Liberal Democrats hold seat in central Watford by-election (From Watford Observer)

3% swing to Labour since May. Liberal Democrat majority down from 284 to 166. Tory down by 1%. Not bad given the misrepresentation by the Liberal Democrats, claiming that their candidate lived in Central Ward whilst being forced to confess on the eve of poll that she lived in Hertsmere. Avril Haley was a great first time candidate - creating the basis for a Labour gain in 2014. Well done Avril

I'm pleased to say that the Lib Dems deserve to win,especially after the dirty tricks played by the Labour dept! Lib Dems are the only party to be seen all year round,where as the others only appear at election time! Good on ya Lizz and may you continue the great job that the Lib Dems are doing!

MJ1 wrote:
3% swing to Labour since May. Liberal Democrat majority down from 284 to 166. Tory down by 1%. Not bad given the misrepresentation by the Liberal Democrats, claiming that their candidate lived in Central Ward whilst being forced to confess on the eve of poll that she lived in Hertsmere. Avril Haley was a great first time candidate - creating the basis for a Labour gain in 2014. Well done Avril

This business of living outside the ward boundary is unimportant. A great many of us regard ourselves as "Watford residents" with work, school and family commitments within the town boundaries and yet the street where we live may be in Three Rivers or Hertsmere and perhaps far closer to Watford Town Hall than either Ricky or Borehamwood!

Congratulations LIzz. Far and away the best candidate and you rose above Labour's incredibly negative campaign.

clarkie750 wrote:
Congratulations LIzz. Far and away the best candidate and you rose above Labour's incredibly negative campaign.

Quite right Clarkie750, a well deserved result for Lizz, and just reward for her and her team's hard work. It sends out a strong message that Watford residents don't respond well to the sort of dirty campaigning that Labour indulge in. Everyone is suffering from the foul-up Labour made of the UK economy and locally most of us still remember the foul-up they made of running the Council. Mayor Dorothy's LibDems have turned this town around into the thriving, forward looking place it now is. Keep up the good work LibDems! the vast majority of Watford residents appreciate what you are doing.

From Stephen Giles-Medhurst (County Councillor,Central Watford and Oxhey:

Many thanks to residents who backed Lizz and the Lib Dem team in this very hard fought campaign.

Labour put increasingly nasty and desperate leaflets including three on
polling day, all attacking Lizz who is a legally qualified candidate running a business in the centre of the ward and had untill recenty lived in Shaftesbuy Road in the ward

The result was:

May 12
LD Lizz Ayre 716, 45.9% -1.6% 816 47.5%
Lab 550, 35.3% +4.3% 532 31.0%
Con 151, 9.7% -1.1% 186 10.8%
Green 83, 5.3% -0.9% 106 6.2%
UKIP 59. 3.8% -0.6% 76 4.4%

Poll 24.9% 27.16%
24 spoilt papers


Which given the national picture and the full froce of Watford Labour Party just working in Central ward- unlike in May, is I think a very good result indeed. In a by election in the same ward two years ago Labour came within 74 votes of winning and polled 622 votes on a similiar turnout!.

So thank you Central residents for your suppport once again. The whole team will contiune to keep on working for you all year round.

Stephen

Liz made no secret of the fact that she used to live in the ward in Shaftesbury Road and had sold her home their. As a young couple her and her husband are temporarily living with her parents in Aldenham Road (hardly a long way away) whilst looking for a family home
in central Watford.

As the owner of the Cafe on the Corner in the centre of the ward in
Queens Road, Lizz is well qualified to stand for and represent the ward for which she has been elected.

Labour are clutching at straws regarding the result. It's not
particularly odd that a new candidate should get a lower vote than
the established and experienced LibDem councillor who retained the
seat in May.

so under 1/4 of people actually voted - take away family and friends of the 5 candidates and party activists how many normal people actually voted... not many.... why? because who cares what clueless muppet sits in on the odd meeting and writes nonsense newsletters in their spare time?

1583 people voted- which is not bad for a November by election - it was cold damp day- and in May it was 27% turnout, but the Town Centre ward never has a high turnout due in part to the large number of flats and high population turnover.

And we dont just sit in meetings... now off to engage with Waitrose over there plans for a supernarket in the ward then to see the Housing trust iover their new housing plans.

Stephen Giles-Medhurst
County Councillor, Central Watford and Oxhey

I dont live in central so didnt see any of the leaflets, but I am not surpised by M Jacksons horrid comments on this page. When are labour going to wake up and see this man is ruining Labour in Watford? I have always been a Labour supporter in Watford as were my parents and my late husband, however since Mike Jackson has been in charge all elelctions stuff from labour have been nasty, petty and narrow minded. Where has the old Labour in Watford gone?.As the lady who won is a local business person lets hope she is in a good position to listen to the peope of central. But please Labour get rid of miserable Mike Jackson.

From what I hear I don't think anyone comes out of this with much credit.

Labour had 17% swing in MP by-elections today, and only 3% in Watford according to MJ1. Perhaps this makes the point that Watford Labour is less popular than national Labour?

