Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Democracy works ... so accept the result

In 2004 I lost Bowthorpe by 14 votes to the sitting Labour member Ron Borrett. I remember feeling absolutely devasted - as anybody who puts the time, energy and feeling into something would. However, like I did, you have to get back up, dust yourself down and get on with the job of campainging for a better community.

I am genuinely saddened by the reaction of the Labour Party to losing Bowthorpe (by 9 votes). They have been very loudly attacking our new Councillor, John Wyatt, and making various empty threats - including changing the boundaries to ensure Labour have a better chance of winning and making legal challenges.

My advise is that Labour should shut up, accept democracy and start talking to people in order to work out why they lost. Sour grapes win no friends.

UPDATE: One of Labour's claims is that John doesn't have anything to do with the ward and nobody knows him. John was standing and campaigning in the area long before any of the current Councillors were even interested in politics! John was the Tory candidate for the area on and off since the 1960s and has ran and organised the ward campaign team since 2002. Enough interest for you?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Labour are just fearfull that Tories are in their backyard and really threaen them. Labour should respect the majority vote and voters, they elected John Wyatt because his leaflet came through the door and Chrissie Rusmby's, did not. Brenda out next year? Bowthorpe / N Earlham needs to see some serious cash from the Norwich CC Adminstration in cleaning the neighbourhood. will Labour deliver?
Brenda out next ?

Antony said...

Mark my words - Brenda will be looking for a way out if the writing is still on the wall come Christmas.

Anonymous said...

Is this the leaflet with 1 pic of John not doing anything and half a dozen of North Norfolk's Trevor Ivory?

Anonymous said...

For me one leaflet with a photo of John, communicated the person and local issues much better than the zero leaflet with no photo of the labour candidate. Electors felt mistreated and short changed in Bowthorpe by City Labour in the local election.