The 6 O’Clock News
VOTERS in Hampstead Town woke up this morning to find Conservative Simon Marcus installed as their new councillor. He finished with a comfortable lead of 300+ over the Lib Dems in the by-election to fill the vacant council seat left by Kirsty Roberts. The size of the victory will seem curious to any recipients of a last minute leaflet pushed out by the Lib Dems at ‘6pm’ which claims candidate Dr Jeffrey Fine had been told by his election agent that ‘it’s neck and neck between me and the Tories’.
The closest thing to neck and neck in yesterday’s contest of course was the race for second place as Labour tried to put down a marker for future elections. The leaflet was asking residents to believe that there was some sort of official word that the margin of victory would be close and so with just hours of voting time left the Lib Dems had gone off to design and print a leaflet urging them to make sure they got to the polling stations in time.
The naughtiest rumour running around the count last night was that the leaflet had been printed in advance on the assumption that the party would need to do everything to urge people in this neighbourhood who have supported the Lib Dems heavily in the past to come out for them again. Whatever, the prediction of a neck and neck finale clanged with the final result as the Tories proved they were the only party able to command a four figure score this time around.
Richard Osley 
Standard lib dem leaflet template, used in every election I’ve worked on, and of course printed in advance. The only variable is that in a labour/lib marginal they would print it in red.
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Hmm! may be the same Gypsy Rose that told Ed Fordham he only needed 474 to win the H&K seat in 2010!!
The whole Lib Dem campaign was odd it was clearly half hearted and designed around a mid term leg up for Linda Chung in the hope that she might cling onto her seat in 2014, there was no real Lib Dem desire to win the seat even down to the Lib Dem tellers packing their bags and leaving the stations at 8pm!!!
This was not a case of Labour putting down a marker but more a case of “storming the walls of jericho” Maddy and his team put in a great effort with more to come!
Other parties need to be aware that this enthusiasm is not going to subside, its a warning to us all, but for the Lib Dems in particular more a case of “ask not for whom the bell tolls”
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Now the by-election is over, can Camden Cllrs please get back to answering their e-mail correspondence.
If the situation doesn’t improve, the Tories won’t be the only one’s putting up posters!
Many thanks, Das Kapital
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At least it didnt say ‘winning here’
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“In the hope that she (Linda Chung) might be able to cling onto her seat in 2014”
It’s obvious – and I don’t trust too many politicians – that Linda works hard for her constituents, at least as far as trying to address the day to day concerns of her constituents – many people report this in the ward she represents!
I don’t know the woman that well, but it’s fair to report what I hear from her constituents on an almost daily basis,
It’s a pity some politicians can’t just cut the crap and get on with dealing with the more important issues.
Das Kapital (who doesn’t belong to any political party – no thank you!).
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Das Kapital
Oh dear did I touch a nerve?
Two things I find strange:
1) People who hide their identity behind some soppy name or other, it always strikes me as weard and totally gutless!
2) If indeed the said lady has done so much why did the Lib Dems lose by such a large large margin to the Conservatives?
DK think about it and the answer will become clear its the Tories who put 110% in Hampstead Town!
Cheerio off to do some more casework picked up on the doorstep during election, and yes it is Sunday morning!
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I’m afraid your disproportionate reaction to some justified praise of another Cllr (Linda Chung) speaks heaps about you!
It also speaks loads about why so many of us just don’t trust politicians.
What are you going to do next, come out with an axe! It’s no wonder some of us choose to use aliases! Could quite easily be a case of here today gone tomorrow!
it’s a well known fact that some Cllrs go that extra mile for their constituents. Cllrs such as Roger Robinson and yes, Linda Chung!
I’m certainly no supporter of the Lib Dems (or the Tories for that matter!) but I’ve heard much praise about Linda from her constituents – can’t be a bad thing, can it?
I’d think seriously about taking a holiday, even take a few books along – Das Kapital would make an interestng read!
Das Kapital
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Das Capital claims to be one of those ordinary folk who just takes an interest in what’s going on locally and is fed up with politics and politicians and yet seems to know enough people in local politics that he hears people praising Linda Chung on “an almost daily basis”. Really?
The people who I know in Camden who aren’t involved in local politics spend their free time talking about anything but who their favourite local councillor is. Pull the other one.
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Looks like somebody else needs a holiday!
For whatever the reason – and one doesn’t need to be an Einstein to work this out – the comments on some of these posts amount to nothing less than a pitiful attempt to undermine somebody else’s good work. In this case, Cllr Linda Chung’s!
Would the same comments about a Tory Cllr have generated the same response?
Fortunately some of us are secure enough in what we do to acknowledge the good work done by some others regardless of their political persuasion, which is more than can be said for a couple of persons posting on this site!
What a den of vipers!
I’d have that hoilday mate!
Das Kapital
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I haven’t made any comment about any councillors or their work on this thread; I made a comment about you and the fact that you sound pretty partisan to me, hiding behind a pseudonym!
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I hear some of the local B & B’s are offering good rates at this time of year!
Scrumpy
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A couple of Tories with yet another axe to grind!
I just can’t work out this fascination with axes!
All seems a bit OTT to me!!!!!!!
Where’s Charlie Sloth???????
Das Kapital
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Das Kapital is so spot on here.
Whether the Tories like it or not the Labour Party rule Camden, not the Conservatives!
The Conservative party stands for nothing more than “Snobby Elitism” a profit for the rich and a tax for the poor!
Das Kaptial is right to say the Tories do have an axe to grind!
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Ahh! Shanker has joined the thread another of Camdens faceless armchair snipers.
“What cant speak cant lie” take anuvver look at the results my friends and you will see what I mean!
Conservative vote share up!
Labour vote share up!
Green vote share up!
LIB DEM VOTE SHARE DOWN!!!!
WHY!! Cos the Libs have not matched Tory performance in the ward.
Well B Shanker & DK I come from the school of hard knocks, and there they have a liitle saying that goes like this:
“If your Aunty had testicles she would be you uncle”
That reminds you should grow some balls and dump your rose tinted glasses.
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Clearly not an old Harrovian like so many of your colleagues!
Turnout embarrassingly low! Yes, embarrassingly low – bit sparse on the old analysis there?
Rose tinted specs??????
Clearly not going to get that job on newsnight after all!
Take it easy Chris, or else you’ll be having a tumble, before you do a rumble!
Daz
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