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Much wishful thinking in wake of mayoral poll
• THERE was some wishful thinking in the analysis of the result of the GLA and mayoral elections from the Tories and the Liberal Democrats in the New Journal of May 15.
First, let’s be clear: if it were up to Camden voters alone, Ken Livingstone would be mayor.
He clearly outpolled Boris Johnson in all but four wards in Camden.
Similarly, in the vote for the London Assembly seat of Camden & Barnet, Labour won in Camden, with 34 per cent of the vote to just 29 per cent for the Tories.
Again, 14 out of Camden’s 18 wards voted for our excellent candidate Nicky Gavron.
And, on the same day, we beat the Tories into third place in the by-election in Highgate – a seat they had held.
More interesting was the Liberal Democrat’s response to their truly atrocious performance – just 11 per cent of the mayoral vote in Camden.
It smacks of desperation somewhat for Councillor John Bryant to claim coming fourth in Highgate as any measure of success.
Even in Liberal strongholds, Labour topped both mayoral and assembly polls on May 1.
In both Fortune Green and West Hampstead they came third. On this basis, council leader Keith Moffitt would have lost his seat.
Given how quickly they jumped into bed with the Tories and implemented right-wing, service-cutting, policies in the Town Hall, it is easy to see why many left-of-centre voters deserted the Lib Dems.
This is not to say we are complacent about the next election.
We know that this will be tough fight against a resurgent Tory party. But in Glenda Jackson, Labour has a candidate with a strong, independent voice and an excellent record in fighting for local people other candidates cannot hope to match.
However, one thing is clear from the London elections which progressive voters should bear in mind: the only way to beat the Tories in Camden and in the new Hampstead & Kilburn seat is to vote Labour.
Mike Katz
Chair, Hampstead & Kilburn Labour Party, NW6
The state we’re in
• New Labour is failing Britain.
Despite abysmal election results New Labour still clings to its policies of tackling problems in this country – ones which are largely of its own making – at surface level.
The latest shocking proposals come from home secretary Jacqui Smith in dealing with anti-social behaviour among young people.
Speaking in Westminster on May 8 she said that there will be “no let-up in tackling anti-social behaviour” and that she wants “police and local agencies to focus on [troublemakers] by giving them a taste of their own medicine: daily visits, repeated warnings and relentless filming of offenders to create an environment where there is nowhere to hide.”
Instead of changing course and responding to the needs and concerns of its traditional voters, New Labour ramps up policies that simply aren’t working.
Tackling problems among young people by criminalising them is the result of rotten policies.
The focus should be on investing in publicly funded local youth centres, schools with funds for extra-curricular activities, and more widely, the gap between rich and poor in Britain.
Criminalisation with such heavy-handedness will only encourage further disillusionment among young people.
Even the Home Office’s own figures suggest that two-thirds of those involved in anti-social behaviour abandon it after a first warning.
I believe using such a misguided approach to tackle the problem of crime among young people will exacerbate their problems.
Did the Labour government never think that if people are engaging in benefit fraud, that they are actually in need?
Most parents are extremely concerned about their children, but in many cases, because they work long hours, they cannot pay them the attention they deserve.
They should not have to endure parenting orders on top of an already difficult situation.”
Ms Smith’s response suggests New Labour is learning nothing from its election meltdown three weeks ago.
New Labour should take much of the responsibility in allowing not only a Tory mayor to run London but allowing the BNP to feed off the Tories’ electoral gains.
These proposals are a symptom of a government in desperation.
The left must step up its efforts to challenge such proposals and push back the gains of the Tories.
Mukul Hira
The Left List
Chalton Street, NW1
Can Glenda win again?
• Can Glenda Jackson win again?
If the defeat of Labour under the leadership of Raj Chada, now chairman of Holborn branch of the Labour Party, and the recent defeat of Ken Livingstone are any guide, Ms Jackson has no chance of regaining the seat (Glenda up for the fight as Lib Dems fall short, May 15).
This is more so as Labour has no understanding as to why they lost. This is clearly evident from what Raj Chada said to Richard Osley in your report: “The rest of London was a shame but they are pleasing results locally. It shows we are listening to and acting upon residents’ concerns.”
The tenants of the council estates punished Camden Labour as it did not listen to them.
Anti-social behaviour, racism, mugging, etcetera were the culture of the day.
The last Labour council and Mr Livingstone as mayor turned a blind eye to the criticisms. As a result the voters exercised their rights to remove Camden Labour and recently Mr Livingstone.
If Ms Jackson continues to give only lip service to the problems, as Camden Labour and Mr Livingstone did, the writing is on the wall.
The Liberals are no better than Labour as far as running Camden is concerned.
Ms Jackson has been an MP since 1992. Voters have developed a fatigue with her.
Her past as an Oscar-winning actress will not cut any more ice in the next election.
She has to show what she has actually done for the area.
On the basis of all these factors, I am of the opinion that Ms Jackson will be defeated by the Tories unless she mends her lapses soon.
Sunil Kumar Pal
Abbey Road, NW8
Stunned
• I WAS pretty stunned by your coverage of the elections (May 15). You give, factually, the voting results in a side box.
However, your headline and analysis is quite extraordinary. What actually happened is that the Conservative party went from third position to first (yes, first). In other words, they won. This simple and important fact is pretty important in itself, but has major implications for a general election. Your journalist chose instead to focus on Glenda Jackson, while choosing to ignore the Conservative “elephant in the room”. It was either sloppy journalism or political bias. I trust it was the former.
Rupert Dilnott-Cooper
Glenmore Road, NW3
‘Triumph’
• RICHARD Osley’s analysis of the mayoral elections correctly focused on dwindling support for the Liberal Democrats and the collapse of New Labour.
He failed to note the triumph of the Conservative party after a string of by-election defeats.
While no one should ever take the electorate for granted, if the same trend continues in future elections, not only will the Conservatives win back the ward of Belsize, I used to represent, they will take the parliamentary seat from Glenda Jackson.
Jonny Bucknell
Chamberlain Street, NW1
A bit rich!
• I FOUND the letter from Councillor John Bryant a bit rich and it insults the intelligence of the New Journal readership (Electoral trend there for all to see, May 15).
He informs us of how great the Liberal Democrats are and it is just because of them that Camden is allegedly in such great shape and ready to be taken by them in the next general election.
However, Cllr Bryant, a once good councillor who fought for the wrongs of the people of Camden, has become a “real” politician.
Does he think that the voters of Camden have forgotten his disgraceful actions over the new Swiss Cottage School and his revealing email (Leak reveals school plot to win votes, December 6 2007)?
He later resigned from the cabinet and yet here he is saying how great the Lib Dems are.
Moreover, has he forgotten that his party are in a coalition with the Conservatives, or has he lost touch with reality? His actions have damaged confidence in the Lib Dems.
However, the Conservatives are not much better.
I have tried for over a year to get a councillor to attend a “walkabout” with the patch manager on our estate, but to no avail.
This really is poor service to the electorate that voted them in.
Maybe Labour were not that bad after all?
DF Gowers
Broxwood Way, NW8
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