Posts under ‘Local Government’

NPF Reports review: Housing

by Duncan Bowie.

Housing, which was covered by the Communities policy commission, is now incorporated within the Housing, Local Government and Transport Policy Commission. It has met three times between February and April.  Given the breadth of this remit, there appear to only have been a limited focus on housing issues. According to the annual report, concern about […]

What’s the scandal at Surrey County Council?

by Phil Burton-Cartledge.

Local government finance isn’t the sexiest subject in politics, but it should be right up there. Councils provide the services and maintain the infrastructure all our communities, whether heavily urbanised or scattered across the countryside, depend on. And the demented cuts the government have foisted on councils have stripped services to the bone, and most […]

Calls for East End Labour MP’s suspension after racism row

by Keith Wright.

A Labour MP has faced calls for his suspension following remarks that allegedly breach the guidelines on racism within the Labour party set out by its recent review. Jim Fitzpatrick, the MP for Poplar and Limehouse, dismissed an ongoing debate in his local party about selecting candidates as the “same old worst of Bengali politics” […]

Winning in the South: Jez we can.

by Andy Newman.

The election results from Bristol came in over the weekend, and it is worth reflecting the degree to which they demonstrate significant advance, particularly as Labour does need to win in the South of England. Simon Woolley has already observed the enormous significance of a mayor of Afro-Caribbean heritage being directly elected in a city […]

Local Elections in England – Reasons to be Cheerful

by Michael Calderbank.

Even before the polls had closed, the attacks from Corbyn’s opponents had started. It didn’t matter what the actual results were – the narrative had been set already. Lord Kinnock, that fount of wisdom on electoral success, opined in Prospect magazine that the leadership’s policies “are an impediment to getting the kind of support we […]

So how will Labour do when the votes are counted?

by Phil Burton-Cartledge.

Managing expectations have become a political football in the interminable (and boring) tussle in the Labour Party. With forecasting subject to factional agendas, can we cut through the crap and think about what would constitute an advance and a reverse for the party and its leader? I’m going to have a try. The key election […]

The Beckett report, polls and the Left

by Peter Rowlands.

On two related issues, the Beckett Report and Labour’s overall level of support, there has not been a sufficiently robust response from the left. On Beckett there would appear to be general agreement that the failure to even attempt to dispel the myth that Labour was responsible for the 2008 crash because of over expenditure rather […]

What will the local elections mean for Labour and Jeremy Corbyn?

by Phil Burton-Cartledge.

Is it too early to write about this? Seeing as everyone is talking about how this year’s contest is a test for Jeremy, I’d like to briefly visit three push-me-pull-you factors that could have an impact. Local elections, local politics In the equivalent elections in 2012, we were just coming off the back of Osborne’s […]

Rahman wins right for judicial review on “undue spiritual influence”

by Andy Newman.

Back in August 2014, the Times ran a screaming headline saying Muslims told to ‘vote for mayor or be damned’. The quote marks in the headline might have led a reader to assume that the Times were referring to someone who had actually said this, but sadly journalistic standards at the Thunderer are not what […]

Really rotten boroughs – the case of Robin Wales

by Guest.

by Robin’s ‘Hood Many of us have had concerns about the executive mayoral model, especially in unitary councils run as one party states with no effective opposition. Recent events in Newham, East London, illustrate what can go wrong. Three councillors (5% of the total) have currently been placed in administrative suspension by the national Labour Party, […]

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