Edinburgh Council Election 2012: Portobello/Craigmillar

[portygeoff]

[wangi]

[wangi]

Great effort from Michael MacLeod from STV Edinburgh tonight with the live tweets from the hustings.

Overall a bit subdued, which was surprising given the turnout and current tensions.

David Walker (lab) would have benefited from doing a bit of research on this corner of the ward. He also stuck his neck out on the school issue - the only to full heartedly support the legal appeal and also that it shouldn't be on the park. He probably lost a bit of that by later suggesting that the bottom corner of the gold course would have been best location for new school! He also got a grilling on the issues linked to an article earlier in this thread.

Norrie Davies (ind) put in a good performance. And even Henry Christian (con) Tory too got a few healthy claps.

Mike Bridgman (snp) and Maureen Child (lab) are know qualities and put in a polished performance.

No surprises really from Peter McColl (grn) and David Manson (snp), but David did try a bit of spin on the St John's replacement.

And Martin Veart (lib)? A no show, which might be similar to the vote he gets!

[seanie]

Only popped in briefly, but enough to confirm that Walker's a clown.

What was the St John's angle?

[PortySeahawks]

I was impressed with Maureen last night. It shows through that she really understands Council business. Explained situations very well and was openly honest when it came to most questions. Especially the question regarding parking/pavement space. It's true that there really isn't much that can be done. There is just too many cars and not enough space to park them.

The one thing I don't understand is, and saying this as a golfer, why you'd want Portobello GC to remain on the site where the school will be built. The course is going to be come a wasteland with the increased traffic that is going to be walking across it in the mornings, at lunchtime and at the end of the school day.

I thought Henry Christian put in a good performance. It's always going to be hard for a Conservative candidate in our area but he made some very good points. His delivery could do with a bit of a polish but on the subject of the trams, I thought he gave possibly the best answer. The tram system of Dublin and it's use of private investment once it got up and running is a great example of what I think he was advocating.

The idea Peter McColl put forward regarding turning the current Porty High grounds into more green space is not needed in my opinion. Do we really need to basically extend the Figgate? What are people views on what should be done with the current PE facilities (mainly the newer Games Hall). It is still one of the best games halls in the City, if not the Country. I've also heard that £40'000 has also just been spent re-vamping the floor over the Easter Holidays too. Do we think this should stay? Possibly to be used by a new St Johns?

The rest, I don't really remember of them saying very much. Thought Mike Bridgeman spoke well, but wasn't favourable to his continual shaking of head and muttering under his breath when others criticised the current administration. Thought Norrie Davies also done well, won't get elected but hopefully has put himself forward as someone our next three councillors will seek the views and advice of in the future.

David Walker from me, shouldn't be allowed to stand. It's a real embarrasment for the Local Labour Party that he's managed to get himself on their ticket. I heard there was a bit of funny business in him pulling 'cronies' out of the woodwork and filling the meeting to secure his nomination. But, it does stink. Hopefully he'll be out after the first count up of votes.

We'll have one Labour (Child), one SNP (Bridgeman) and another - I think it will be Peter McColl which I'm happy with as he does genuinely seem very energetic and passionate about Porty. But I wouldn't be too disappointed to see Henry Christian sneek that third seat either.

I would love to see someone a bit younger step up next time. We have so many young people living in Porty and it would be great to have someone that can truly bring their ideas forward and be able to involve more young people in the process.

Just my two cents. Also my first post!

[wangi]

[gillian]

Does anyone know how the balloting works.If for example I want to give a vote to just one of the candidates and not use the other two, would that be accepted or count as a spoilt paper?

[PortySeahawks]

Rosa - If you want to vote for just one candiate then all you have to do is mark a '1' next to their name and leave the rest blank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U3G5-An ... r_embedded

[gillian]

Thanks PortSeahawks, that couldn't be clearer. I am from South Yorkshire, we come out of the womb singing "The Red Flag "but I will not be voting for David Walker. Can't vote for anyone else though. Wouldn't want my old grandad spinning in his grave!

[wangi]

And if you're somebody who likes lists you can even rank all the candidates in preference; 1-8!

[lg1726]

[gillian]

luckily I am happy to vote for Maureen. I am a very emotional voter, the women who fought so hard for my right to vote are always on my mind when I go to the polling station. Not voting at all would not have been an option either.Tricky times!

[lg1726]

Rosa - Maureen gets my vote, no question and totally agree re the women's vote. My grandmother was a suffragette who chained herself to railings in Dundee!!! As to my second and/or third vote etc., like you it may be one and done this time round!

[Bob Jefferson]

Ditto. Who needs the other 2 anyway? I feel very sorry for Maureen having Walker as a running partner. There is something very wrong with the local Labour party when you have someone like him for a candidate. Bring back Lawrence Marshall!

[portygeoff]

[Bob Jefferson]

Thanks Sheila. Do you think you could do something about David Walker? It seems such a waste to only be able to use one of my votes.

[Bazza]

With regard to only using one of your votes, do you *really* have no preference between the other candidates? And if you don't want David Walker, surely you should put all the other candidates higher in the list than him.

