Contact the Telegraph
Send us your news tips, photos and videos Text LT and your message to 80360 or click here for more ways to contact us »
REGISTER NOW TO POST YOUR COMMENTS ON THESE STORIES
It's free and only takes a few seconds. Click here to go to the registration page.
Blackburn with Darwen election results: Ruling coalition fares well
3:40pm Friday 2nd May 2008
Comments (129) Have your say »
By Tom Moseley »
THE ruling coalition in Blackburn with Darwen looks set to continue after a disastrous election for Labour.
Speaking after the four-hour count, party leaders indicated the partnership between the Tories, Liberal Democrat and For Darwen parties, set up a year ago, was likely to carry on.
But power-sharing talks are set to take place over the next few days and other permutations could emerge.
Labour lost four of its councillors, while For Darwen strengthened its hand by picking up three seats.
The Conservatives won a seat in Ewood, taking their total to 18, while the Lib Dems lost one key councillor but picked Bastwell from Labour to remain on 11.
A Labour and For Darwen alliance would have 32 seats - enough to take control with incoming mayor Mohammed Khan's casting vote.
Or the Lib Dem and Labour groups together would have a total of 38 councillors, although the Lib Dems are unlikely to split with the Tories as the two parties did not stand against each in Blackburn.
It is likely For Darwen leader Tony Melia will now demand a bigger role for his party on ruling executive board of the council.
After the count, he suggested a coalition would again be formed, adding: "We will be pretty much the same as before, only bigger."
Liberal Democrat leader David Foster was due to chair a party meeting last night to discuss the way forward.
He said: "There will be negotiations on the same basis as last year.
"It depends on whether For Darwen can be part of an effective team and it depends on their attitude."
Conservative leader Colin Rigby said he was "delighted" Labour had lost four seats, but was sorry to see Lib Dem Kevin Connor, the lead member for resources, lose his seat to Phil Jones of For Darwen.
He added: "Lots of good stuff has been done by this council in the past year."
Labour leader Kate Hollern, who remained tight-lipped on possible power-sharing arrangements, was left ruing national politics that she said had damaged the party's chances locally.
She said: "There has been an early warning here for Mr Brown and he will listen.
"That's what politics is all about. But I am very disappointed.
"We have lost some exceedingly good long-serving councillors."
There were emotional scenes as long-serving Labour member Florence Oldfield lost her seat in a nail-biting battle with the Conservatives' Joe Smith.
The former member for Ewood was embraced by supporters of all parties as it was announced she had lost by just three votes after three recounts.
Coun Smith said: "I am delighted, but I am just sorry it was Florence that had to go, because she gave a fine service to her ward."
Soon afterwards it was announced that Labour stalwart Dave Smith had lost his Sunnyhurst seat after 22 years, to 24-year-old For Darwen candidate Andrew Graham.
He said the row over changes to income tax was a factor in his defeat, and Blackburn MP Jack Straw admitted national headlines had been "mainly responsible" for his party's poor showing.
He admitted a "mistake" over the abolition of the 10p tax band, and said: "We all feel a strong sense of responsibility.
"But we have bad times as well as good, and locally the party is in good heart."
Your Say YourTelegraph
Ron Aldridge, says...
11:46am Fri 2 May 08
Lord Lucan, Hiding says...
11:47am 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
I want change, Darwen says...
11:49am Fri 2 May 08
Mr Meteroff, Back in Town says...
11:50am Fri 2 May 08
Two Tracks to Manchester!
Vote Meteroff for Mayor.
Rick, Darwen says...
12:22pm Fri 2 May 08
Shafted employee, darwen says...
12:31pm Fri 2 May 08
Blackburn Lad, Blackburn says...
12:39pm Fri 2 May 08
It will be interesting to see who will really be running the council.
With the likelihood of another coalition, both the tories and the libdems will be sucking up big time to the For Darwen motley crew.
A classic case of the tail wagging the dog I think.
Vote for an independant Blackburn I say. The Darweners are taking our money and our jobs, now they are trying to run our town ... send them back where they belong
Impartial, Darwen says...
12:44pm Fri 2 May 08
Alan Barnes, Blackburn says...
