If you fell asleep expecting heavy losses for the Lib Dems, then you will not have been
disappointed upon waking up. At time of writing, around 100 English councils, comprising roughly 2,400 councillors, have declared their results – and the yellow brigade have already lost four
of them, along with 270 councillors. There’s some way to go yet, so the picture could alter, but Labour appear
to making sweeping gains, while the Tory vote is holding unexpectedly firm. As it stands, the local wing of Cameron’s party has actually gained a council, along with 22 councillors in the process.
Stir in the likely result of the AV referendum, and the Tory leader is looking like a net winner on the night.
The only comfort for Nick Clegg is that the election results haven’t really translated into internal party dissent – yet. Apart from Paddy Ashdown’s outburst last night, noted by James, there has been little to get the Krelinologists particularly flustered. Tim Farron has broadcast the official party message of, well, it has been an “unpleasant” occasion. Chris Huhne has declined to say that the Lib Dems need a new leader, although not, admittedly, in terms that were especially generous to Clegg. And Tavish Scott, leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, has urged that, “people are not happy about us being in the UK coalition” – but, then, he does tend to say that sort of thing anyway. The question now is whether the hostilities will solidify into something sharper, more knife-like, after the AV result is announced.
Elsewhere, it has been – as Fraser and Alex have noted – an extraordinary night in Scotland, and one which potentially sets up an SNP majority. It is an outcome that, notwithstanding the Labour gains in Wales, ought to sour Ed Miliband’s breakfast somewhat. Salmond is already playfully putting it about that the Labour leader’s appearance in Scotland, alongside Ed Balls, actually helped the SNP cause. To the victors, the bragging rights, I suppose.
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