Something to keep you entertained while we wait.
The last vote has been cast. The Polling Stations are now closed! The candidates and their agents along with their counting agents are assembling at Magna for the count. The ballot boxes are on their way to be opened, verified and counted.
The result is expected around midnight to one am. Shouldn’t take long, turnout is reported to be very low. There could well be recounts on the cards, most likely to confirm deposits lost, rather that the result itself. But you never know! Result should appear on this page of the councils website: UK Parliamentary By-Election for Rotherham Constituency. BBC news channel will have the declaration live, that will be fun.
Many thanks to all of you who have popped into Rotherham Politics, contributed or commented, during recent weeks, hope you pass by this way again.
Whom so ever is elected tonight, Rotherham Politics and it’s readers, will be there to scrutinise what they do, or not do, in the ‘name of the people’. As an example, the recent readership figures, show hits have now exceeded by far, the number of voters that make up the entire electorate of Rotherham constituency, during this short campaign. Politics is going on line, even in Rotherham it would appear?
We believe that the labour party must deal decisively with it’s own internal problems now and clean it up! At the moment, cesspit would be an apt word to describe the murky world of labour politics in Rotherham! I know Jahangir Akhtar doesn’t like the term, but when Michael Elmer first coined the term ‘scum labour’, to sum up the labour party in Rotherham it seemed, so appropriate!
Some news just in, that perhaps presages the future, for some senior council employees:
“Council Gossip – Corporate Management Team (CMT) has already lost Andrew Bedford and do not want to loose Joyce Thacker. They are waiting to see the outcome
of today’s election – if Labour do well (even a win by 13 votes – well a win is a win) she will stay but if the rosette stops fluttering she and others will go. The politicians will sacrifice her to cover their own backs, so nothing new there.”
Results supplied by Anonymous:
Sarah Champion (Labour) 9866
Jane Collins (UKIP) 4648
Marlene Guest (BNP) 1804
Yvonne Ridley (Respect) 1778
Simon Wilson (Con) 1157
David Wildgoose (Eng Dem) 703
Simon Copley (Ind) 582
Michael Beckett (Lib Dem) 451
Ralph Dyson (TUSC) 261
Paul Dickson (Ind) 51
Clint Bristow (no descripton) 29
Yes thanks very much to you also, Mr. Rotherham Politics – you’ve added something extra – what is needed everywhere in politics – enthusiasm, concern and informative discussion in the democratic process.
Well done, Sir!
LikeLike
Thank you for that.
LikeLike
Hear hear!! let’s hear it for Rothpol
LikeLike
Awesome work on this blog, and extremely useful / refreshing / unbiased analysis throughout. Hopefully the rest of the country – in particular Mr. Gove – will not forget Rotherham when tonight’s results are in, as it sounds like you chaps still have a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up. One suspects people will be keeping an eye on some of the members of the social services team there, hopefully those issues will be resolved soon to the benefit of the people of Rochester.
LikeLike
We have to hope Respect has done well -come on Respect..
Labour have not earned the vote of the good people of Rotherham and we dont want UKIP.
The way Labour called this election and their actions from day one has been a total disgrace. They have shown total disdain to Rotherham Labour party members ( see Private Eye today )and the voters of Rotherham – to them we are just a safe seat – I hope the voters have given them a bloody nose and they will never take Rotherham for granted again.
LikeLike
Early indications are suggesting that the Labour vote has held up and they’ve held all 3 seats today. Turnout in Rotherham is in mid 30s, not great but better than the other areas.
LikeLike
The percentage turnout will be bumped up by the number of postal votes . Rotherham Labour party for some years now have encouraged Labour voters to become postal voters . Pity their honest endeavour will benefit The labour candidate today.
LikeLike
Always a good idea to check they haven’t died or gone back to the old country.
LikeLike
early rumours from the count: Labour probably held on on reduced majority with UKIP as a strong second
LikeLike
SKY predicting Labour won by 2,000 over UKIP. Respect looking for third.
LikeLike
Looks like Labour’s usually problems getting people to turn out for a safe seat.
LikeLike
So the grooming scandal and Fostergate are now swept under the carpet are they? A useless Mp who can’t even deal with hustings never mind Parliament, and who will forever be known as 13 Votes Champion> Common Purose continues to ruin the lives of Rotheham Children and Thacker continues in her £135,000 a year job. Poor silly Rotherham., Doomed to die!
LikeLike
Thuggery should have no place in modern politics. The fact that, it now infects, the Rotherham labour party, is a cause of great concern. I thank your website for shining a light into the dark corners. Long may rothpol continue.
