Scale of Lib Dem mayoral vote collapse in Kingston revealed

7:00am Tuesday 5th June 2012 in News

Scale of Lib Dem mayoral vote collapse in Kingston revealed Scale of Lib Dem mayoral vote collapse in Kingston revealed

The scale of the collapse in votes for Liberal Democrats during the London mayoral elections has been revealed in a detailed breakdown of Kingston’s wards.

Nearly six out of every 10 voters who backed the Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick four years ago defected.

Boris Johnson won in 15 of the 16 wards, in a repeat of the 2008 election.

Chairman of Kingston and Surbiton’s Conservative Association Colin Suckling said: “The solidity of our vote demonstrates we have retained the confidence of voters, unlike the Liberal Democrats, whose past voters have defected in droves to other parties.

“Kingston is no longer the two-horse race it used to be.”

But Lib Dem council leader Derek Osbourne said the Conservatives had predicted his party’s downfall after every European or mayoral election.

He said: “The mayoral election result was not good for us, there’s no doubt about that. If you look back in time you will find we do far worse locally in Kingston on mayoral elections and European elections.

“One should never extrapolate with so few people out and especially with a different system.”

Mr Paddick, a former policeman, received 7,904 first choice votes in 2008 but just 3,096 this time.

His second choice votes also halved from 16,880 to 9,684.

Boris Johnson won all but one ward in Kingston receiving the lion’s share of votes everywhere except Norbiton, where Ken Livingstone won by a 6 per cent margin.

Boris: 25,849 first choice votes in Kingston (compared with 26,349 in 2008) Ken: 11,963 first choice votes (14,601 in 2008) Brian: 3,096 first choice votes (7,904 in 2008)

Related links

Comments(14)

UKIP Surbiton says...
4:44pm Tue 5 Jun 12

A very interesting article . In the 2014 a large % of the Lib Dem vote is likely to defect back to Labour and not go to the Tories . Labour will pick up seats in the wards where they had councillors in 97 : Norbiton,Tolworth and Chessington . In 2014 the Tories will pick up no seats at all . The Lib Dems will rule RBK in alliance with 3 to 5 labour councillors . The Tories have offered nothing since 1997 they are just invisible in opposition .

Report this post »

Cliff says...
6:29pm Tue 5 Jun 12

Can't see how you work that out - the votes for all three main parties fell and Labour certainly didn't benefit. Could just be that it was seen as a straight contest between Boris and Ken.

Report this post »

R Batson says...
6:54pm Tue 5 Jun 12

I am not sure I agree with Derek Osbourne the LibDem leader here he appears to be on that river in Egypt. (De-Nile) I rather think the above comment has a closer grasp of this situation as it stands at the moment but things do change.

I do think though they have got it wrong about the Conservatives. If the Euro situation has not improved by 2014 or shown some signs of doing so then the voting will be interesting.

I agree Labour in Kingston have made excellent progress. UKIP itself does make many sensible and common sense statements which are often Conservative views. I feel though when it comes down to it people go with what they know. So my guess is Labour will see a few or more gains in Kingston and it will be at LibDem's cost. The Conservatives tend to be the most trusted party where budget control is concerned so I do see some gains there, People know the only way out of this mess we are in, the worst since the 2nd World War and achieved in just the last decade of the last Government.

The current LibDem administration has spent everything at Kingston Council and it has no money left, thus they cannot even build schools. That is why they are looking to sell off land, they need the money. They knew about the schools problem as it is now 10 to 12 years ago. Yet they still put Kingston Theatre before our children's education.

As always with these things we will only know when the votes are counted. If I am right then Kingston Council will become a better Democracy than the almost dictatorship currently operating now because Labour will add genuine labour supporters voices and that is very much lacking in Kingston Council.

As for Conservatives being invisible they have just won the last three seats in recent by- elections that is not invisible.

Report this post »

Foo Bear says...
10:33pm Tue 5 Jun 12

Kingston's 'Conservatives' should not be so smug - there the hair of dog's difference between them, and the socialist policies of the Lib Dems. They need to get back on track and develop some pro-business policies or they can go swing as well.

