Article in The Times tomorrow on the local council elections in Wales, and it is good to see a London-based broadsheet taking an interest in Welsh politics. If it were only thus always.
According to the paper, the following is a guide to the targets of the main parties:
Labour - Fighting a predominantly defensive campaign with a lot of seats at stake. It would take a good night for the party to retake Bridgend and/or Swansea, which were both lost in 2004
Plaid Cymru - Lost two of its three overall majorities last time, in Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taff, where it suffered big losses. Will want to make decent gains in the former as well as in Ceredigion, where it is now the largest party, and Carmarthenshire
Liberal Democrats - Had big wins in 2004, for example becoming the largest party in Cardiff. A better than expected evening could allow them to gain overall control in the Welsh capital.
Conservatives - Hope to take control in Vale of Glamorgan and to pick up seats in Cardiff and Newport. Currently the fifth party of local government in Wales
Other People’s Voice - fighting its first council elections, says it is going for the “grand slam” by taking Blaenau Gwent from Labour after winning the Westminster and Assembly seats. It may need a coalition with independents
Interesting that the battle for Gwynedd between Llais Gwynedd and Plaid Cymru has been missed but that should prove one of the highlights of the campaign.
There is also a piece on the Welsh elections in the Guardian's politics blog which states that
"The Conservatives could take control of Denbighshire council from the Independents, the Daily Post believes. What with the Tories fighting to claw back seats in north Wales and the current administration's failings, especially in the area's education system, there could be a swing in favour of the blues, the paper says. It is going to be a tough fight though, with 142 candidates ready to slug it out for just 47 places.
In Swansea, traffic, parking and landfill sites are the issues troubling residents, prospective councillors have told the South Wales Evening Post. Sitting councillor Alan Robinson, said used syringes, general cleanliness and recycling also needed looking at. "What we need here is common sense," he told his local paper".
According to the paper, the following is a guide to the targets of the main parties:
Labour - Fighting a predominantly defensive campaign with a lot of seats at stake. It would take a good night for the party to retake Bridgend and/or Swansea, which were both lost in 2004
Plaid Cymru - Lost two of its three overall majorities last time, in Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taff, where it suffered big losses. Will want to make decent gains in the former as well as in Ceredigion, where it is now the largest party, and Carmarthenshire
Liberal Democrats - Had big wins in 2004, for example becoming the largest party in Cardiff. A better than expected evening could allow them to gain overall control in the Welsh capital.
Conservatives - Hope to take control in Vale of Glamorgan and to pick up seats in Cardiff and Newport. Currently the fifth party of local government in Wales
Other People’s Voice - fighting its first council elections, says it is going for the “grand slam” by taking Blaenau Gwent from Labour after winning the Westminster and Assembly seats. It may need a coalition with independents
Interesting that the battle for Gwynedd between Llais Gwynedd and Plaid Cymru has been missed but that should prove one of the highlights of the campaign.
There is also a piece on the Welsh elections in the Guardian's politics blog which states that
"The Conservatives could take control of Denbighshire council from the Independents, the Daily Post believes. What with the Tories fighting to claw back seats in north Wales and the current administration's failings, especially in the area's education system, there could be a swing in favour of the blues, the paper says. It is going to be a tough fight though, with 142 candidates ready to slug it out for just 47 places.
In Swansea, traffic, parking and landfill sites are the issues troubling residents, prospective councillors have told the South Wales Evening Post. Sitting councillor Alan Robinson, said used syringes, general cleanliness and recycling also needed looking at. "What we need here is common sense," he told his local paper".
Comments
Labour
They will do poorly, mainly due to Brown having such a bad time next door and Labour being badly organised, funded and having a low in morale in Wales.
Lib Dems
They gained heavily from the war bounce 4 years ago and will do better than many expected in Councils they control(were expected to lose most/all); many of their genuine failings being masked by the inability of opposition (particularly Labour) to expose them.
Tories
Generally a quite good election, without gaining too many Councils. Their efforts to win in 'Plaid' areas are held back by a reliance on students to fill the candidate ranks.
Plaid
A generally good Thursday, with gains in many places without any spectacular results. Llais Gwynedd will not make the inroads some had anticipated, and the party regrets not getting more candidates in the valleys as Labour were so vulnerable.
So all in all, Plaid and the Tories will be happy, the Libs relieved and Labour on a downer.
Come back home Dylan.