Following the Lib Dem by-election victories in Wickham, Whitchurch, Romsey and Baughurst, another great result in Copnor, Portsmouth earlier this evening with a 28.5% swing from Conservative to Lib Dem.
| Party/Candidate | Votes | % | vs 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats (Andy Fraser) | 1,835 | 55.8% | +38.4% |
| Conservative | 904 | 27.5% | -18.6% |
| Labour | 349 | 10.6% | -8.2% |
| English Democrats | 117 | 3.6% | -13.6% |
| UKIP | 57 | 1.7% | +1.7% |
| Independent | 28 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| Swing from Con to LD | 28.5% |
A very satisfying place to spend the afternoon and a fabulous result for Andy Fraser, Darren Sanders, Gerald Vernon-Jackson and the rest of the local team.
Post-note: now corrected with updated figures…
It doesn’t matter because he can’t do anything about the issue he was elected on anyway.
What was most amusing was the fact that their candidate couldn’t attend the count because he was on holiday….in Poland!
It wasn’t just a good night in Portsmouth, Liberal Democrats won Tavistock North ward of West Devon BC from the Tories with nearly 60% of the vote. I understand Lib Dems beat the Tories in Throwbridge with 52% and Totnes (Devon) saw a Lib Dem returned unopposed.
Geoffrey,
Are the Conservatives on the Fire & Rescue Authority really stupid enough to go ahead with the Copnor Fire Station closure after this result?
Martin
Although unable to vote on the future of the Fire Station the selection of Andy Fraser will send the strongest possible message to the Conservative councillors on the Fire Authority. What has been demonstrated is if they choose to close the station then their party will suffer in Portsmouth.
As for being in Poland I do not see any problem, seems like sour grapes from Mr Brooking.
Dan
By Mary Griffin
HE was only elected a matter of days ago – but new Portsmouth city councillor and former firefighter Andy Fraser has already come under fire from political opponents.
Lib Dem Cllr Fraser won the recent Copnor by-election in a blaze of publicity by pledging to save Copnor Fire Station.
But in the first vote of his political career, he sided against a Conservative plan for the council to provide the funding needed to keep the dilapidated building open.
The city’s Conservative councillors proposed setting aside money to fund the necessary roof repairs, electrical works and mechanical maintenance.
But all the Lib Dems, including Cllr Fraser, voted against the budget amendment.
Now Portsmouth’s Conservative Group has criticised the former Copnor firefighter for failing to live up to his election manifesto.
Tory group leader Cllr Steve Wemyss said: ‘During his election campaign he said he was not a political animal and only wanted to save the station. It’s all spin and no substance because he clearly is political.
‘He’s in a political arena, acting in a political way to please his party and the first thing he does goes directly against the very platform he was elected on.’
But Cllr Fraser dismissed the attack.
‘In theory the i
dea of funding the station sounds marvellous but I think it could set a dangerous precedent,’ he said. ‘The council has a limited budget and it’s not the city’s duty to pay for an individual fire station.
‘Of course I would have liked to be able to fund the fire station.
‘It’s a great gesture but not a very practical idea.’
When the Lib Dem-run council set its budget this week, the Tories put forward a list of amendments, including the plan to increase contingency funds to direct £34,000 a year to maintenance work at the station.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service thinks £377,000 a year over the next 10 years is needed to keep the station in basic working order but a further £200,000 could be needed to make other improvements.
The Conservatives reckon the council’s financial support could have swayed the vote on Wednesday when the fire authority opted to close the station.
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