The Last Post (for now)

There’s no way to sugar coat this.  Our results in this week’s local elections can only be described as deeply disappointing.
While the party made gains in England (5 new councillors) and Scotland (6 new councillors), and Jenny Jones had a marvellous result coming third in the London Mayor election beating the Lib Dems for the first time, here in Wales we barely stood still.  In Swansea, despite the tremendous efforts in our target ward we failed to even come close.  Although we did manage to get within touching distance of the Lib Dems, they and we were swept aside by the tide of a resurgent Labour vote.

You can find a detailed breakdown of local results on the Swansea Council website (http://www2.swansea.gov.uk/election2012/?Lang=eng) and details of results across the UK on the BBC News website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/vote2012/council/gb.stm).

Where we go from here will no doubt be discussed in detail at local meetings in the next few weeks.

On a personal note I would like to formally and publicly record my tremendous gratitude to all those who helped with the best and highest profile campaign we have ever run locally in the Uplands Ward.  Our thanks are particularly due to the non-members who gave their time to support us – Eleanor, Juan, Rhian and Tracey; also party members Huw and Kathleen who came over from Llanelli on countless Sundays over the past three years to help with leafleting; and local party members Dorothy, Steve, Ross and Tony (White) whose support over the last week of the campaign was invaluable.

Finally, in the early hours of Friday morning I had a text from 07624807251 saying, “Swansea Greens in absolute crisis following worst polling results ever.”  This number links to a website from which people can send anonymous texts.  It’s well known and mostly used for sending hate mail in this cowardly way.

I’m pretty sure I know who sent the text.  My response it that I won’t take any lectures from someone who hasn’t lifted a finger to help our party for years and who prefers to skulk in the shadows and snipe at those who have given freely of their time, energy and money to try to make a difference in the world.

We may not have made much progress on this occasion, but it’s still better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

This blog will now be closing down and will be taken offline in the next few days – hopefully to be resurrected when the need arises.

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Wednesday 2nd May (E-1)

Job done.  Final reminder cards delivered, final leaflets handed out, final doors knocked.

Street canvassing in Uplands Crescent most of the day in the nice weather, and getting a very good response.  Probably won’t get chance to do any more tomorrow due to the predicted change in the weather.  So just need to wait for the votes to roll in and write my victory speech!

Great boost to the campaign today with hundreds of students wandering around in green t-shirts (Varsity 2012).  They were quite amused when I kept thanking them for their support.

Somebody posted a copy of a Labour leaflet from 2008 through my door today, addressed to me by name.  One of the Labour candidates told me that several people have been receiving these and they’re not coming from the Labour team.  I can’t figure out the motivation, unless it’s to remind us of things the Lib Dems hadn’t done four years ago, and still haven’t done (like putting the Slip Bridge back).

Lib-Dems were skulking around the place yesterday and today, but I can’t work out what they’ve been doing apart from delivering leaflets.  Lot’s of people have been telling me that I’m the only person who’s knocked on their door this election.

Next post will be the ‘Last Post’ on this blog, sometime on Friday with the full result of the election.