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Pendle election results: Lib Dems lose overall control
1:43am Friday 2nd May 2008
THE council leader lost his seat and his party lost overall control during a night of election shocks for the Liberal Democrats in Pendle.
Coun Alan Davies's seat in Boulsworth went to the Conservatives, who also gained Horsfield from the Liberal Democrats.
Tories George Askew and Michael Calvert took the two seats with 1,006 votes and 1,189 respectively.
With 17 spots up for grabs the Liberal Democrats lost a number of wards to Conservative and Labour, blaming their losses on the Conservatives targeted campaign.
They lost eight seats overall, including Brierfield to Labour and the two seats in Boulsworth, which had one of the highest turnouts, with 48.59.
The Liberal Democrats did manage to wrestle Vivary Bridge from Labour Glenda Clegg, taking the ward with 490 votes.
This year's elections took place during a stormy campaign with allegations of fraud.
The ousted council leader said: "The Conservatives have run a very targeted campaign. We estimate that they spent a quarter of a million pounds in Pendle."
Conservative leader Anthony Beckett said: "We can see the tide is now turning towards us.
"The people are fed up of Labour nationally and the Liberals locally and they want a change.
"We are the party who is offering them truth, inregrity and honesty and this is why people are voting for us."
Nearly half of the seats up for grabs - 12 out of 28 - were being defended by the LibDems.
Your Say YourTelegraph
Lord Geeves, London says...
12:32pm Tue 6 May 08
Greaves - if you haven't realised that the people of pendle hate you ..then u really need to see a doctor !!
Lord Geeves, London says...
12:32pm Tue 6 May 08
Greaves - if you haven't realised that the people of pendle hate you ..then u really need to see a doctor !!
Waterside resident, says...
8:15pm Sun 4 May 08
Paul McKenna, Nelson says...
7:27pm Sun 4 May 08
Paul McKenna wrote:Sorry, correction:
As a candidate in this year's local elections, I can confirm things were very interesting indeed. Many interesting things are being said here too. The Lib Dems can accuse the Conservative Party of operating a targetted campaign until the cows come home. What about the vicious personal attack they made on Cllr Mike Calvert? I don't see any mention being made of that old cherry anywhere. It's news to me if the Conservative Party has spent £250K in Pendle, sure we have invested more money in our campaign than we have done in the past, but this business of £250K is indeed just another smear tactic from the Lib Dems. The people of Pendle voted for change this year, and their voice has been heard loud and clear. Still you reap what you sow, and what goes around comes back to bite you.
The last part should read:
Still, for the Lib Dems, you reap what you sow, and what goes around eventually comes back to bite you.
Paul McKenna, Nelson says...
7:22pm Sun 4 May 08
The Lib Dems can accuse the Conservative Party of operating a targetted campaign until the cows come home. What about the vicious personal attack they made on Cllr Mike Calvert? I don't see any mention being made of that old cherry anywhere.
It's news to me if the Conservative Party has spent £250K in Pendle, sure we have invested more money in our campaign than we have done in the past, but this business of £250K is indeed just another smear tactic from the Lib Dems.
The people of Pendle voted for change this year, and their voice has been heard loud and clear.
Still you reap what you sow, and what goes around comes back to bite you.
Brierfielder, Brierfield says...
6:57pm Sat 3 May 08
Mark Lonsdale, nelson says...
12:31pm Sat 3 May 08
Voter wrote:It is clear to me why Alan Davis lost his seat if he believes the tories have spent £250,000 in pendle. I would agree more money has been spent in recent times but this figure is completely crazy.
Looks to me that the results in Pendle had more to do with: Tory Lord Ashcroft's millions backing the Tory marketing campaign. Residents voting Tory in some wards as an anti-Brown protest - and letting Labour in as a result. Labour's manipulation of the postal vote in asian areas.
I would bet the tories have received no more than £25k from Ashcroft however might get a further 10k towards the general election.
This is clearly a smear campaign from the LibDems.
Dr Syed K I Shah, BRIERFIELD/NELSON says...
11:53pm Fri 2 May 08
loo, colne says...
9:48pm Fri 2 May 08
Kevin, Colne says...
9:30pm Fri 2 May 08
A leading councillor telling us that the change to a fortnightly bin collection service was an 'improvement'.
The councillor who told us that expanding local activities into retail and leisure strengthened the local economy.
Then the ruling elite raised the Council Tax by the maximum amount possible without invoking capping at a time when households are buckling under immense financial strain.
