Election losers and winners and spin

The results are now mostly in for the local elections. Maltheus isn't going to do a minute analysis as there's far better critiques on the BBC and Guardian websites.

The Tories seem to be the winners at the moment with gains of 800+ seats across the country and some inroads into those eleusive towns. Labour has lost about 400 odd seats and the Lib Dems have made an overall loss of a couple o hundred seats despite making some notable progress in some areas.

Locally, the Greens lost by one vote in one ward to prevent them coming the largest opposition party in Norwich. Bet Ramsays secretly fuming behind his calm exterior. The Tories have become three and Morphew managed to just abut hold his ranks with a 300+ majority and maintaining the largest grouping on the council.

In South Norfolk, the Tories managed to win big and overturn the council there. They were one of the first groups to set up a innovative e-approach to the elections with blogs, downloads and Youtube ad's. Maybe this had a influence?

In North Norfolk, the Tories gained a few off of Independents but the Lib Dems consolidated and strengthened their grip. It's going to be reallit is iy hard for any candidate up there to lodge Norman Lamb away from his seat now. This used to be a uber-vulnerabloe seat but the Lib Dems won't be easy to unlodge by any party.

Maltheus's final comment is to vent his frustration at the election spin from the parties HQ's. Yes, it is inevitable but irritating nonetheless. Tony Blair claims that the loss of so many seats is a good steeping stone to success! How?! Cameron skirts around the issues of the major Northern cities with no Tories and Ming (Probably the most honest) claims a mixed bag - yes, they did have some successes but the net number of councillors was dramatically down!

Tory Question?

Q. Have the Conservatives really changed when their Norwich Manifesto states they intend to offer a 10% rebate on Council to every council tax payer? And offering greater investment? Doesn't this sound like every past Conservative manifesto?

A. Your views....?

Wheres Charles?

Guido has created a interactive map on his blog where he follows Gordon Brown and his travels. Maltheus wishes he could do one about his local MP, Charles Clarke but doesn't know what the hell he is upto nowadays. All Maltheus hears of Clarke is his intention to try and kamikase pilot himself into the Labour Party. All this plotting is all well and good but Maltheus wouldn't mind it if Clarke actually bothered to do things in his constituentcy rather than trying to provoke his peers into a GB revolt.

When Maltheus screens the local papers there is no mention of Clarke apart from his supprt from the beard liberation front or a group of equal nonsense. He has no website, has no mention in the local papers and only gets covered in the nationals when he nobbles out a speech or two on the empty labour party future. Iain Gibson by comparrison is constantly in the news, declaring his support or anger at local intiatives and local results. It's not all about what you have in the news but it helps to have something in the papers to ensure that people think you door more than plot in your Portcullis tower...

SNP, Independence and Unitary

The talk of the elections has so far concentrated on Scotland and Wales. There has been little talk so far of what might happen within England and Norfolk. Maybe that is because the most controversial outcome might be the victory of the SNP and a road to independence. Maltheus isn't convinced that this is the greatest idea that Salmond or Scotland has had - Sure Ireland has a thriving economny but Maltheus doesn't reckon that Scotland would be able to make that jump - Without having to go through a very painful period.

One of Norwich's issues is the Unitary bid at the moment and Maltheus isn't too confident that voters know about this or even care! On the doorsteps it is crime, education, health that matter rather than a little bit more independence for some and a little less for others. Now, the o bearded one -Steve Morphew- would argue that actually by tackling the unitary bid you tackle the other problems. But Maltheus can't see that playing well on the doorstep and so that might be why Labour isn't mentioning it on their literature?

So with the EDP's help - What are the Unitary bids pro's and cons?

- Advantages of home rule:
-Decisions on services in Norwich will be made by councillors who represent the city.Less confusion over who provides services.
-The new unitary authority would be able to have a stronger focus on urban needs such as deprivation, educational attainment and health issues.
-Closer working with local communities and neighbourhoods.Higher profile nationally and internationally
-Better targeting of resources on deprived areas.
Educational attainment in the city would rise.
Disadvantages of home rule:
-Higher council tax bills created by the £18 million set up costs for the new authority and £32 million overall change and transformation costs.
-Redundancies among social care and cultural services staff.
-Possible closure of some libraries.Extra confusion due to a two-tier system.Widespread disruption and breaking up of services which currently work well.
-The city council's balances being taken to a level below that recommended for council services.

All the parties in city hall bar the Consevatives seem to be in favour of the bid but interestingly Maltheus hears of grumblings in the Labour County ranks. Not keen on a decrease of power?