Boris Wins, Brown Loses

Boris Johnson has won the race to be Mayor of London with 1,168,738 total votes. Just under 140,000 more than that of the incumbent, Ken Livingstone.

But the real loser in the May Day polls was Gordon Brown. His Labour Party was beaten into third place in a projected national share of the vote, from the English and Welsh local elections. The Conservative Party picked up (a projected) 44% of the vote, 20 points ahead of the governing party.

It has been reported on the BBC, and elsewhere, that Brown was comparing himself to John Major, in Major's local election losses in 1991 and coming back to retain a majority in the 1992 general election. However these results look more like the 1995 local election results for Major, just two years before Labour took a landslide majority in Westminster.

There could be more embarrassment for Brown before the month is out, with the by-election for Crewe and Nantwich being held on 22 May. It is very possible for the Tories to win this seat as they require a swing of just 6%. We'll obviously have to wait and see what happens in the vote.

JR

Polling Day

I know I'm not the BBC, but I shall endeavour not to break the rules on reporting on election day.

I'm going to my local polling station in Withington ward to cast my vote. The weather is sunny with a few showers. Polls are open until 2200 BST. The results will be announced overnight, except for Wales and London which will be announced later on Friday.

Laters!

JR

The End of Student Respect?

Respect have been wiped out in their flagship union of Manchester, and failed to stand in many elections across the country, as their support has dried up. Why is this? Have students decided to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Probably not. More likely it's Student Respect's domestic policy (if you can call it that).

Apart from their position against the NUS Governance Review, they have general disagreement with the NUS leadership, probably because they want it, where they oppose anything they say. It's opposition for opposition's sake.

But the worst crime against representation of the students, must be forgetting to fight for the rights of students as students. Things like library opening times, exam conditions and student finance. Where's the campaigns on certain universities failing to award bursaries to students who need them?

Student Respect will be finished within a year unless they change their direction to include "normal" students in who they represent.

JR

Election Week

It's the week of the MMUnion elections and I think I've just caught the election bug.

Hustings are today and voting starts tomorrow! (Remember to vote Students First)

I'm re-standing for Chair of Student Council, so wish me luck!

More info at the Students First website.

See ya

JR

Election Dates Announced

Yes, they're out! The 2008 MMUnion Executive Committee Elections will be held from 4th to 6th March.

Check out the poster (it should be noted that the dates on this version of the poster are wrong)!


Nominations close 25th February.

JR

Elected

You will be glad to know I have been elected to be a delegate to NUS Annual Conference in April. I managed to break quota in the first round!

So if you voted for me, thanks. If you're going to Conference with another union then I'll see you there.

See you later.

JR

I'm choosing change

My (predictable) slogan for the NUS Delegate campaign is ...

I'm choosing change

because I am!

By the way, that's my poster on the right, so take note if you're an MMU student.

JR

Working Late and Upcoming Vote

Good afternoon bloging fans!

Last night wasn't very busy in the union while I was working, in fact half the staff were sent home at midnight! I give the night three more weeks before it's cancelled.

There's elections next week for the NUS Conference Delegation and I'm standing (which is all I'm allowed to tell you about myself). There are 34 candidates for 18 positions, so the race will be tight!

More on that next week.

JR