The Unravelling of Labour

[steveL]

Someone within the Labour ranks with at least one foot in reality needs to be taking a good, long look at the decline in the Labour vote in Hartlepool. The quirky voting system we have in this country means that's its possible for a party's vote to diminish and yet still gain more seats. So it has been in Hartlepool but the decline in the Labour vote (and the rise in the opposition vote) has been steady and consistent for a number of years now.

According to CAB on the TV the other night, nothing much has changed. It's in everyone but Labour's interest that he goes on thinking that.

[Foggy]

At council meetings I often look over to the Labour Mob to see if there is a glimmer of hope that someone could possible do the right thing.  I've seen very little evidence that anyone will do anything of the sort.  I think we can rule out the ones that will keep schtum no matter what but there are a few that I'm not sure about.  I guess it depends on whether they can stomach another 4 years of more of the same.  I know I couldn't.

I think a few of the mob voted against his lordship's orders at the infamous Town Hall meeting about the Hospital but I suspect that was an entirely contrived situation.

[fred c]

Yeah I look across at the Labour councillors & think, who out of that lot have not only the requisite common sense, but the B***s to stand up to the SCABS & MD, I don`t see anyone who would be   prepared to stand against them.

That would require a group of disaffected labour councillors to instigate a Coup d'état & that is as likely as The Mob presented the accounts of the Cafe in the Crem.

[DRiddle]

There's absolutely no doubt about it. I realise people from Labour read this site and I often wonder if they think we just make some of the things up that we say on here about them collapsing.

Let me provide the Labour 'anti-SCAB group' (yes there is one) with some information.

In 1995, the first year after we escaped from Cleveland, Labour won 3 seats on Brus Ward. A young lass called Shelia Griffin and two other labour candidates pulled 81.4% of the vote.

Likewise, in the same year Labour also won all 3 seats on Dyke House. Bryan Hanson, amongst others won the seats with 70.3% of the vote. Glady Worthy also won the Owton Ward with 71.7% of the vote and Labour also won Rossmere with 72.7% of the vote. As a matter of interest, in Rossmere in 1995 a chap by the name of R.Wells polled just 89 votes for the Tories, but I digress.

A young Robbie Payne also won Stranton with 59% of the vote, Steve Wallace won Throston with 55% of the vote and Bernard Carr won St Hilda with 51.2% of the vote. Labour even won Seaton back in 1995 with a 46.5% share of the vote.

Three years later in 1998 Labour were still romping home. They won Rossmere with 67.4% of the vote, Stranton with 55% and Throston with 51.7%
In 2000 Labour won Seaton with 52.5% of the vote and Mary Fleet took Stranton with 58.9%.

In 2003 Shelia Griffin was returned in Bruce with 79.9%, Labour won Dyke House with 54%, and Rift House was won with a 46.6% share of the vote by 3 Labour councillors. A trio which included a certain Iain Wright and a lad by the name of Stephen Belcher.  . . I'm not sure what happened to them.

Anyway, let's fast forward 5 years to 2008. Shelia Griffin is returned again in Brus ward with 66% and so is Mary Fleet in Dyke House with 52%. As an aside 2008 also saw Arthur Preece fend off a challenge from a certain George Springer for UKIP. Preece won by TWO votes. Also in 2008 a certain Alan Barclay won the Throston ward with 48.7%. I think he then left some cake tins in an alleyway somewhere.

Even as recently as 2011 Labour won Bruce with 61.1%, Burn Valley with 67.8% and Dyke House with 55.3%. Foggy Furze was also won by Labour with 61.1% and the Grange Ward was won by Chris Simmons with a 60.9% share of the vote.

Perhaps ironically, the last Labour councillor who polled anywhere near a total of 70% + was a certain Angie Wilcox who won the Owton Ward for Labour in 2011.

2 years later in 2013 Christopher Akers-Belcher and Stephen Akers-Belcher became Leader and Chair of the council.

I won't bother overly analysing what's happened to the Labour % of the votes in each ward since then though. I think people know.

Initially I was hoping Labour got rid of them both, but to be honest SteveL's right. The longer Christopher remains in charge, the better it is for the opposition.

What I will say is this. May 2016, Fens and Rossmere, Labour LOST it with 32%, Headland and Harbour, Labour LOST it with 45.6%, Seaton, Labour came 4th of 6 with just 13%, even in Hart Labour WON the seat (somehow) but pulled in just 29% of the vote in doing so.

Mark my words, if he's left in charge until 2019, Christopher Akers-Belcher will be the first Labour leader in Hartlepool to lose control of the council for a generation.

Long may he reign.

[DRiddle]

Political geeks like me might want to have a look at my source material.

http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hartlepool-1995-2012.pdf

It makes fascinating reading..... yawn.

