Yesterday saw voting in Bedford for the new elected mayor, with the Lib Dems’ Dave Hodgson the bookies’ favourite. Counting started this morning, and we’ll be reporting the result as soon as we receive it. Alternatively, you can do what we’re doing and follow the Twitter stream …
The good news so far is that Dave was ahead on first preferences, with Labour trailing badly in fifth place, and the Greens losing their deposit. However, as no candidate gained more than 50% of the votes cast, second preferences of the losing candidates are now being counted – so we have a while longer to wait before knowing if the Lib Dems can celebrate a terrific by-election victory.
Update 2.30 pm …
@libdemlocalgov has tweeted the first preferences voting breakdown:
Lib Dem 9428, Con 9105, Indy 7631, Indy 4316, Lab 3482, Green 1183
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3 Comments
Excellent stuff. Fingers crossed for Dave.
Apparently the result is now in and Dave Hodgson has beaten the Tories by a majority of 2000.
Dave Hogdson deserves congratulations. Thought it was a narrow -Lib Dem 9428 and Con 9105 – with Conservatives. Nevertheless it is a political system that elected the Mayor. The difficult task is to select a team of advisors and Cabinet members. Deputy Mayor also makes a lot of difference. It would be Lib-Dem agnda on wich the Mayor is elected. Previous Mayor was independent but created a party and dumped it after winning the second time. He appointed some one rejected by Labour to be deputy and one wonders whose agenda they were following. We hope that Lib-Dem Mayor will have firm commitment to Party’s agenda. Where the accountability lies at the end of the day. I am in full agreement with some of the comments that there is a sizable bulk of media columnist who knowing that this PM and the Government is on its last leg and a failure and still tries to give them enough space to cover the cracks. They do not get 3rd degree as they give to the other parties on policies and economy. No one can predict out come of the General election based on few local results which may be excellent for the party. For UK it is well overdue to have a creditable opposition in the Parliament. Given the trend in the pools; that is the realistic target and if Lb Dem wavers as the past has shown to be; giving impression that were fighting Tory party and soft on Labour Party, it will end far behind. Locally, Labour candidate has campaigned well but I think the National image has been too much on the party locally. The Party seems to have not been forgiven by the voters still for its high handed approached when in power. Dave Hogdson congratulations.