Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGIU said:
“While we are fierce localists here at the LGIU, no one can dismiss the impact of national party politics on these local and regional elections. Though there will be a myriad of ‘explanations’ over what led to the actual results.
What we can say with certainty already is that the results in large parts of the North East and in Hartlepool, and the likely results in some other so called Red Wall areas in the Midlands, will reinforce the Conservatives ‘levelling up’ agenda – especially if they retain the Tyne Tees and the West Midlands mayoralities. At present this agenda is being pursued largely through targeted grants and interventions.
This will be significant both for those places and for those who don’t quite fit. This isn’t a surprise but it is important.
Even if we can detect clear patterns within regions or types of places we also know hidden within those results are many other local stories. Voters aren’t robots. People vote (or don’t) for many different reasons. Sometimes because they value the work of their local councillors. Sometimes, inevitably, because they have not been satisfied with a councillor who couldn’t deliver what they wanted. Occasionally there are big but genuine local issues that influence voting.
Councils and councillors make a real difference to people’s lives – never more so than over the past year. Let’s hope that really did effect where many people cast their vote yesterday even if national politics cast its usual long shadow.”
ENDS
