Tag Archives: watford

Labour struggle to understand election results

By Sara Bedford | Published 6th June 2010 - 1:20 pm

The Watford Labour Party has published a members’ newsletter and placed a copy online. In the report of May’s local elections it reads:

In the Mayoral election, Nigel Bell came a close second.
Which is strange. Because in the vote for Watford’s elected mayor, won for the third time by Lib Dem Dorothy Thornhill, Labour’s candidate Nigel Bell didn’t come second, close or otherwise. He came third.

In the first ballot of the AV election, the votes were:

  • Nigel Bell (Labour) 10,029
  • Steve Johnson (Conservative) 10,403
  • Alex Macgregor Mason (Green) 2,173
  • Dorothy Thornhill (LibDem) 19,153

After the votes in this AV election were transferred, …

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Conservative candidate steps down after foul-mouthed tirade

By Ryan Cullen | Published 14th April 2010 - 12:11 pm

On Monday Lib Dem Voice brought you the story of potty-mouthed Conservative candidate Chris Hawes and his foul language aimed at Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.

Yesterday Chris Hawes decided to step down as the Conservative’s council candidate for the Leavesden ward of Three Rivers District Council, which in the Lib Dem target constituency of Watford. Watford Conservatives’ representaive Peter Ganney emailed the Watford Lib Dems constituency chair, saying: “Chris is embarrassed by what he wrote and has apologised for using such rude words. He has chosen to withdraw his candidature for Three Rivers District Council, Leavesden Ward”.

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Election Appeal: Help elect Sal Brinton in Watford – DONATE to her campaign TODAY

By Stephen Tall | Published 29th March 2010 - 4:40 pm

Liberal Democrat Voice is running a special appeal to raise funds for five of the party’s very best general elections candidates – all of whom have a real chance of winning but need your help NOW to ensure they do win.

Click here to make a donation TODAY.

Today we’re highlighting the campaign of Sal Brinton, Lib Dem candidate for Watford …

Watford nearly proved to be one of the shocks of the 2005 General Election, as Sal Brinton took the Lib Dems from a distant third place to a very close second. Just 1,148 votes separate Sal from Labour Minister and

…

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Sara Bedford on the Watford play areas ‘Flat Earth News’ day

By Stephen Tall | Published 29th October 2009 - 6:45 pm

I reported here on LDV this afternoon on the serious mis-reporting of Watford Borough Council’s children’s adventure playgrounds policy, indulged by Iain Dale and some newspapers.

For all the media attempts to stir-up some cliched ‘political correctness gone mad’ controversy, it’s clear that Lib Dem Mayor Dorothy Thornhill has acted sensibly and straightforwardly throughout. I hope all those who have copy ‘n’ pasted the mythologised story without first verifying their sources will now ensure they amend their articles to reflect the facts.

One person who does know what she’s talking about – both as a near-by councillor, and as …

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Posted in News | Also tagged , | 7 Comments

Watford’s liberal Lib Dem Mayor – what Iain Dale didn’t report

By Stephen Tall | Published 29th October 2009 - 1:40 pm

Tory blogger Iain Dale should perhaps have paused before clicking ‘publish’ on his latest – highly inaccurate – post, How Very Illiberal of a LibDem Mayor. Those few seconds’ hesitation would have been sufficient for him to do a quick Google and find out what he was about to write was nonsense.

In his article, Iain recycled a Metro report to allege that Watford Borough Council (run by elected Lib Dem mayor Dorothy Thornhill) has “barred [parents] from public playgrounds in parks. Instead, they are forced to wait outside the railings whilst council-employed “play facilitators” assist the children.”

Iain describes the …

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Posted in Local government | Also tagged , , | 36 Comments

When should a politician say sorry?

By Stephen Tall | Published 14th April 2009 - 4:22 pm

Damian McBride’s indefensibly puerile emails seeking to smear senior Tories (and Nadine Dorries) have left David Cameron understandably livid:

David Cameron is demanding a personal apology from Prime Minister Gordon Brown over e-mails sent by an adviser discussing smearing the Tories. The Tory leader is “absolutely furious” and is calling on Mr Brown to give a guarantee that such messages will not be sent again, a spokeswoman said.

Many will argue – no matter which party they support – that this is the very least Mr Brown should do. It does not matter that he is not personally …

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Posted in Op-eds, Opposition watch | Also tagged , , , , | 2 Comments