I've said before, I'd consider voting Labour nationally because I think Ed Milliband would be a better PM than Cameron. But local Labour's attitude to people like Asif Khan puts people off.. It does me.

I do have friends in town centre and they said leaflets were very negative from Lab and Libs - and they got none from the others, so they didnt bother voting.

I see the whinging Lib Dems are playing the victim yet again, what a negative thinking, self pitying bunch they are.
P.S. what about Sal' is she still winning here ?

MaryWatford wrote:
I dont live in central so didnt see any of the leaflets, but I am not surpised by M Jacksons horrid comments on this page. When are labour going to wake up and see this man is ruining Labour in Watford? I have always been a Labour supporter in Watford as were my parents and my late husband, however since Mike Jackson has been in charge all elelctions stuff from labour have been nasty, petty and narrow minded. Where has the old Labour in Watford gone?.As the lady who won is a local business person lets hope she is in a good position to listen to the peope of central. But please Labour get rid of miserable Mike Jackson.

"Where has all the old Labour in Watford gone?"
it's easy to answer that:
Firstly MJ1 drove them out, that is all those that Tony Blair didn't get to first with his illegal war

We could hope that the more sensible members of Watford Labour's inner circle will work out a way to rid themselves of the town's own Machiavelli
The results in Central speak for themselves
Only a 3% swing to Labour against 17% Nationally says it all
This ward would have been a cakewalk for Labour as it was up until 2000 under a different standard bearer
How about it WCLP, ditch him now and give yourselves the next General Election because sure as eggs is eggs this man only knows how to lose?
Desperation is never a good ally

no one votes coz no one cares

Watford is a local gov citadel for the Libdems they have an overwhelming majorty on the council and it will take a lot of effort to change that.
Having seen the way the Libdems operate, I really see no alternative to being prepared to get your hands dirty.
I also only see one alternative to the Libdems in Local gov here and that is Labour.

dontknowynot wrote:
Watford is a local gov citadel for the Libdems they have an overwhelming majorty on the council and it will take a lot of effort to change that.
Having seen the way the Libdems operate, I really see no alternative to being prepared to get your hands dirty.
I also only see one alternative to the Libdems in Local gov here and that is Labour.

Labour had an overwhelming majority not that long ago MJ1 started the rot when Woodside voters booted him out

That's a strange comment, because on polling day Labour delivered a leaflet saying the election was a two horse race between themselves and the Conservatives. Maybe you should share your wisdom with your colleagues...

"Firstly MJ1 drove them out, that is all those that Tony Blair didn't get to first with his illegal war"

I so hate that phrase 'illegal war'. It is so melodramatic.

Name me ONE legal war. In history. Ever.

MaryWatford wrote:
I dont live in central so didnt see any of the leaflets, but I am not surpised by M Jacksons horrid comments on this page. When are labour going to wake up and see this man is ruining Labour in Watford? I have always been a Labour supporter in Watford as were my parents and my late husband, however since Mike Jackson has been in charge all elelctions stuff from labour have been nasty, petty and narrow minded. Where has the old Labour in Watford gone?.As the lady who won is a local business person lets hope she is in a good position to listen to the peope of central. But please Labour get rid of miserable Mike Jackson.

Well 'Mary' it is easy to take take coward's way and attack someone when hiding behind a pseudonym. You are no Labour person. Perhaps you should enroll of a few spelling and grammatical lessons as well as adopting a few moral principles.

Sara wrote:
Liz made no secret of the fact that she used to live in the ward in Shaftesbury Road and had sold her home their. As a young couple her and her husband are temporarily living with her parents in Aldenham Road (hardly a long way away) whilst looking for a family home
in central Watford.

As the owner of the Cafe on the Corner in the centre of the ward in
Queens Road, Lizz is well qualified to stand for and represent the ward for which she has been elected.

Labour are clutching at straws regarding the result. It's not
particularly odd that a new candidate should get a lower vote than
the established and experienced LibDem councillor who retained the
seat in May.

Of course she made a secret (Sara Bedford Lib Dem Councillor). your candidate was forced to confess on the final day that she really lived in Hertsmere and not Watford. There's no shame in that but why not admit it from day one rather than trying to hoodwink the electorate and the Watford Observer by lying about living in the ward. How can you trust someone who also dupes two local people into having their pics taken without telling them why and then making up quotes that they never said - backing you. Disgraceful!

Arthur wrote:

MaryWatford wrote:
I dont live in central so didnt see any of the leaflets, but I am not surpised by M Jacksons horrid comments on this page. When are labour going to wake up and see this man is ruining Labour in Watford? I have always been a Labour supporter in Watford as were my parents and my late husband, however since Mike Jackson has been in charge all elelctions stuff from labour have been nasty, petty and narrow minded. Where has the old Labour in Watford gone?.As the lady who won is a local business person lets hope she is in a good position to listen to the peope of central. But please Labour get rid of miserable Mike Jackson.