1:51pm Fri 2 May 08
Joe Gazdula, Darwen says...
1:58pm Fri 2 May 08
Joe, Marsh House says...
2:04pm Fri 2 May 08
This one was for all the people of Redearth and the stupid 3 way system you imposed on our town centre. The City of Darwen strikes back. Who needs independence when we've go a whole town -sorry area)working for us!
Parkin Mad, says...
2:14pm Fri 2 May 08
Unconvinced, Darwen says...
2:18pm Fri 2 May 08
He was always around in the Sunnyhurst area taking up people's problems and complaints. And, whether you agreed with him or not, he never left you in doubt what he thought about things. Perhaps people really prefer spin.
Disillusioned, Shadsworth says...
2:18pm Fri 2 May 08
I have heard nothing but fire and brimstone from the residents here in regards to our completely useless and redundant NuLab councillors,but amazingly,like a pitbull with a ten seconds attention span,they unbelieveably vote them in yet again,with no thought as to how we have been repeatedly let down in the past.
I truly despair for this god-forsaken area.
Gangs of hoodies prowling the streets,drug dealers given free reign,all of this old news to the residents,but yet again they vote in the people who could not really give a toss.
You deserve everything that you are going to get in the near future,residents of Shadsworth...
michelle, blackburn says...
2:29pm Fri 2 May 08
Gerri, Darwen says...
2:30pm Fri 2 May 08
Just wondering, Darwen says...
2:32pm Fri 2 May 08
Or is the Telegraph really *that* much under the For Darwen thumb?
a resident of, fernhurst farm says...
2:37pm Fri 2 May 08
Anon, Darwen says...
2:38pm Fri 2 May 08
Disgusted by the Voters of Darwen, DARWEN says...
2:40pm Fri 2 May 08
Jim Royle, Darwen says...
2:40pm Fri 2 May 08
b, Blackburn says...
2:41pm Fri 2 May 08
Urban Spaceman, I Don't Exist... says...
2:51pm Fri 2 May 08
BEARDWOOD WITH LAMMACK
LITTLE HARWOOD
QUEEN'S PARK
SHEAR BROW
WENSLEY FOLD
None of the above areas surprises me that New Labour have held on to their seats,as it is in the residential populations' interests to keep New Labour in power,but what I find somewhat surprising is:
HIGHERCROFT
MILL HILL
SHADSWORTH WITH WHITEBIRK
I would have hoped that as the three above areas have been let down and deserted by New Labour,even a vote for the Conservatives might,just might ,have been worth at least ONE shot!
The whole of Blackburn has suffered at the hands of Neo-Labour for more years that I care to remember,but just like a dirty,fithy bad penny,they turn up again.
What on earth were you voters REALLY thinking?!Just like the post from the Shadsworth resident illicited above;they have let us all down time after time after time!I recall something I heard in relation to the British public's understanding of political parties,and it goes something like:'We have been crapped on so many times by politicians,that now,we just think that it's a light shower of rain...'
I think that may be closer to the truth should this inept government still be here after the next National Elections...
VOTE WISELY.
GP, Darwen says...
2:51pm Fri 2 May 08
b wrote:You objected to a play area????
See what happens Florence when you build a play area outside my house. For the first time ever the wife and I vote against Labour we oust you. Power to the people.
*shakes head* you can't please some people. Would you have prefered a homeless hostel or a drug rehab centre.
Of all the reasons to vote against someone this was yours.
Iqbal, Blackburn says...
2:54pm Fri 2 May 08
ewood.eddie, Blackburn South says...
2:54pm Fri 2 May 08
CJ, darwen says...
3:08pm Fri 2 May 08
Jim Royle wrote:What? A councillor who goes into pubs? Disgraceful! No wonder you got rid of him.
Yes Unconvinced, i was always impressed at ex-Cllr Dave Smiths views being expressed in ale houses across the darwen area. He can now spend a few years out trying to understand why the people of darwen have booted him out with his band of socialist lunatics. Perhaps they may even learn how to listen and be humble in opposition...but i won't hold my breath.
b, Blackburn says...
