Mayoral elections

[Fan of Big Tone]

Without wishing to spark a political mud slinging debate (I’ll lock the thread if it does) I just wondered how many people had bothered to vote today.

We voted by post but as it’s a nice day I wonder if people will turn out.

[Robbie]

I voted today.

At my Polling Station in Mansfield East, there were two votes: for East Midlands Mayor, and Police & Crime Commissioner.

I always try to register my vote. Polling Station wasn't very busy when I voted this morning.

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Can't see the point of having a Mayor. It's just another leech taking the peoples tax pounds and  making People's life a Misery. Prime Example Khan in London, there all out to line their own pockets live in the own Bubble and lose all contact with  Real  Life and the Lives of  the Ordinary Person in the Street.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

Agree. We have County Councils, District Councils, City Councils, Town Councils, and Parish Councils. 

Now we are going to have an East Midlands Mayor to add to the West Midlands Mayor. And we already have a Mansfield Mayor now.

We are getting more layers of Government, more levels of bureaucracy, costing the taxpayer more and more money.

And the thing about these Mayor's, there is no term limit. They could be in post 20, 30 years or even longer if they are not voted out.

[Robbie]

This result wasn't expected in the North East according to the polls.

 

[Robbie]

 

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

What even is an east midlands mayor?!

[Robbie]

5 minutes ago, Super_Danny_Allsopp said:

What even is an east midlands mayor?!

Just the same as a West Midlands Mayor. Another tier of government that the taxpayer has to pay for, Ie) the Mayor and his staff.

[DangerousSausage]

I don't really understand the idea behind having mayors in some regions but not others. The cynic in me thinks it's a way to get certain parties elected in regions they wouldn't normally get a chance in by turning local elections into a contest between personalities rather than policies.

I would like to see us move towards a federal system that takes power away from Westminster, with devolved regional assemblies presiding over county and district councils. The UK is far too centralised.

[Robbie]

I don't believe we should have so many Mayors. We already have an elected Mayor for Mansfield.

I personally don't think we need an East Midlands Mayor. It's just more cost for the taxpayer

I believe Mayors should be limited to TWO terms only, so we are assured of a change even if the new Mayor is with the same party. 

[Robbie]

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

I See Khan as Won London again. Will people Never Learn? £12.50 to drive your car off the drive way. Going up £15 per day Then he'll bring a £2.00 a Mile to drive your car around London  A Massive Mosque to be built in the Very Heart of London. Knife Crime up 54% since he's been in power, within the next four years London will be a bigger Hell Hole than it is Now. A No Go Area for Certain Religious Groups   And you can guarantee all Labour Mayors will introduce the highly unpopular ULEZ scheme which Doesn't Work but they won't Care just another Tax to line their pockets and make the ordinary people of this Country Suffer.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man I agree

Sadiq Khan winning by such a margin is so surprising when he has introduced ULEZ and he presiding over an increase in so much crime and London has become a dangerous place to live.

He won with less than 40% of the electorate bothering to come out to vote. If people want change they need to take the time to vote 

What's even more concerning he could win several more terms so the prospect for London isn't good. But that is my opinion. Others will disagree.

[Piethagoram]

@Wheelbarrow repair man 

@Robbie

You two are well out of order. FACTS matter! Writing from London, when @Robbie says "Sadiq Khan winning by such a margin is so surprising when he has introduced ULEZ"...It was Boris Johnson that first introduced ULEZ and the current Conservative Government made funding to TfL (Transport for London) CONDITIONAL on ULEZ being expanded.

As for @Wheelbarrow repair man, where is your evidence? Actually, it was the people of London who voted for cleaner air! Bus fares in London are cheaper than the £2 fare cap elsewhere. It was Boris that sold off all those local police stations and significantly reduced the police force.  "A Massive Mosque to be built in the Very Heart of London".... sorry where is the evidence? You appear to be very xenophobic.

 

[Piethagoram]

A reminder

[Robbie]

@Piethagoram

It has become clear since Thursday's local elections, that in many parts of the Country, Labour are going to be under serious threat from a certain George Galloway, who's Party is going to eat into Labour support at the next election.

He nearly cost Labour the West Midlands Mayorship, so it's not a forgone conclusion that Labour will get a majority at the next election. In fact BBC and Sky forecast a hung parliament.

Independents in the North have eaten into the Labour vote and taken seats that should have been Labour's for the taking, so all in all, it wasn't the best election for Labour that it could have been.

The Libdems and the Greens did well too at the expense of Labour.

As for London, it doesn't matter who started ULEZ, Khan has expanded it all over Greater London now, not just in a small part of central London where Boris intended it.

And Khan was elected on cultural lines, not just because he happened to be representing the Labour Party and that goes for lots of Labour wins last Thursday & the reason for lots of seats NOT being won by Labour. Again due to George Galloway.

If a large part of the Labour base continue to vote for Galloway, it could prove very bad for Starmer's election hopes.

 

[Fan of Big Tone]

I think so that we all remain friends and as this was my thread I will close it now, I really didn’t want to start a political debate again as it usually ends in disharmony. I hope everyone understands.

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

On 04/05/2024 at 15:27, Robbie said:

 

I like Andy Burnham.