Shock byelection defeat for Conservatives in Barnet
The Barnet Bugle reports that Labour have gained a seat for the Brunswick Park Ward in Barnet Council in yesterday's byelection.
The result was:
Labour 1769, Conservatives 1,598, Liberal Democrats 97.
The byelection was called after the sad death of theh former Conservative council leader Lynne Hillan.
This had been regarded as a pretty safe Conservative ward and the swing to Labour is calculated as 13.25%. So as they say a "wake up call" with Council elections in two years time for the Conservative-run council. They have not exactly embraced transparency or welcomed being held to account by the borough's thriving blogging community.
The Barnet Eye suggests that increased parking charges are a key grievance and that the real problem is not increased charges at the council's own car parks but the abolition of high street pay and display machines and the increase in parking charges and CPZ permit charges. Certainly the Labour Party seem to think that campaigning against the parking charges and rebranding themselves as the motorist's friend is an effective way of winning over those who would normally be Conservatives. It may be that other Conservatives abstain in protest.
By the way the Labour candidate put out a leaflet in Greek - which was apparently "much punchier" than the version in English.
I'm afraid I am not in a position to verify this. If you speak Greek perhaps you could click oon the image to see enlarged version and let us know in the comments.
More council byelection news when I have the other results.
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