Arbeid die zijn slechtste verliezen in een generatie onder ogen ziet
Door Andrew Porter en James Kirkup | Gordon Brown wordt geplaatst voor het straffen van verliezen in zijn eerste kiestest als Eerste Minister na de Conservatieven gemaakt tot zeer belangrijke aanwinsten over het land. Met meer dan 1 miljoen getelde stemmen, zal een BBC projectie die op resultaten in de zeer belangrijke Arbeid van de afdelingenvoorspelling wordt gebaseerd 24 percent van de nationale stemming, zijn slechtste resultaat in een generatie registreren. De Tory werden ontworpen om 47 percent te winnen.
Nochtans, zette de officiële Conservatieve projectie van HK het definitieve aandeel van de partij op 43 percent.
De Tory wonnen controle van een reeks doelraden, begraaft het omvatten en Southampton, en bijna 70 raadszetels langs bereikt.
De arbeid door contrast, heeft meer dan 60 raadszetels en controle van vier raden verloren.
De conservatieve strategen voorspellen de partij op cursus was om meer dan 200 raadszetels te bereiken, terwijl de ambtenaren van de Arbeid toelieten zij waarschijnlijk zouden dat aantal verliezen. De leider David Cameron van Tory zal waarschijnlijk eisen de resultaten de grootste kiesverhoging van zijn partij terwijl in oppositie zijn.
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Een woordvoerder zei: „Gordon Brown heeft zijn Leven op het ogenblik van Mars gehad. Hij ging naar slaap in 2008 en vandaag wekt hij met steun terug naar slechtst zijn partij heeft gezien aangezien de verslagen in 1973.“ begonnen
Aangezien de resultaten binnen kwamen, stond toe de Minister voor Londen Tessa Jowell, dat de campagne van de Arbeid in het kapitaal masterminded, „dit waarschijnlijk zal taai zijn“.
John Denham, de Secretaresse van Universiteiten en MP van de Arbeid voor Southampton Itchen, zeiden de Overheid nu aan de vrees voor middenklasse zuidelijke kiezers moest luisteren.
Hij zei: „Er zijn vanavond sommige teleurstellingen geweest. Wij moeten aan kiezers teruggaan en zeggen wij luisteren, zullen wij teruggaan naar van wat de mensen in het zuiden in het verleden de 10 jaar.“ hebben genoten
De schaduw kanselier George Osborne zei het als het ging een „zeer goede nacht“ voor de Conservatieven zijn keek.
De resultaten stelden voor M. Brown de zomer van ontevredenheid onder ogen zal zien aangezien zijn eigen Afgevaardigden overwegen of er om het even welke mogelijkheid is dat hij Arbeid tot een algemeen verkiezingssucces kan leiden. Labour insiders feared the results would be even worse than Tony Blair’s poor showing at last year’s local elections.
Only a win today for Ken Livingstone in London over Boris Johnson would save any face for Labour. The results are not expected until this evening and last night the result still appeared on a knife edge.
The Conservatives unexpectedly picked up wards in Swansea, Sunderland, Durham and Wigan.
In perhaps the biggest surprise of the early declaration, the Tories also won control of Southampton from its ruling Labour-Lib Dem coalition.
The last time the Tories held control in the city was 1984. The party also won control of Bedworth, Harlow and West Lindsey councils.
All had been considered possible but not probable gains for Mr Cameron’s party, and the results fuelled expectations of a dismal night for Labour.
The Liberal Democrats meanwhile claimed they had taken control of Hull, once a Labour stronghold.
Labour was resigned to lose Reading, a council it has held since 1986 and its last southern foothold outside London.
There were 4,023 seats up for election on 137 English councils and 22 Welsh ones.
London voters were also choosing a mayor, with the results of the race between Mr Livingstone and Mr Johnson due to be declared this evening.
The elections are the first real test of Gordon Brown’s standing among voters.
David Chaytor, Labour MP for Bury North, said many voters were unconvinced by Gordon Brown’s record to date.
He said: “Floating voters are still uncertain about the Government and how it has performed over the past six months. We knew this was going to be a difficult night.”
”Our aim has been to limit the damage and hold on to what we have got.”
However, the biggest Conservative hope for gains in the north, North Tyneside, will not declare until this afternoon.
And Labour was preparing to take some cold comfort from the Tories’ continued troubles in bid northern cities.
After several dismal weeks and the damaging Labour rebellion over the 10 p tax rate, senior Labour sources believe disillusioned voters have delivered a severe reprimand to his Government.
Based on private reports from Labour activists, the party was projecting a “spread” of 25 Â 27 per cent of the vote, against 44 Â 47 per cent for the Tories.
Turn out is thought to be up throughout the country and in London.
Labour strategists plan to blame bad results on popular worries about the economy and the global credit crunch.
”These are elections being fought against a difficult economic backdrop,” said Ed Miliband, the Cabinet Office minister and a key confidante of Mr Brown.
Labour figures are taking limited comfort in their projections that the Tories will not make major gains in the North of England, suggesting the Conservatives will not realise their ambitions to take councils like North Tyneside and Bury.
Mr Brown will “take it on the chin” and come out in a string of media appearances on Sunday to say he understands the anger and concern of voters, and promise to respond over the coming months and years.
Key to the Labour recovery strategy is an optimistic view of the UK economy. The Bank of England on Wednesday said that the worst of the global credit crunch could be over and Mr Brown is betting on a significant up-turn.
Yet an ICM poll for BBC Newsnight shows that the economy is, for now, a major Labour vulnerability.
The poll, showed the share of voters who trust to run the economy is 32 per cent, down from 48 per cent a year ago.
The Tories meanwhile scored 46 per cent, up from 36 per cent.
Labour’s long-term strategy is to meet such concerns by drawing a sharp contrast between Mr Brown’s decade at the Treasury with Mr Cameron’s lack of significant government experience.
In the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Brown derided his opponent as a “shallow salesman” who lacks substance.
Speaking on BBC Newsnight last night, Mr Miliband said personal credibility will be decisive.
He said: “In difficult economic times, Gordon Brown is absolutely the right person to lead Britain.”
The ICM poll showed that
42 per cent of voters believe the Prime Minster is an electoral asset for Labour, and 52 per cent said he is a liability
Mr Cameron’s ratings were 68 per cent against 24 per cent.
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