LikeLike
So if UKIP come a close second, how happy are all the people that voted Respect?
LikeLike
Helen Pidd: UKIP 2nd, BNP 3rd, Respect 4th, Tories 5th in Rotherham
I hope all you Respect voters are happy that you’ve voted NuLabour back in.
Enjoy!
LikeLike
Now the polling is over I can say that I briefly encountered Ms. Sarah Champion while I was out leafleting for (her) opposition and can safely say she is a very nice lady. Should she become MP, as is likely, Rotherham could do a lot worse. So all people should be proud to have her as representative.
LikeLike
I will not rely on your brief encounter with Sarah Champion for a recommendation and since Labour NEC didnt give us time to get to know her – I will reserve judgement
LikeLike
Predictions are now that Labour will win, reduced majority but pretty comfortable compared to some earlier predictions. Tory vote has been pretty much wiped out by UKIP here and in Middlesborough not sure what to make of that. Other no-one like Tories even their own voters. Doesn’t matter much whether they vote for Tory party 1 or 2.
LikeLike
John Craig reporting on Sky news saying its Labour win, UKIP 2nd and Respect and BNP fighting it out for 3rd
LikeLike
Sarah Champion (Labour) 9866
Jane Collins (UKIP) 4648
Marlene Guest (BNP) 1804
Yvonne Ridley (Respect) 1778
Simon Wilson (Con) 1157
David Wildgoose (Eng Dem) 703
Simon Copley (Ind) 582
Michael Beckett (Lib Dem) 451
Ralph Dyson (TUSC) 261
Paul Dickson (Ind) 51
Clint Bristow (no descripton) 29
LikeLike
Thanks for the result! Wore out! off to bed.
LikeLike
Adam –
What a waste or was it shame – can’t remember – off to bed – to cry in my pillow! If that is so then – What a missed chance to break free of the shackles – Poor Rotherham, that pleasant town of yester-year, still in the stranglehold of the Liebour trough snufflers . They will not stop until they have choked it to death – What then?
Many thanks to Rothpol for all your commitment and hard work, we have been with you every step of the way and hope to be so in the future.
LikeLike
Thanjs rotherham politics.
Right wing parties get 1 2 3 places.
Nulabor cling on due to so many parties to split vote.
They tip Sarah 13 to be shadow minister by xmas.
Possible contender to Ed by the even furthe right. Sorry progress lot.
Rotherham folk get shafted with labour incompetant.
LikeLike
And now Rovrum Laybah are back in t’Lubyanka it’s time for me to climb the parapet, man the battlements, scan the horizon and continue as an active and empowered citizen to challenge, scrutinise, and expose the continued overpaid, self-serving, junketing-mad civic-free-4-all that this election result may undoubtedly send to Dodger n da Corn Fed Grunters, Muppets and Clowns.
It’s same old same old same old – for Rovrum Laybah – and for me 🙂
Active and empowered citizens are still here Dodger :-), we’re a listenin n a lookin 🙂
LikeLike
Its a wonder Ms Chump 13 bothered to turn up. Unlike the radio hustings.
The only thing they can say about her is Bluebell Wood.
She says. I’m not a career politician. Stating the bleeedingly obvious. Only in party a few months.
Old dodger says sges got no baggage. But no doubt that will soon be exposed.
Its nowt to do with the fostering row why ukip racists did well. Tell us another joke.
The fun begins. The revenge. The revolving door or revolver at town hall
LikeLike
The award for most labour manifesto for proper labour people goes to Tusc and then Respect.
Labour relied on vague soundbites not issues. As next week will be binned. Wonder who wrote the acceptance speech.
Respect gets the award for the most imaginative party campaign.
Mr healy is tipped to be a bouncer progress from minder.
The london labour roadshow is likely to roll up at rother vally next. Could be a former bomber.
Radio sheffield is likely to auction off the empty chair.
LikeLike
This has proven to be UKIP’s best performance in a Westminster election, but in all likelihood will represent their high watermark in Rotherham. It is in essence a single-issue party as well as being the exiled Thatcherite Atlantacist rump of the Conservative Party, with globalist economic policies that would hardly appeal to the average voter in Rotherham, or anywhere in fact. One of the most interesting results relates to the performance of the Liberal Democrats who went into spectacular meltdown, a result paralleled elsewhere yesterday and in the three parliamentary by-elections held earlier in the month: http://durotrigan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/rotherham-by-election-result-good-for.html
LikeLike
Well not exactly the political earthquake many predicted, respect stole a few from Labour, Ukip a few thousand from the Tories but nothing significant. Nice to see the EDL getting a whopping 29!
