’s tributes there rather more personal than those in the Commons.

And whilst the week has been dominated by her passing, and the reflections on her influence over our nation and its politics, there has been quite a lot going on, even though Parliament …

Seven principal authority by-elections yesterday, as I noted this morning, and no wins, unfortunately.

We start with the three by-elections in the one-party state that is Knowsley (sixty-three councillors, all Labour). In Prescot West ward, Ian Smith and the team pushed Labour very hard, achieving a swing from Labour, but sadly not quite enough to gain the seat;

• Lynn O’Keefe (Labour) – 441 votes (44%)
• Ian Smith (Liberal Democrat) – 403 votes (40%)
• Stephen Whatham (Trade Unions and Socialists) – 86 votes (9%)
• Robert Avery (Conservative) – 62 votes (6%)
• Robert Mbabu (Green) – 14 votes

…

There is a certain appropriateness that this should be my day, as it is the last day of the tax year for individuals, and for those of you who have to file a Self Assessment tax return, your return for 2012/13 should be available for you to complete soon. Yes, I know, you’ve got until 31 January to do so (but only if you fill it in online), but given how stressful it is when you leave it until the last moment, why not start early?

Of …

Well, just three results yesterday, as far as we’re aware. And to be honest, none of them were particularly exciting from a Liberal Democrat perspective.

In deepest Cambridgeshire, Fenland District Council has been a bit of a one-party (Conservative) state in recent years, and only relatively recently have Liberal Democrats made an impression, picking up four council seats. But UKIP have a strong presence in the Fens so, in a three way contest, there was a possibility of an upset in Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary ward, where we had achieved a 38% share of the vote in 2011.

However, it …

Yes, welcome to the frozen North, as today is brought to you from Leeds and Brighouse, the home of two prominent Liberal Democrat bloggers, Jennie Rigg and Mat Bowles.

However, as it is Good Friday, Liberal Democrat Voice doesn’t tend to work quite as intensively, so it will be a bit quieter than usual. We will be reporting on by-elections at Harwich West (Tendring District Council), Parson Drove (Fenland District Council) and Evelyn ward (London Borough of Lewisham).

We also bring you news from Europe, where Liberal Democrats continue to challenge excessive …

Well, I must say that I’m feeling a bit better this week, having lost last weekend to the wretched lurgy that is doing the rounds.

So, what’s happened of interest? Overnight, there were six by-elections indicated by ALDC, with those in Keynsham and Wells probably most potentially winnable, although it will be interesting to see how we get on in Gospel Oak ward, Camden and Royton South ward, Oldham. We came third in both in 2010 but with decent shares of the vote.

In other news, HM Revenue and Customs have

Good morning to you all, especially those of you en route to Brighton for the start of Spring Conference. Sadly, through ill health, I won’t be joining you today, so this will be a remote control sort of day. It does mean that I’ll have a bit more time for the site today, so if you do have something to say, feel free (comments policy and common courtesy apply, naturally)…

Caron has already kicked off the day in fine style, and we’ll have the usual review of the week in …

Readers will no doubt be impressed that, this time, I have remembered that there was a Parliamentary by-election yesterday. And, as one might expect, most of our attention today will be on the result, the aftermath and what this means, if anything.

There will, I hope, be the usual reports on the past week in Europe, and a preview of events in the Lords, as the end of the Parliamentary session approaches and the business moves towards a series of crucial votes.

So, will Mike Thornton and the hundreds of Liberal Democrats who have worked so hard, on the ground, on the …