Forum Topic

Too ashamed to be just “Conservatives”?

Well, well. So our local Thamesfield Conservative candidates now describe themselves as “Local Conservatives” on the ballot papers and official list of candidates. (https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/10709/statement_of_persons_nominated_thamesfield.pdf). Obviously they are too ashamed to be associated with the national party and its leader Boris Johnson and are trying to reinvent themselves.Not a surprise really. If I were them I’d be desperate to disassociate myself from what is going on in Westminster. Shame that their MP colleagues are not doing the same.  Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 1152d18 Comments

Possibly that's what they mean. However,  it seems the local Tory party often send out invites to drink fizz  etc with government ministers - presumably for fund raising purposes - so perhaps they should clarify if they want people's votes?

Michael Ixer ● 1150d

Maybe because it's a local election

Andy Pike ● 1150d

Have they explained why they are "Local Conservatives"? Are they no longer members of the national party? Do they disagree with government policies in local government? Do they not support Johnson? Without a definition it's a meaningless term.

Michael Ixer ● 1150d

@PaulI won't be voting for the local council despite they are competent."What a bloody stupid comment! If you cannot differentiate between local and central governance you need to educate yourself.  Your visceral hatred of the PM has obviously addled your brain. 🙄

Sue Hammond ● 1150d

"despite they are competent"More transparency and consultation on projects such as the high st and the LTN's is needed.Despite the green leaflet the borough is not as green as I remember it. Are we even keeping up with current tree losses, never mind making up for past years!Too much spin and not enough follow up unfortunately. Let's hope the new council corrects some of these issues.Given the quality of the leaflets this year you would think all party would be in favour of more public toilets!

Ed Robinson ● 1151d

Country's worst ever prime minister. I won't be voting for the local council despite they are competent. Loss of Wandsworth will be Thather's favourite borough may be the final straw. And Johnson will hopefully gone gone as a result.By the way that Mayor of London is useless. Look at his tax rises.

Paul Rolink ● 1151d

Wandsworth's Conservatives have the option of disaffiliating from the national party and standing as a tryly local party. Instead, they choose to remain part of the national party, led by Boris Johnson. They have regular fund raisers for the national party, offering the opportunity to eat rubber chicken whilst meeting the likes of Priti Patel or Jacob Rees Mogg.A vote for the Conservatives in Wandsworth is a vote for the the party led by Boris Johnson. As a past Conservative voter, I will not be voting Conservative in the forthcoming electon and would not vote for that party in any election whilst Johnson remains its leader. After the latest wizard scheme - deporting refugees to Rwanda, I have resolved not just to abstain but to vote for the party most likely to unseat the Conservatives. Losing is the only way they might learn - though a lot of them seem too stupid to ever learn at all.

Michael Winstanley ● 1151d

The Conservatives under Johnson have really adopted a scorched earth policy with regard to London and have written the area off. The messing about with TfL finances and the empty rhetoric of levelling up have been another layer to all the other reasons not to vote for a government led by the country's worst ever Prime Minister.In my view this is unfair on the current Wandsworth administration who seem to be competent and undogmatic in the way they go about things. I say this as somebody who won't be voting for them. However, it doesn't look like their efforts will save them from defeat in a fortnight. Symbolically this will be important for the Tories. The loss of 'Mrs Thatcher's favourite borough' may be the final straw for Johnson although he is the Freddie Kreuger of politics - you think he has finally gone but he keeps popping back up.

David Parker ● 1151d

So you’re voting for the MRLP 👍

Freddie Francis ● 1152d

Andy. Organisational culture is set from the top. If they change their leader perhaps they'll get more votes if people believe what they're saying. I guess we'll know after the 5th May …

Michael Ixer ● 1152d

Andy, it’s not so clean cut. Local councils clean up the mess from government on many levels example:  Wandsworth Council’s social care budget.

Paul Beer ● 1152d

Why would anyone vote green… get a grip.

Paul Beer ● 1152d

Surely the local elections are about local issues. But there again if after 40 years+ of good local administration folk want a labour shambles,  so be it.It wouldnt surprise me if Wandsworth changed hands and clearly a labour party with no policies would try and deflectvoters to national rather than local issues.

Andy Pike ● 1152d

So vote Green eh? Or Monster Raving Loony?

Freddie Francis ● 1152d

Send a message in the local elections, don’t vote conservatives, Labour or Liberal. Parliament is a shambles.

Paul Beer ● 1152d

Unless they're going to denounce Johnson and his law breaking and apparent misleading of parliament it seems meaningless … as Daltry and Townsend declared: we won't get fooled again - not that some of us were in the first place …

Michael Ixer ● 1152d

Is it a new separate party? Or just a flimsy way of avoiding being associated with lawbreaker Johnson?Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 1152d

I think there will be a lot of "local Conservatives" in these local elections.  Understandably so.

Ivonne Holliday ● 1152d