LikeLike
I’m not surprised Labour won, nor that Respect had less than UKIP. The demographics are against Respect for Rotherham, and George Galloways bizarre endorsement of Bashar “Killer of Sunni children” Al Assads regime on a Hezbollah news channel, has not gone unnoticed amongst Muslims in my town (nor in Rotherham I would hazard a guess), and I’m pretty sure the leader of the party endorsing a regime only slightly less unpopular amongst Britain’s Muslims than Israel, probably ensured, that the Muslim vote remained with Labour. If I was a Rotherham voter I would have voted for TUSC myself, personally.
LikeLike
Sad sad day for Rotherham. Our future us in the hands of incompetent, self ingratiating fiddlers and thieves. It almost makes one decide to give up blogging !
Is it worth writing letters ? Is it worth discussing it amongst ourselves when even the headline hitting scandals get airbrushed out ?
Maybe Rotherham does get what it deserves.
LikeLike
Radio5 -Up All Night last night. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01p0s2f – about 12min 25seconds in.
James Vincent interviews Sarah Champion MP,
He says “Do you feel you are a local candidate?”
She says: ” I’ve been here all of my adult life, I came here in 1989. My first job was with Rotherham Borough Council and now run the local children’s hospice; so I consider myself a local candidate”
LikeLike
CAn I suggest that you have a look at this site
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/list/all
There are a number of FOI requests relating to Common Purpose which have been answered, and some oustanging requests relating to the latest fostering scandal.
LikeLike
Yes its a sad day
We have had shoddy goods served up as MP.
Its a diaster for our town.
Wonder how long dodger, Asbo Aktar and cronies got. Or will they be part of next coverup so its brushed under carpet.
We will not forget barron and healeys role in this sham election.
LikeLike
Are the people of Rotherham really that racist? Ukip and Bnp 2nd n third.
The Respect party hasn’t taken the muslim vote. So not the muslim party. It was the socialist values it stood for…..real old fashioned true labour values. Pity we the people didn’t recognise it and let labour in again instead. Oh well. More of the same then.
LikeLike
Lol..it looks as though the respects stooges still remain in rotherham……a heart felt story…..what would be interesting is to question the developers of this page as to whether this page is about facts or are we going back to the ice ages where we get fed hear say….rediculous…
LikeLike
The word before… Respect have so much support, the bookies are making them favourites, they are the only caring party…. “lies again????” it’s common for those that know the respect party that they are evil manipulating power mad individuals, who go to al extremes to gain votes. They say they have the most credible personnel on board, piece of information, lee jasper the Croydon candidate was previously ken livingstones “friend” and working under him. Guess what guys, the respects candidate, the party that would claim “no expenses” this mr jasper actually helped “one” body, not multiples like it should be, to receive all the funding, over £100,000. He apparently took liking to a client. Is this what respect have to offer??? And their way to attract voters, we are friends of Palestine??? Good riddance of bad rubbish from Rotherham, as that was the respect party is!!!!
They were going to take the other parties on a roller coaster in the campaign and send them away, it appears as if they jumped aboard themselves and ended up out of Rotherham. Stay out and don’t come back!!!!!
LikeLike
To add to that the so called mr illias supports peodophiles and then he has the odassity to make it clear he is against child grooming on respects campaign…then why did he choose to defend such animals…….shocking if you ask me……just glad rotherham saw sense….please have a read for your selve
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/local/localbrad/9700181.Bradford_lawyer____abused____by_grooming_case_mob/?ref=nt
LikeLike
Where is Anonymous… Please comment back and show us the facts. I like how people shout and then decide to hide. So much has been stated and non been backed up. Who does this remind you of mr Shak. Respect parties manifesto.
LikeLike
This is beginning to get tiresome you lot!
LikeLike
Hang on a minute me pol… Lol is how I feel. This is for the general public to see… As a normal blog should be. What rattled your cage?? Surely your not at so called “work” at this time are you??? You have Rotherham councils logo, implying to represent them, but im sure all their offices are closed for business. You doing the good old overtime???
LikeLike
Shak,
‘Don’t come back’ is an interesting phrase to use for Rotherham folk. Yet you question respect’s caring stance. I’ll leave you to it as I can see you are divided amongst yourselves. Quite enjoyable actually. When or if you can discuss politics, not the you did this and i did nowt, maybe we can get somewhere. Until then to the weakest link I say goodbye.