3:11pm Fri 2 May 08
GP wrote:Do you want to live next to a football/basketball court where all the local teenagers congrigate? I can't even watch TV without hearing a constant bang, bang, bang or having a football bounce up against the front of the house. Maybee you should come and live here. Originally it was suppossed to be a set of swings and a slide for the little ones before the Labour Council stepped in and changed it to a basketballl court, before this I did not object to it at all. See there's more to some situations than you think.
b wrote: See what happens Florence when you build a play area outside my house. For the first time ever the wife and I vote against Labour we oust you. Power to the people.You objected to a play area???? *shakes head* you can't please some people. Would you have prefered a homeless hostel or a drug rehab centre. Of all the reasons to vote against someone this was yours.
margaret james, blackburn says...
3:16pm Fri 2 May 08
Blackburn town centre will not be a busy area again till:
The market and fish market are up and running again.
There is free parking for those who wish to shop there.
******************
People who wish to take their cars into town are not welcome, so they will go shopping in towns where there is free parking - eg Darwen.
I walk into town from Buncer Lane and the amount of rubbish on the streets that lead into the town centre is a disgrace.
If I wish to catch the bus home with my shopping, I have to walk to the furtherst bus stop on the boulevard - across from the railway statio; or at the bottom of Montague Street.
GP, Darwen says...
3:17pm Fri 2 May 08
b wrote:I'd prefer the teenagers in my area congregating at a basketball court outside my house giving them something to do than what I currently have - Local teens gathering outside the working mens club getting pi$$ed out of their faces, thinking its funny to use my car as a climbing frame, fighting and shouting 'til all hours. I'd love for it to be a ball bouncing bothering me.
GP wrote:Do you want to live next to a football/basketball court where all the local teenagers congrigate? I can't even watch TV without hearing a constant bang, bang, bang or having a football bounce up against the front of the house. Maybee you should come and live here. Originally it was suppossed to be a set of swings and a slide for the little ones before the Labour Council stepped in and changed it to a basketballl court, before this I did not object to it at all. See there's more to some situations than you think.b wrote: See what happens Florence when you build a play area outside my house. For the first time ever the wife and I vote against Labour we oust you. Power to the people.You objected to a play area???? *shakes head* you can't please some people. Would you have prefered a homeless hostel or a drug rehab centre. Of all the reasons to vote against someone this was yours.
I think yours is a classic situation of 'not in my back yard' and have no idea how bad things really could be.
vikingpower, blackburn says...
3:18pm Fri 2 May 08
ghel, blackburn says...
3:27pm Fri 2 May 08
Former Sunnyhurst Resident, Darwen says...
3:31pm Fri 2 May 08
bigrick, oakenhurst farm says...
3:32pm Fri 2 May 08
a resident of wrote:Why shouldn't a "For Darwen" candidate stand in Fernhurst. When the ward was created, it encompassed the north of Earcroft and all of Lower Darwen, which has always considered itself to be part of Darwen, not the hole that is Blackburn. Well done "For Darwen" for giving us Darreners a voice !!!!
well done the good people of the fernhurst ward ..... labour tried to farm us out to darwen, as for somebofy from the \'far darwen\' party standing ..... please!
b, Blackburn says...
3:41pm Fri 2 May 08
GP wrote:Excuse me for wanting a better quality of life.
b wrote:I'd prefer the teenagers in my area congregating at a basketball court outside my house giving them something to do than what I currently have - Local teens gathering outside the working mens club getting pi$$ed out of their faces, thinking its funny to use my car as a climbing frame, fighting and shouting 'til all hours. I'd love for it to be a ball bouncing bothering me. I think yours is a classic situation of 'not in my back yard' and have no idea how bad things really could be.GP wrote:Do you want to live next to a football/basketball court where all the local teenagers congrigate? I can't even watch TV without hearing a constant bang, bang, bang or having a football bounce up against the front of the house. Maybee you should come and live here. Originally it was suppossed to be a set of swings and a slide for the little ones before the Labour Council stepped in and changed it to a basketballl court, before this I did not object to it at all. See there's more to some situations than you think.b wrote: See what happens Florence when you build a play area outside my house. For the first time ever the wife and I vote against Labour we oust you. Power to the people.You objected to a play area???? *shakes head* you can't please some people. Would you have prefered a homeless hostel or a drug rehab centre. Of all the reasons to vote against someone this was yours.
