| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Smoke filled rooms and pre-election deals | |
| Posted by: | Dan Evans | |
| Date/Time: | 11/04/06 14:20:00 |
| Despite, so I am told, being a bit of a bete noir for Phil Andrews and the ICG I do think it would have been a good idea for the Liberal Democrats and the Tories to have given them a clearer run at Syon ward as they performed so well last time out. I presume the ICG's targetting of Tory wards is 'revenge' for their failure to agree terms on dividing up wards which is pointlessly vindictive but somehow predictable. The London Communications report seems at this stage to have got it right but not because, as Karen claims Labour have been so brilliant but because the opposition are so feckless. If Labour did lose Hounslow it would now be reflective of an absolute annihilation of the party across the country and probably mean the resignation of Tony Blair within the week. A couple of months ago the assumption of most people would have been that Labour couldn't have possibly have hung on to Hounslow and a more pragmatic opposition would have ensured this by putting their differences aside. Although I have many reservations about Cllr Andrews himself he would have made a very effective Cabinet member of a cross party group ruling the Council. That said I think we should be careful of taking what Councillors say about who they would or wouldn't be willing to work with. The Tories and Lib Dems may be claiming they won't partner with the ICG now but what's the betting that it will be a big group hug when they are faced with the proposition of four more years in opposition. |