[Puerto bella]

If I was in your position Bob and felt so strongly that he was the wrong candidate if ever there was one I would think about who I had respect for in terms of work they'd done on local issues even if I didnt necessarily agree with their politics.

[SoupDragon]

If I'm right, if you dont like a candidate you shouldn't put a number next to them at all as if you put even a 6 or 7 that could be counted , eventually, as a vote for them.
You don't have to number ALL the candidates, only those you like, then rate those ones in order of preference.

I agree with PB

[Bob Jefferson]

Did Martin Veart ever come back with an excuse for not attending the hustings?

[Bazza]

[seanie]

Is it not just 3 votes this time?

[Bazza]

[wangi]

[SoupDragon]

[lg1726]

[wangi]

Oh, I understand having never voted Labour in a Holyrood or Westminster poll... However at this level it is surely more about the individual candidates and what they can achieve. It is (/should be) about personal politics, rather than party politics.

[lg1726]

Well yea, it is personal at the very local level and thank god we have Maureen. However, when you get them all collected up and then the council is led by the majority or a coalition, then it inevitably becomes party. If I want the council to be led in line with the policies and politics I subscribe to, then by definition I need to vote for the people associated with those values and so it becomes a party vote for me!

[Bazza]

[Bazza]

And it's worth remembering, we are going to elect three councillors, and, if you want, you can have a say on all three. If you only list one Labour councillor on your form, you are choosing to have no say on the other two councillors.

[wangi]

[jamiek]

I am surprised to hear people saying because they "left the womb" singing the red flag they can only vote Labour. The days of the democratic Socialist Labour Party died when Tony New Labour Blair took over. NEW LABOUR being the key point. If you still believe in the principles of Socialism then that should guide your vote not if someone is represented by a party who USED to represent socialist values. Labour stinks of Tory values now a days. I am having a really hard time deciding who to vote for in this ward but I think it will be two SNP maureen child because she is a good councillor and the green. Still researching the PHS issue though I live out of the area but I am dead against the golf course, common good land being removed and anyone who favours that is losing my vote.

Seriously though, come the National elections and the referendum if people really want to see Scotland return to Socialist values we need independence it is only through that shall the SSP get a return, the true modern Labour party but in the mean time I like most other former SSP voter vote SNP because they are the closest to socialist values even though they still have a way to go but the "tartan tories" certainly have overtaken Labour on the left of centre ground in recent years the very fact that the SNP have spent more on council housing than any other party since the 70's speaks volumes about their ambition. Labour have really lost their way since Tony Blair watered down the party I am not sure they will ever change back. All parties are just full of it. It's about electing the least biggest pains now a days.

[Jopparox]

Just sat down thinking I MUST sort out who i am going to vote for- Maureen number one but I have been dithering about the others- don't want anyone against the new school, but also influenced by cycling issues (was at the excellent spokes hustings..) - so just want to thank this thread for excellent info. Everything I wanted to know is here... got my list and my numbers all sorted- even written them out so I dont forget when I get into the polling station!

1 Maureen 2 Mike Bridgeman, 3 Peter McColl (now that I know he is in favour of school- relief because greens exc at spokes hustings as you would expect) 4. Norrie Davies.

and thats it - cant quite bring myself to vote Tory even though I think local candidate does look interesting and they werent bad at spokes- very provoactive but interesting. Maybe a change of party in order? Never liked lib dems but would have voted for a good local candidate in past- however now I cant quite bring myself to vote for the party propping up Cameron. David walker looks horrific (and i am a rosa type labour vote) and also have bad memories of Manson at st johns...so only 4 votes for me.

[lg1726]

This whole STV electoral system does rather force the issue of moving away from party loyalty, (not surprising as it was a concession to the Lib Dems in the first Scottish Parliament with a Lab/Lib Dem government). However, interestingly in Edinburgh not one party has put up enough candidates to get an overall majority in the event that they were all returned. There are 58 seats up for grabs, Labour have 23 candidates, SNP 26, Tories 20, there are 23 candidates standing as either Liberal Democrats or Scottish Liberals(!), Greens have 17, UKIP 4, SSP 1 and a collection of independents, anti-cuts and one from the Scottish Pirates Party(!) make up 13; so a coalition is inevitable. Across all 32 LAs we have had until last night, Lib Dems in 13 coalition agreements, SNP in control or in coalition in 11 councils and Labour in control or coalition in 10, (plus various other combinations). But the party involved in power in the most councils is......the Lib Dems!! Now I know all the arguments about getting local councillors who can deliver for the local community on local issues, but for me there still has to be something which links me to the policies and politics of those who get the power base overall. After all, our local councillors are only able to influence up to a point and in my professional experience, (politics is my living), when it comes to voting and decision making they are whipped and partisan positions will always out! Lib Dems may be the party propping up Cameron et al, but they are also propping up the SNP, the Tories and Labour across councils in Scotland - make of that what you will!!

[wangi]

I surprised myself and ranked 7 of the candidates in preference. Walker got nowt.