Hellboy, Shadsworth Hell... says...
3:45pm Fri 2 May 08
ghel wrote:I think you know EXACTLY where Highercroft is...
wheres highercroft in bburn? they seem to be getting alot of bnp votes in that area only
A hell(boy)hole a little up the road from myself...Don't take the mickey out of them,ghel ,as they are only normal folk just like yourself.
Shadsworth were not given the option to vote BNP this time around simply because there is no direct 'threat' from New Labour's open door policy at the moment.
We have a number of Eastern European drunks up here,but other than that,it's not a real problem right now...but only for right now,you understand...AFTER that,I shudder to think...
ghel, bburn says...
3:51pm Fri 2 May 08
Hellboy wrote:hellboy im just wondering because of the amount of bnp votes they got there, im asian myself and i regularly visit the shads leisure centre, ive never had any problems
ghel wrote: wheres highercroft in bburn? they seem to be getting alot of bnp votes in that area onlyI think you know EXACTLY where Highercroft is... A hell(boy)hole a little up the road from myself...Don\\\'t take the mickey out of them,ghel ,as they are only normal folk just like yourself. Shadsworth were not given the option to vote BNP this time around simply because there is no direct \\\'threat\\\' from New Labour\\\'s open door policy at the moment. We have a number of Eastern European drunks up here,but other than that,it\\\'s not a real problem right now...but only for right now,you understand...AFTER that,I shudder to think...
Grandma, Darwen says...
3:56pm Fri 2 May 08
Linda, says...
4:04pm Fri 2 May 08
A tough act to follow
blackburn just, blackburn says...
4:05pm Fri 2 May 08
Insider, says...
4:06pm Fri 2 May 08
It's one thing to believe what you are doing it is right, it is quite another to make those who disagree with you feel stupid and isolated. With Dave Smith, this was most obvious when he was involved with planning meetings.
With that arrogance comes a habit of spending too much time in the Town Hall. Bill Taylor paid for that in Audley, and it is the very reason while Gail Barton lost in Mill Hill also.
Under Kate Hollern, Labour may have lost control but they have learnt they can't take the vote for granted.
What should Colin Rigby do now? In an ideal world, the party with the most votes should take charge with the part with second-highest number of votes. Could a Lab-Con partnership work? It would be much safer for Cllr Rigby, and, in all honestly, is he running the town hall that differently from the way Cllr Hollern ran it?
GP, Darwen says...
4:15pm Fri 2 May 08
blackburn lad, says...
4:27pm Fri 2 May 08
ghel wrote:It's a big estate up above Ewood Park: used to be called Higher Croft when I was younger (i.e. two words, not one).
wheres highercroft in bburn? they seem to be getting alot of bnp votes in that area only
Captain Blackburn, Blackburn says...
4:36pm Fri 2 May 08
x.com (search for Blackburn and Darwen separately).
Come on... Let's show 'em!!!
onlyonesimongarner, Vision says...
4:50pm Fri 2 May 08
I think it`s time to take party politics out of Local Government, and make every cadidate stand on his own principals " if they can find any with principals"
THE ORIGINAL REALIST, Darwen says...
4:58pm Fri 2 May 08
Dave Smith
No sooner did he evict people from their homes on redearth, they evicted him from his Sunnyhurst seat leaving him around a minimum of £10,000 in expenses out of pocket. Poetic justice Dave ha ha ha
I will be celebrating your loss tonight with a few beers,thinking about next year when we remove Dave Hollings cos he's next!!!
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
friend, darwen says...
5:25pm Fri 2 May 08
milano, darwen says...
5:42pm Fri 2 May 08
GP wrote:As you say GP 'surely for Darwen won't side with Labour?'