Report this post »

Prince Philip of Greece says...
9:40am Wed 6 Jun 12

The Lib Dems will be destroyed at the next general election. The electorate will not forget how Ed Davey broke his promise to vote against any increase in student fees.

If Ed Davey had any integrity he would resign before the next general election. If he stands for election, he will personally be the cause of a Tory representing Kingston once again.

Report this post »

fedup58 says...
2:47pm Wed 6 Jun 12

It has been my experience in dealing with the Lib Dems recently that they are terrified of Westminster, they will do nothing to support Local residents they just want to keep those at the TOP of the tree happy. I will NEVER vote for any Liberal Democrat again. I will make sure I vote and will decide on how I think the individual will support local people.

Report this post »

R Batson says...
4:34pm Wed 6 Jun 12

Don't rule out The Greens it has a lot of support in Kingston and its goals are genuine and sincere. Anything that helps our environment for us and our Children's future has to be good.
Interesting to see how they do in the up and coming Grove Ward by election, I'm sure they will try hard and Kingston does like its environment, we are all very lucky to live here so we must all take care of it.

Report this post »

RMcGeddon says...
11:18pm Wed 6 Jun 12

Despite councillor Osbourne's disingenuous assertions, the facts and figures speak for themselves: the LibDem vote is collapsing on all fronts. It has been reported in the national Press recently that Vince Cable and other 'senior LibDems' (sic) have been in secret talks with the Labour party.

The Liberal Democrats are becoming the Little Desperate Party. Should Labour trust them ? Ask any student who believed what Nick Clegg told them about Tuition Fees !

Report this post »

Beverly RA says...
12:12pm Thu 7 Jun 12

Foo bear, should look at the Work the Conservatives are doing for small businesses in both New Malden and Surbiton plus other parts of the Borough. This in turn brings employments to our areas.
The lack of Ed Daveys support is frightening, when was the last time he said anything meaningful ?.
He grasps at the old chestnut Kingston Hospital , the one he frightened the voters to beleave that part of it was to close. The good news is that the Hospital will fall outside of his area if the boundry changes go ahead. That will leave him with education , and look at the mess the local Lib Dems have made of that.

Report this post »

fedup58 says...
12:37pm Thu 7 Jun 12

One thing I know for sure I will never vote Labour having survived four Labour Governments. All that ever happens is that they get in power give massive benefit handouts treble the nimber of civil servants employed. Increase immigration and generally screw the rest of the working community into the ground. The Conservatives are trying but they have a massive task in front of them. The Lib Dems will sit on the fence as always and go with the flow. We need more dynamic personalities in Politics at the moment there is nobody inspiring the country.

Report this post »

QPR4Me says...
1:12pm Thu 7 Jun 12

The inevitable backlash against the Lib-Dems is actually hiding the truth. The real reason that their vote collapsed was the choice of the discredited idiot, Paddick, as candidate. This man was a poor police officer who all but legalised drug dealing in Brixton and since retiring from the force has spent his time telling the World he used to be a cop, while grovelling in the dirt for every minority vote that he could grab. When The Lib-Dems actually pick a worthwhile candidtae, they might get some votes.

Report this post »

Beverly RA says...
2:22pm Fri 8 Jun 12

QPR4Me, the problem is not the candidates but the policies and trying to be all things to all men, that worked for them quite well until they got their hands on some power. Now they are in a mess, lost the last three bye elections in Kingston due in part to their education policies or should I say lack of one, the trust of students have also played a part, millions spent on the Rose and not on Education, then blames the Government for lack of funding, I can see ministers saying, if they can spend around £14 Million on the Rose then they can afford to spend some on Schools.

Report this post »

Foo Bear says...
7:32am Sat 9 Jun 12

@Beverly RA
Tinkering at the perifery and helping its own supports isnot pro-business for Kingston. Look at what they have been party to in town centre and London Road.

Report this post »

Beverly RA says...
2:22pm Sat 9 Jun 12

Foo Bear, if small businesses are Conservative supportsers its because the they get very little help from the other parties, you well know that the Town centre is Lib Dems controled, not Conservative but they still get all the Support from the Conservatives.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree