Post yours here. What are your predictions and reactions?

My prediction is that Essex will get a BNP councillor. There are more parts of Essex where I imagine they would have a following. I know they were campaigning in Basildon. I hope that enough sensible people voted to keep them out, but given the political climate, I expect that many stayed away.

Results are trickling in: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/e ... _99999.stm

Kent County Council has been true blue since forever. I can't see that changing, to be honest.

I fully suspect the oleaginous bankrupt muppet who was standing in my ward will get in. He knows the right people, it seems.

I expect the Lib Dems to hold Cornwall Council, along with Devon and Somerset County Councils. I see that the LDs have just gained control of Bristol City Council.

Wow, the LDs have lost Devon County Council and Somerset County Council to the Conservatives according to the BBC. I wonder if the Tories have done enough to take Cornwall too, or possibly make it so there's "no overall control".

Bum.

Tories hold Essex . Results still being collated.

What's worrying is even with only a handful of council results in, Tory Smug Mode is kicking in.

How these results might translate to a general election is open to opinion. Perhaps the voters are smart enough to realise the sleaze at the top doesn't necessarily translate to local government. Hopefully, those same voters also realise that if they vote in a Con-servative government it will be more of the same.

We must break the stranglehold of the main parties over our country's governance. Letting the opposition win is not going to change a thing. We must vote for change to make things change.

EDIT: Labour have been well and truly routed from England. Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Lancashire have all gone blue.

The Westcountry turning blue was a surprise, but the North turning blue is an even bigger shock.

The maps going blue map clicky

Derbyshire was the warning flag. If they lose that, Labour are in deep, deep [LIFTED].

Essex is even more Tory than it was yesterday. Labour lost 12 seats, giving them the total of 1. Tories gained 10, Lib Dems gained 4.

Are the Lib Dems now the second party? We clearly have a country being run by a government which is deeply unpopular, and I bet if these results are converted into a General Election, they would be seriously wounded.

I think you are being hopeful there. I really hope someone looks at local government with the same level of forensic attention as the Torygraph has applied to MPs’ expenses. I bet there are plenty of councillors on the take.

No Overall Control at Cornwall Council. Tories are largest Party with 50 seats, Lib Dems have 38, 32 independents and 3 Mebyon Kernow. It will be a race between the Tories and Lib Dems to see who can sign up the most independents in order to win control of the council.

http://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElec ... PID=525251

Not a single Labour councillor.

Perhaps. One of the local rags down here looked at Medway council - not in depth, it has to be said, but still. Councillors are entitled to quite a lot of expenses - they don't get a salary like MPs. It seemed most don't claim the full amount they're entitled to, and most of it is down to travel and general office stuff.

Which is not to say there aren't councillors on the make, or that investigations shouldn't be made.

*shrug*

I can't make up my mind which party I hate least.

Surely liberals, they haven't had the cance to disapoint yet.