The success of the For Darwen Party has effectively knocked them out of any hope they had of wielding much influence. They won two Labour seats (yes they won a LibDem seat as well but the LibDems won one in Blackburn). Previously we had a "coalition" in which the For Darwen Party were integral to power. But now the Tories and the LibDems have control as an alliance. They have 29 seats to Labour's 27. Surely the FDP (5 seats) will not side with Labour? An alliance wouldn't need FD support to keep Labour out of the way.. Where Michael Johnson and the other two independents figure in all this is hard to figure. Finally, Dave Smith: sorry you were spun out. Probably the best ward councillor Darwen has had for yonks.
Don't hold your breath.
as for the independants Michael Johnson has shown how fickle he can be in the past.
I hope For Darwen stick to the principles by which they got elected.
People don't seem to care or don't trust any of the councillors, this shows by the amount of people voting - onlt two wards had just over 50% of eligible people voting, with 3 wards less than 30%. Does anyone think people should be compelled to vote?
And I bet it's the ones who didn't vote that will be complaining and whining no matter what happens with the coalition.
milano, says...
5:46pm Fri 2 May 08
milano, says...
5:55pm Fri 2 May 08
Speaking after the count, he suggested a coalition would again be formed, adding: "We will be pretty much the same as before, only bigger."
Who would like to place a bet that the bigger role on the executive board Cllr Melia would want are positions on planning or anything else that revolves around business regeneration. I bet they won't be interested in childrens services or adult social care etc.
Or maybe I'm just a little too cynical
thoma, Darwen says...
6:07pm Fri 2 May 08
Cynical, Darwen says...
6:20pm Fri 2 May 08
potfac, Darwen says...
6:29pm Fri 2 May 08
As for answering e-mails from constuents, say from people who object to planning applications then there is always the cop out "I can't say anything I am on the planning committee so I can't comment" So the constituent is only worth representing when elections come around, you then get the faithful few to stuff pamphlets through letterboxes telling everyone what a great job you are doing, but don't knock on doors in case a LOCAL issue is presented to you that you have managed to ignore for the past couple of years, and that is it really have a prosperous year
Darwen The Brave, Darwen says...
6:35pm Fri 2 May 08
Blackburn Lad wrote:An independant Blackburn vote will be welcomed by us in Darwen, we can separate from your council and we have the nerve and backbone to be independant ourselves...Thank You for your comment!
Another sad day for Blackburnians. It will be interesting to see who will really be running the council. With the likelihood of another coalition, both the tories and the libdems will be sucking up big time to the For Darwen motley crew. A classic case of the tail wagging the dog I think. Vote for an independant Blackburn I say. The Darweners are taking our money and our jobs, now they are trying to run our town ... send them back where they belong
susan knott, blackburn says...
6:40pm Fri 2 May 08
escaped, Spain says...
6:45pm Fri 2 May 08
Iqbal wrote:What are you on about Iqbal? Neglegted for decades? I remember when Bastwell and the surounding wards were decent places to live before they became overspill areas for pakistan and bangladesh, and that wasn't decades ago. You're right though it needs sorting. Lets start with you and your ilk, ie. the people who are causing the problems. Lets start by demolishing and landscaping the eyesore on Ash St. Then all the bazars which are obstructing the pavements etc. etc.....then illegal parking... I could go on all night but you know what I mean.
I am a Labour supporter but its time we had a new face in Bastwell,Labour had the chance to sort the area out but failed,Parvez likes to sit in his nest but Rizwan&Sajid please sort the area out wich is neglected for Decades by Labour councilors.
JIMBO, darwen (gods town) says...
6:48pm Fri 2 May 08
Darwen The Brave, Darwen says...
7:03pm Fri 2 May 08
JIMBO wrote:
Did I hear someone say we couldnt do it? Well wake up an smell the roses. A lot of you feeling sorry for Dave Smith but as a Darwen councillor he should have been fighting in the corner with his constituents who voted for him. Let`s be right about one thing - where was his voice when they took people out of their homes to build an accademy? (YET TO SEE IT) a logical thinking person would have built new houses an THEN started proceedings to move people out -LEGALLY.The labour council have walked all over the borough for too many years AND got away with it. They have continued to wreck Blackburn and spend a fortune on peices of scrap metal to stick in the middle of rounabouts and on church street and now they are doing it in Darwen. A traffic syst
I despise Socialism, Blackburn says...
11:38am Fri 2 May 08