Not contnet with inflicting this damage on the local economy the councillors then foisted upon us a Town Council and claimed it had massive local support, and are now going to charge us £50 a year for the privilege while we're struggling to pay for food and fuel etc., and our takehome pay has gone down as Calamity Brown doubles the tax rate.
I heard all of this and I thought to myself: is it me? Am I just plain thick and don't get 'it', or are the ruling elite on Pendle Council taking me for a fool?
Now I know I'm not the brightest Smartie in the tube but after much careful thought I came to the conclusion that they we're taking me for a patsy.
I didn't much like it, and I voted accordingly. It would seem that many of my fellow citizens took the same view.
nothere, says...
9:24pm Fri 2 May 08
Nelson Resident. wrote:Now David Foster you are crying like a true incompetent loser - just like Alan Davies and that lovely cleaning lady Dorothy Lord. Cheerio
Brown has so much to answer for-the 10p tax scandal, the smoking debarcle, the re-cycling fiasco, nhs disgrace and the starvation of funds to our fighting forces: what else did he expect when he attacks his core labour voters! Up yours Gordie.
Nelson Resident., Cloverhill ward. says...
7:16pm Fri 2 May 08
Burnley Taxpayer, Burnley says...
3:44pm Fri 2 May 08
richard wrote:Shame on you. Nazis are nazis whatever they call themselves.
HAPPY TO SEE THE BNP WIN THE MAJORITY OF VOTES FOR MARSDEN WARD MADE MY NIGHT.
Jason, says...
3:09pm Fri 2 May 08
peter wilson wrote:Am sorry to upset your rant but the council tax was set by the liberals in Pendle - the highest in east lancashire. Now am not a fan of Brown and co but lets not blame him for our inadequacies for electing a bunch of self-serving parasites in the form of liberals. We have Lord Greaves lording over us and he too is unelected and definitely not doing anything for Pendle
Get the message bottler Brown and your clone badger Darling, You are unelected,not trusted and not wanted, now get the other side the wall that Hadrian built to keep you self serving ,over taxing no idea group out,
peter wilson, says...
2:45pm Fri 2 May 08
Voter, Pendle says...
2:31pm Fri 2 May 08
Tory Lord Ashcroft's millions backing the Tory marketing campaign.
Residents voting Tory in some wards as an anti-Brown protest - and letting Labour in as a result.
Labour's manipulation of the postal vote in asian areas.
freedom, fromliberals says...
11:10am Fri 2 May 08
In the last few weeks we have had Mr Afzal (Liberals parliamentary candidate) being investigated for potential electral fraud and sending his cronies on here and threatening people - NEWSFLASH - YOU ARE PARASITES FOR CREATING DIVISIONS AMONGST THE PEOPLE OF PENDLE, BUT THEY HAVE SPOKEN AND TOLD YOU LOT TO DO ONE. Now hopefully the people of pendle will scrutinise your credibility and lack of competence to represent them even more objectively.
richard, nelson says...
10:15am Fri 2 May 08
Lord Lucan, Hiding says...
10:05am Fri 2 May 08
Soft on crime
Soft on immigration
No spine when it comes to standing up for British people
Your days are numbered
BYE BYE
SOUTHFIELD RESIDANT, NELSON says...
9:17am Fri 2 May 08
When are the individuals who are elected to represent the public (from all parties) going to realise-you are public servants elected to represent US the public and show your commitment to the area you represent.
Regardless of political colour,surely the overall strategy must be to work for the "betterment" of both the area and the town.
I hope we can look forward whatever the poitical direction of the council, to seeing the continuation in the prosperity of the town.
In order to attract more investment however we need to see the following.
CLEANER STREETS AND THE ELIMINATION OF LITTER THROUGHOUT THE TOWN:
HIGHER POLICE PROFILE:
RE-GENERATION OF TERRACED PROPERTY;
ZERO TOLERANCE OF LITTER/GRAFFITTI/VAN
DALISM/NUISANCE
Kevin, Colne says...
8:19am Fri 2 May 08
First of all one is faced with the task of trying to select the Party that is least silly, and then a candidate with gumption.
Given the silliness of all the Parties there's not much to choose between them, and as for the candidates ... well ... I'm sure they're very nice people but I wouldn't trust some of them to run a bath let alone the Council.
Still, it was a nice evening for a walk to the Polling Station and polling clerks were smiling so at least someone was happy.
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debbie, cloverhill says...
1:01am Sat 17 May 08
when it comes t half truths i fel i must comment on the labour partys tactics at saying in their leaflts they didnt agree with ton parish but stood as indepndent anyway????
telling lies to the rsidents will not do you any favours in the nxt election!!!