The ego has landed...

Ryehill · May 23, 2014, 02: PM

Congratulations David Riddle. I don't particularly like your style, you are a little too abrasive for my liking,
but I am sure that you will make a hard working councillor.
However the night belonged to U.K.I.P 2 wins and 7 seconds are good results by any standard. They left the Conservatives, the Lib Dems and P.H.F. when head to head, with the exception of D.Riddle, trailing in their wake. They also beat Labour in 4 wards. Well done Tom Hind , George Springer and all the U.K.I.P. candidates.

DRiddle · May 23, 2014, 02: PM

Thank you. Yes UKIP had a good night.

They are now the 4th biggest party in our council...

Foggy · May 23, 2014, 03: PM

Well done on your election victory David. I know a few people in Hart who will be very pleased about the outcome.

Quote from: DRiddle on May 23, 2014, 02: PM

At least 3 more seats could have been cut from Labours' majority yesterday, if some people had engaged their brains.

Foggy Furze, De Bruce and Fens and Rossmere have all gone to Labour despite the VAST majority of voters in those wards NOT voting Labour.

That would have meant Labour having just 16 of the 33 seats in council, smack in the middle of a mid/end term of a very disliked Tory/Liberal government.

and all that in a 'Labour Heartland'.

The photo in The Mail of them all smiling is classic Labour PR.

I suspect that if PHF didn't have a candidate in the Foggy Furze ward then UKIP could have won that seat. Not an ideal situation but better than the Labour victory which we got. Though I didn't think it would be as close as it was.

As for the Labour celebration photo. When I awoke to that on Sky News this morning I did feel a little queasy.

The Great Dictator · May 23, 2014, 03: PM

Don't worry about Labour, if they win next years general their majority in Hartlepool council will disappear.

steveL · May 23, 2014, 05: PM

Quote from: The Great Dictator on May 23, 2014, 03: PM
Don't worry about Labour, if they win next years general their majority in Hartlepool council will disappear.

I don't follow that at all.

TSteels · May 23, 2014, 05: PM

TGD is right. Labour go into national government and start becoming unpopular then it hurts locally (the Tories lost a load last night).

The worry for calamity Chris is that at the height of an unpopular Tory government, with Labour winning councillors actors the country, they have only managed to break even and have majorities decimated. The likes of Robbie, Peter and Chris need to act quickly and decisively to arrest the decline.

There will chat in the Labour Group about how this is all to do with UKIP and how Labour did well etc...but the lightest interrogation of the figures says different and CAB is to blame!

The Great Dictator · May 23, 2014, 05: PM

The party in government lose their council seats, if Labour win next year their unpopular decisions will cost many seats throughout the country.

The Great Dictator · May 23, 2014, 05: PM

CAB will be even more unpopular next week when it is announced for the first time ever that his partner
will become Mayor for another year which has never been done before..

steveL · May 23, 2014, 06: PM

ah I see - but there will be a lag of a year or two and in any case, I don't think Labour are going to win a majority in next year's general election - I don't think any party will. Tory deserters to UKIP will return to the fold but Labour's defectors will stay put.

fred c · May 23, 2014, 06: PM

Quote from: The Great Dictator on May 23, 2014, 05: PM
CAB will be even more unpopular next week when it is announced for the first time ever that his partner
will become Mayor for another year which has never been done before..

TGD.... The old adage "There`s No Show Without Punch" is particularly true in the case of "The Deary Me Leader" how on earth could he fulfill his Civic Appointments without "The Fat Boy" in his Ceremonial Robes in attendance.

Lucy Lass-Tick · May 23, 2014, 06: PM

Hey, bet those robes weren't cheap; wonder if they were bought a size or so too large so that he could 'grow into them'?

not4me · May 23, 2014, 08: PM

Interesting statistic on the front page which tells us that labour came within 300 votes of losing overall control. It's not true in reality because the 3 Tories under Wells would no doubt have propped them up but even the Tory/Labour coalition came within 400 votes of losing it.

I bet there are some loose sphincters within the Labour Group tonight. Paul Beck may as well start packing now.

As for Wrighty, now would be a good time to get a valuation on that London property the taxpayer bought for you.

Stationario · May 23, 2014, 11: PM

Really pleased for you David.
Someone who obviously cares for the town and the people.
For a town like ours, it is an absolute disgrace that the shopping centre is in the state it is.
There is big money in the town, but it is spent elsewhere. I was staying in the Lakes last week and for the first time in my life paid a visit to Workington. Never been there before, but in the old days saw Pools play them a few times at the Vic. WORKINGTON.................population 25,000, but a vibrant shopping centre with Debenhams as the flagship store plus many of the usual suspects that have been in Hartlepool, but long gone. But then again they haven't got a BHS, so I suppose we should think ourselves lucky!!!!!

Blue · May 24, 2014, 04: PM

Well done David.

Now that you are elected what are you going to do in Hart Ward?

DRiddle · May 26, 2014, 03: PM

Hi Blue, I have a lot of ideas, but I think the right thing to do initially is to have meaningful dialogue with residents and establish a list of key priorities in the short, medium and long term.

Then work my way through the list.