[Foggy]

You would think that a certain MP would be a little concerned now but I guess he isn't too bothered all cosy in his Westminster bubble for the next 4 years or so.   

Incidentally what happened to this 'investigation'?

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/labour-party-launch-investigation-into-mayor-of-hartlepool-after-day-job-sacking-1-7214310

Did I blink and miss it?

[fred c]

There are more people in Hartlepool that believe in the Tooth Fairy than believe in what the Member comes out with.

The way things are going with Labour in Hartlepool the vertically challenged one should be looking at the best options for his MP's pension.

[steveL]

I'd be interested in the actual numbers rather than percentages.

I think one of the reasons we haven't seen a challenge is that anyone who took the Leadership from CAB would still have him and his 'soul mate' in the council for the next 4 years sticking knives in the new Leaders back and doing everything possible to undermine them. This is, after all, CAB's character and has been for years. He did it with his Line Manager at Easington and Hartlepool; he did it with Drummond.

When he wasn't on the sick in Revenue and Benefits, he spent most of his time bitching about his superiors (he would never accept that word). He was so envious of Drummond that from day one of his Leadership he worked to undermine all that Drummond and his Cabinet did but for all the things he said about the 'undemocratic' elected Mayoral system, CAB would have loved to be elected Mayor in Drummond's place.

We weren't joking when we said that he had sent an e-mail out when he first became Leader of the Council that he wished to be known as 'the Leader'. Nor were we joking when we said that several Labour councillors were praying for a UKIP win in Foggy Furze because that would have meant a new Leader without CAB still being around bitching away in the background.

Interesting times.

[DRiddle]

I just thought I'd resurrect this thread from almost 3 years ago. The astute members of this forum, past and present, saw the Labour car crash coming under Akers-Belcher a long time ago.

You could literally see the voters deserting them at local level and the longer Christopher and Stephen were left there, the faster the car began to career off the road.

Mark my words, if he's left in charge until 2019, Christopher Akers-Belcher will be the first Labour leader in Hartlepool to lose control of the council for a generation.

Regarding that quote above, he's actually already achieved what many though was impossible. At present, Labour officially have 15 councillors following the defection of Curly, Larry and Moe.

Just let that sink in. This is HARTLEPOOL. A Labour heartland at national level of unbroken rule for around 60 years.

At the 'high point' of his leadership he had 23 councillors having enjoyed a bounce from the general election. He's now down to 15?!?

And that's all happened under a Tory government which usually galvanises the Labour vote locally.

You have to take your hat of to the Akers-Belchers, it takes a special kind of incompetence to pull this off.

[Johnny Bongo]

I just thought I'd resurrect this thread from almost 3 years ago. The astute members of this forum, past and present, saw the Labour car crash coming under Akers-Belcher a long time ago.

You could literally see the voters deserting them at local level and the longer Christopher and Stephen were left there, the faster the car began to career off the road.

Mark my words, if he's left in charge until 2019, Christopher Akers-Belcher will be the first Labour leader in Hartlepool to lose control of the council for a generation.

Regarding that quote above, he's actually already achieved what many though was impossible. At present, Labour officially have 15 councillors following the defection of Curly, Larry and Moe.

Just let that sink in. This is HARTLEPOOL. A Labour heartland at national level of unbroken rule for around 60 years.

At the 'high point' of his leadership he had 23 councillors having enjoyed a bounce from the general election. He's now down to 15?!?

And that's all happened under a Tory government which usually galvanises the Labour vote locally.

You have to take your hat of to the Akers-Belchers, it takes a special kind of incompetence to pull this off.

Thanks for that fascinating info, Mr Riddle.  Or maybe we should thank CAB....after all, he's done all the hard work!
He should be awarded a medal....though I very much doubt that Labour North will be awarding it!   

[Inspector Knacker]

Political opportunists.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

A couple of posters on our FB page are querying what appear to be Labour claims that the independents are 'in' with Labour/will back SAB. An attempt to confuse the electorate? Bizarre, anyway.

[diSme]

A couple of posters on our FB page are querying what appear to be Labour claims that the independents are 'in' with Labour/will back SAB. An attempt to confuse the electorate? Bizarre, anyway.

It certainly sounds that way....

People just don't know what to do for the best, which results in despondency and inaction.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

A couple of posters on our FB page are querying what appear to be Labour claims that the independents are 'in' with Labour/will back SAB. An attempt to confuse the electorate? Bizarre, anyway.

It certainly sounds that way....

People just don't know what to do for the best, which results in despondency and inaction.

Maybe that's the reaction they're aiming at? This was just a couple of people - does anyone know of any more occurrences?

[kevplumb]

I heard a whisper at work
but I'm sure Fred will agree
never believe a rumour on a site you didn't start yourself