Respectable not sensational
Fraser Nelson 2:04pmI went to bed at 5.30am thinking "Well, I'll wake up and know the result". It’s now Friday lunchtime, and we're none the wiser. Who won Scotland? Labour and SNP are on a knife-edge with 100,000 supposedly spoiled ballots. An incredible drama is unfolding, a Scottish version of the "hanging chad" nonsense that bedevilled George W Bush's election in 2000. Whatever happened last night, there was no Labour bloodbath. Its results were bad, but not calamitous. The Tories had a few respectable gains, but as far as I can see those four cities - Gateshead, Manchester, Liverpool and Knowsley - remain Tory-free zones. Ming Campbell is trying his best not to look shell-shocked. Truth is, the Tory "love bomb" deployed on LibDem voters actually detonated. The Tories were out for LibDem votes, and got plenty. I agree with Matt: it's a respectable result. They expect to win over 600, my yardstick for success. But with Cameron, we've come to expect a sensational result. And that was emphatically absent.
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Chris Heathcote
May 4th, 2007 3:53pm Report this comment"those four cities - Gateshead, Manchester, Liverpool and Knowsley - remain Tory-free zones"- very strange choice! What about Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford- plenty of Tories there! Knowsley and Gateshead aren't even cities!
Peter Thornton
May 4th, 2007 4:28pm Report this commentFraser You might like to have a look at South Lakelands results. Some huge swings to the Liberal Democrats FROM the Tories.
Mike Wood
May 4th, 2007 4:36pm Report this commentNow looking like 800 gains in England. That would be sensational
James Hannam
May 4th, 2007 4:42pm Report this commentRespectable? Over 800 new councillors, over thirty councils gained, revival in Wales, lots of blue up north, 40%+ vote share. I cannot see how this can be other than a Tory triumph in England and a Labour catastrophe in Scotland. What exactly constitutes a good result for the Tories?
TomTom
May 4th, 2007 8:02pm Report this commentTHe concern in Bradford and Leeds is that the swing was AWAY from Conservatives and TO Labour and LibDems.
Why are the Conservatives the third largest party in Leeds; and second largest in Bradford.
In Leeds it is said even with Greens and LibDems Conservatives can only form a minority administration
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