"Where has all the old Labour in Watford gone?"
it's easy to answer that:
Firstly MJ1 drove them out, that is all those that Tony Blair didn't get to first with his illegal war

We could hope that the more sensible members of Watford Labour's inner circle will work out a way to rid themselves of the town's own Machiavelli
The results in Central speak for themselves
Only a 3% swing to Labour against 17% Nationally says it all
This ward would have been a cakewalk for Labour as it was up until 2000 under a different standard bearer
How about it WCLP, ditch him now and give yourselves the next General Election because sure as eggs is eggs this man only knows how to lose?
Desperation is never a good ally

Well Mr Lowery and 'Mary' - or are you the same poisonous coward. Perhaps you should tell people what your real grudge is about- or maybe I should tell the story for you.

My word, what a load of brown tongueing by the usual liars of Lib Dims. You've had a good (for you) run in control of Town Hall but the cracks are appearing no matter how Medhurst and chums try to paper over. It's just a matter of time. Maybe the woman from Cambridge could save you. Oops. forgot, the voters of Watford rejected her.

John Howard Norfolk wrote:

MJ1 wrote: 3% swing to Labour since May. Liberal Democrat majority down from 284 to 166. Tory down by 1%. Not bad given the misrepresentation by the Liberal Democrats, claiming that their candidate lived in Central Ward whilst being forced to confess on the eve of poll that she lived in Hertsmere. Avril Haley was a great first time candidate - creating the basis for a Labour gain in 2014. Well done Avril

This business of living outside the ward boundary is unimportant. A great many of us regard ourselves as "Watford residents" with work, school and family commitments within the town boundaries and yet the street where we live may be in Three Rivers or Hertsmere and perhaps far closer to Watford Town Hall than either Ricky or Borehamwood!

Yes...living out of the area is not an issue......the whole issue was about the LIE... that she lived in the Central Ward, when clearly she didn't, not the first time the Lib-dems have lied !

So the Lib Dems and Labour both campaign dirty.

Whilst pretty low standards seem to prevail in both parties, we shouldn't be surprised because it has been documented time and again how they both lie to get personal advantage.

I wouldn't go near either party with a barge-pole.

scarecrow wrote:

John Howard Norfolk wrote:

MJ1 wrote: 3% swing to Labour since May. Liberal Democrat majority down from 284 to 166. Tory down by 1%. Not bad given the misrepresentation by the Liberal Democrats, claiming that their candidate lived in Central Ward whilst being forced to confess on the eve of poll that she lived in Hertsmere. Avril Haley was a great first time candidate - creating the basis for a Labour gain in 2014. Well done Avril

This business of living outside the ward boundary is unimportant. A great many of us regard ourselves as "Watford residents" with work, school and family commitments within the town boundaries and yet the street where we live may be in Three Rivers or Hertsmere and perhaps far closer to Watford Town Hall than either Ricky or Borehamwood!

Yes...living out of the area is not an issue......the whole issue was about the LIE... that she lived in the Central Ward, when clearly she didn't, not the first time the Lib-dems have lied !

Want the full story.Go to www.watfordlabour.or
g.uk and click on Lib Dem watch.

Reg Edit wrote:
So the Lib Dems and Labour both campaign dirty.

Whilst pretty low standards seem to prevail in both parties, we shouldn't be surprised because it has been documented time and again how they both lie to get personal advantage.

I wouldn't go near either party with a barge-pole.

And just remind us. How many votes did UKIP get?

Sadly Councillor Giles-Medhurst doesn't give us the full facts about the election two years ago. That was occassioned by the Lib Dem councillor flying off to Florida but still managing to claim her councillor's allowance.

MJ1 wrote:

Reg Edit wrote:
So the Lib Dems and Labour both campaign dirty.

Whilst pretty low standards seem to prevail in both parties, we shouldn't be surprised because it has been documented time and again how they both lie to get personal advantage.

I wouldn't go near either party with a barge-pole.

And just remind us. How many votes did UKIP get?

Mike,

are you saying the end justifies the means?

How sad.

Took MJ1's advice and had a look at the Wat Lab website and jolly interesting it is. Seems like MJ and his jolly band have been staking out ordinary people's homes or at worst stalking an ordinary citizen. You have been warned..... 'You are being watched by Watford Labour'. Mind you this wouldn't be the first time they've done it.

Everybody but the Labour party was surprised when the national Labour government tried to roll out a police state in the form of ID cards and draconian terror/detention laws.

We were lucky, they were kicked out before they managed to impose all this. Next time, if there is a next time, we may not be so lucky.

The Conservatives may be incompetent in many ways, yet in others, such as education, they are outstanding. We should all be grateful they have abandoned Labour's "Big brother" projects.

Labour are a disgrace, and MJ seems to be in keeping with that. I'm only surprised they have so many people willing to give them a second chance and vote for them after the last time.

UKIP are gaining disaffected Labour supporters, both locally and nationally. I'm just surprised it's not a flood.

....yet

MJ1 wrong on so many levels.

Another pointless councillor to be paid far too much in allowances, in an election with a catastrophic turnout. How much do the politicians in the Council cost us? Do we really get value for money?