WITH FOUR MONTHS LEFT for readers to vote (or modify their previous choice) in the Canvey Beat straw poll regarding the Canvey Island Town Council elections, the results so far provide little New Year cheer for Dave Blackwell and his Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP).
The Conservative lead over the CIIP is currently 30%; but there is still everything to play for.
Although the Conservative vote is strongest, with 48 per cent, the poll assumes that other parties will also be contesting all seats – which is unlikely to be the case. The battleground is therefore drawn around the 25 per cent of voters whom wish to vote for other parties, and the remainder whom, at this time, are unwilling to vote at all.
In May 2007, the last time that these elections took place, the CIIP romped home with a 12-point lead over all other parties. The CIIP gained 56.32 per cent of the vote; the Conservatives took 34.42 per cent; Labour managed 8.47 per cent and the one Independent received 0.79 per cent of the total after standing in the Canvey Island South ward and gaining 126 votes. Neither the Liberal Democrats, nor the BNP, contested the 2007 Town Council elections.
Traditionally, turnouts are low in local government elections because there is normally little clear water between opposing parties. In addition, the majority of local voters do not see local government as having any major impact upon their lives.
In the one Town Council by-election, which took place in January 2009 (following the death of the CIIP’s Christine Andrews) in the Canvey Island East ward: the turnout was reportedly only 26 per cent. That was well down on the island’s previous interest shown by that ward which, in working the figures back, had 77 per cent of residents turn-out to vote two years earlier.
Dave Blackwell had this to say, in the Echo, regarding the by-election:-
‘It was a terrible night for the Tories. For two weeks they have blitzed the area, they even had the Mayor out campaigning for them.
‘They all turned up to the vote expecting to win, but it just goes to show the support for the Independents on the island.’
Actually, it was a terrible night for the CIIP who saw their vote fall from 51.8 per cent in the 2007 elections to just 37.51 per cent on a much reduced turnout. The Tories actually saw their vote hold-up much better against a political raid by the BNP which stole 20 per cent of the local vote from the CIIP and the Tories. On the night it was actually Labour that had gained: turning in a sad 13.33 per cent of the vote; but it was 1.5 per cent up on their previous showing.
The Conservatives held on to 28.95 per cent of the vote – down from 36.34 per cent in 2007. That was just an 8 per cent loss against the BNP onslaught – compared with the CIIP’s 14 point gift to the raiders.
The reduced turn-out, of course, was mainly due to residents losing their original Town Council enthusiasm after two years of political in-fighting; tree planting; Town Council plaques; High Street planters and hanging baskets that the remainder of their hard earned contributions - after the TC’s considerable overheads - had managed to procure. But the result is also interesting because of the Bob Spink dimension to Blackwell’s party and its far-right support.
It should be remembered that the BNP was receiving a good deal of national press at the time of the by-election; but that fair-wind has been and gone. Although it remains to be seen if the BNP will field more candidates in the Town Council elections in May, it is undoubtedly the fact that they lack the ability to contest all ward seats.
Vera Partridge, Chair of the local Conservative Association, had the by-election analysis right when she said:-
‘We’re very disappointed, if it wasn’t for the BNP I think we would have won. It’s surprising they got so many votes, as the issues they stand for, like immigration, have no relevance locally.’
However, what her statement does not recognise is that immigration is a major national issue that the far right can increasingly exploit. Unfortunately, local elections are not devoid of national issues, which the CIIP have been only too keen to exploit in the past. At the last local elections, residents will remember how CIIP candidates generously supported Spink’s national campaign, which was based upon a far-right ticket. And Spink, last year, was keen to promote Canvey Island’s separation from Castle Point in return. (Both in his speeches and his campaign literature).
Blackwell, however, is still wary of raising the Canvey Independence issue in public. Perhaps he thinks it will lose his party votes. Despite the evidence – and despite the Town Council hungrily taking over Canvey civic assets from Castle Point Borough Council, which the old District Council used to manage – the topic is never mentioned.
Readers are asking if any member of the Canvey Island Independent Party will bother showing up for the live debates planned for this Blog in April, at which the issue is most likely to be raised. Will Dave Blackwell ever confirm or deny his party’s ambitions in that area, once and for all, for the benefit of all borough residents?
Whatever that final outcome, it is important for the island’s residents and their political candidates to openly debate the options faced by Canvey Island Town Council, as its first term comes to an end. Should its finances be restructured? Should its obligations be reduced? Should it simply be disbanded and its generous precept returned to islanders’ pockets? Or should it be retained and completely re-objectified as a proper parish council of which all islanders can be proud?
These are important issues for islanders as they face huge Borough Council cuts and the prospect of very lean years ahead as the country pays-down its debts. It is important that candidates have clear objectives and a proper understanding of resident wishes. Moreover, it is important that residents get involved.
The unwillingness of many politicians to speak openly to the press; the unwillingness of the CIIP to commit to any formal manifesto over which it can be challenged; and the snake-like tongues that some politicians use to spin previous statements in completely different directions from their original context, has caused many to question the use of one-on-one interviews or edited radio and TV programmes to get at the truth. Journalists accuse politicians of spin – the politicians say they were misquoted.
Live blogging is now being increasingly used as a means of securing on-the-record statements directly into the public domain. More and more media organisations are beginning to use the technology as their preferred means of interviewing hostile guests, and recording discussions with major individuals regarding important current affairs. The internet chat-room environment forces interviewees to think before committing themselves to writing – and it immediately produces a record that cannot be denied.
The Canvey Beat will be employing its Live Blogging facilities for the local Town Council election debates to be held here in April. All readers who can are encouraged to attend.
The debates offer everyone the opportunity of having their personal questions answered by candidates – and the floor, as they say, will be yours.
And on the ‘Will Blackwell turn-up?’ issue? Readers will be left to form their own opinion of those candidates whom do not wish to contribute to the discussions…
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