LikeLike
You sound like one of labours or cllr Asbo aktars bitter mates. If so u shud study labours track record in rotherham and nationally. Some very bad deeeds indeed.
LikeLike
From here actually. Socialist and real labour values. Not egocentric nor looking for a fight. Wanted to have political discourse about policies represented by different parties. Clearly you are not up to this. Continue blaming one another as to why Labour is where it is. Why on earth discuss the politics here. Enjoy your banter.
LikeLike
Enjoy your banter big mo….
LikeLike
More aliases than a Kashmiri gangsta have appeared 2 nite, me gerl am tellin me am 2 chill bro n treat deez impostaz wiv da Laybah contempt day deesurv, me gerl am right, rayt, reight 🙂
LikeLike
Hmmm as we were saying… People 😌
LikeLike
wot am hmmm sayin, peepurl?
LikeLike
Hey man. Hows akhtar.
Don’t forget yer tag ASBO
At least u got sum experience of crime and disorder man.
See u on telly man. File sent to panorama
LikeLike
Sims infortunatly my friend when the respect comes to town this is what it leaves behind…..lies. deceat…..bruised egos….and to be quiet frank…..this page stopped discussing politics along time ago dont you think……..kasmiri spice or what ever your name is….you need to learn to make sense of your words and try not to throw them together……learn to walk before you can run……
LikeLike
Big mo I might not be a seasoned electioneer possibly like yourself but haven’t the lies, deceit and mega egos been here in the council before respect came to town? I will accept that some of those egos arenow definately bruised all round.
I hope the kashmiri spice wasn’t aimed at me…I get a churning in my stomach which doesn’t make me racist by the way.
I am however, really interested in the policies that have resonated with the people of Rotherham.
LikeLike
Getting back to the election….The Labour Candidate polled more votes than Cons, Lib Dems, UKIP, BNP and Respect combined – so clearly some protest votes flying in all directions but not nearly enough. No way did Respect’s vote then stymie UKIP’s chances (UKIP voters were probably a lot of disgruntled Conservatives anyway). At least I am spared being pilloried for splitting the protestors too.
I think Respect over emphasised the importance of the Muslim vote and neglected other larger swathes of voters and their more “mainstream” concerns. Witness their candidates woeful attempt, at the Radio Debate, to turn the question about unemployment into an attack on the marginal EDL – a big blunder. Respect also made a lot of noise about how they were going to win when actually they made very little impact even failing to beat BNP – one lesson learned from campaigning is don’t be fazed by the bull***t posturing. An empty vessel makes the most noise. A Labour MP I met at the count told me he thought Respect’s campiagn was “sh*t*”. Battle buses and megaphones instead of getting out and talking to people about real issues – does he have a point?
A disturbing aspect is how well BNP did – clearly a lot of disgruntled working class white people in Rotherham and that needs to be addressed (take note RMBC)? I get so fed up with the main parties bleating about the electoral success of BNP – I call this “Von Papen Syndrome”: he was the liberal German Chancellor who bleated about Hitler, tried to control him and was swept away. If you don’t want BNP to do well, then f***ing well listen to the genuine grievances of the working classes! Excuse my non-clerical language but I get so angry at yet another sign of how the political/economic elite have abandoned ordinary people. I hate her politics and think she’s fighting the wrong targets (immigrants instead of bosses) but I found Mrs Guest the most straight talking of all the party candidates (even if she was oh-so-wrong!) – maybe that is her appeal to some? Plus she’s a local…
By the way, if I had had a party machine and some media coverage you might have discovered that my policies are closer to old style Labour as any. Ralph Dyson was the only candidate (apart from the other Independent) whose stance I could not fault.
Positives? Sarah Champion’s speech thanked her party for working hard to win. At least we made them work very hard. Normally they would waltz it so some hope there. I am also enjoying my new found notoriety as the scourge of the Lib Dems (thanks Mr Tingle) but my heart goes out to Michael Beckett who is a very brave man to take on such a lost cause. I voted Lib-Dem at the last election, mainly because of Mr Clegg’s determination to do something about Taxation inequality. I even welcomed their participation in the coalition, hoping they would tone down the onslaught of Thatcherism (Labour having lost the moral right to take part in Government). Oh dear! Lib Dems have got all wound up about secondary issues when they should have kicked and screamed on the central questions of economic justice (screwing bankers, investment, tax evasion etc). I’m afraid they deserve all they get.
Thanks Rothpol – hope to meet you for real one day…
LikeLike
Pingback: 2012 – The full top ten | Rotherham Politics