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!

Clarke gets the jitters

Seems that Charles Clarke has given up on his ambition to run for the leadership of the Labour Party. Despite saying that Brown is psychologically flawedamongst other things, he now seems to have changed tact by declaring him the most successful chancellor in 200 years. So this will lead to a non existent challenge from the left which will serve no purpose but to remind a few why they joined and left the Labout party.

Maltheus thinks theres been some cushy discussions about a cabinet level job for Mr Clarke - well it can't be because he wants to devote more time to the consituency can it?! Maybe he's done a pact so that his partner in crime - Alan Milburn - can run, but i doubt it!

Oh yeah....go vote!

Vote Norwich!

Both in the local elections....

...And for the Monopoly game too - The more people vote for Norwich, the more it climbs up the ladder. Lets make it Mayfair!

Billboards abroad?

Norfolk Blogger makes a good point that he noticed on his trip down South that there was very little political billboards around. Maltheus must admit that on locally, around Norwich he hasn't seen too many either. Theres the four Lib Dem 'Winning here' boards at the house near the uni and a smattering of Green boards but Maltheus hasn't personally seen any posters or Billboards for the Tories, Labour or any others anywhere.

A board makes a affirmation that the person situated at that house is a keen supporter of the party and i suppose some may be reluctant to have them in case they then get sucked into the political debates of their advertisers.

When Maltheus used to lived in the 'Golden trainagle' he had a corner house and 4 other flatmates. They all have differing opinions on politics and so like Pokemon they tried to 'catch them all' - Our garden had advertisements for Green at one end and Lib Dem the other. Slightly confusing to the average passer by but making a statement that we were political. Maybe a way to raise awareness of the elections is to have a 'We're voting' poster or board people could put up - this helps advertise the elections without having to reveal your vote if you don't want to?I'd certaily be up for it if the council made them.