Stripping the beds

 

Volunteers from Planting Up Whickham yesterday stripped clear all the flowerbeds on Church Green, despite the weather being against us. My job was to supply lots of empty animal feed sacks and then take away all the sacks, by then filled with garden waste, to my farm. It took two journeys to transport everything. The waste will remain in the sacks to let it rot down and convert into compost. Find out more in the video above.

4th Whickham North Action Day

The Whickham North by-election will be held on Thursday (24th October 2024). Yesterday we held our 3rd action day in the ward since the vacancy was announced on 13th September. It was embarrassingly successful! All the leaflet bundles were collected before 11am and everything was delivered by 12.30pm. We had to stand down a few people who were planning to do the mop up operation today (Sunday) when any remaining patches are done. Thanks go to Sunderland Lib Dems who sent in a team to shift a pile of leaflets.

In terms of the other parties, Reform aren't standing and the Conservatives and Greens have delivered no literature at all. Labour have had two leaflets but we had no sightings of them in the ward yesterday.

Where's the Labour candidate?

There are just under 2 weeks left before Whickham North and Swalwell ward goes to the polls in a by-election to Gateshead Council. Yesterday, 12 Lib Dems delivered the whole ward with our latest Focus. The ward was once a Labour stronghold but they have lost every local election here since 1992. Nevertheless, Labour made the ward their top target in the North East a decade ago and came within about 20 votes of retaking it from the Lib Dems. Since then the Labour vote has been melting gradually away. So it was interesting to see Labour out in the ward yesterday. It's a rare event so make a note of it in your diary!

We did notice that Labour were canvassing the even-numbered houses on Whaggs Lane. Sadly, for Labour, these houses are actually in Dunston Hill and Whickham East ward, not Whickham North and Swalwell! The other side of the street is where the by-election is being held.

Meanwhile, Chipping Barnet based Labour MP for Gateshead Central and Whickham, Mark Ferguson, took to Twitter (now X) to show the world he is backing the Labour candidate in the by-election. Yet the group shot he included in his post did not include the Labour candidate. You would have thought it was sensible to include him! But the mystery of Labour's campaign doesn't stop there. Take a close look at the leaflets they are holding and none of them include the Labour candidate's name, at least on the visible side. Instead, these are leaflets about Mark Ferguson MP. Perhaps there was a Labour cock-up and they failed to get a by-election leaflet ready to deliver yesterday. Or maybe there is just a dose of incompetence in Labour's ranks. Booze up and breweries spring to mind.

You can read Mark Ferguson's post on this link.

There are two other parties in this contest: Greens and Tories. There has been no literature from the Greens. Perhaps they are still licking their wounds after their disastrous performance in the Bridges by-election last month. They fell from 2nd place to third while the Lib Dems jumped from 4th to 2nd. The ward is the only target the Greens have in Gateshead. And there has been nothing from the Tories either though the last time they delivered a local election leaflet in the ward was way back in the 1980s!

4 candidates in battle for Whickham North

Nominations for the Whickham North and Swalwell by-election closed at 4pm today. There are 4 candidates in the running - Labour, Conservatives, Greens and Lib Dems. Susan Craig is the Lib Dem candidate. Missing from the line up are Reform. Their absence was a bit of a surprise given they fielded a candidate in the Bridges by-election who, ironically, lives in Whickham North!

The absence of Reform has forced me to think again about the possible outcomes. I previously said that Labour dropping to third behind Reform was a possibility. Obviously not any more but the Greens' impact on the Labour vote may be something to keep an eye on. And will there be a Conservative revival? I think this is unlikely at the moment.

So saddle up for yet another electoral contest in Gateshead. By the time the by-election is held (24th October) we will have been in election campaigning mode for nearly 10 full months in 2024.

Sunniside Scarecrows

 

This is just a bit of fun but scarecrows will be populating Sunniside in late October. People are encouraged to take part by making their own scarecrow and putting it into their front garden or on display in their front window for everyone to see.

It's likely that mine will be modeled on me, given the scruffy clothes I often wear while mucking out my animals!

Sunniside scarecrows was first held last year and was a great success.

Conspiracy theorists at the Civic Centre

 

Gateshead has had more than its fair share of conspiracy theorists in recent years. The borough is home to the crackpot claim that street lights are fitted with 5G and are part of a "kill grid" designed to kill everyone. It seems not to have worked. We are still here! As are the conspiracy theorists pedaling other wacky claims. Many of them cheated the street light death rays to get to the Civic Centre for a demonstration last week. Anti-vaxers, haters of mainstream media, fluoride conspiracists and so on. I wonder if there were any attendees who believed other conspiracy theorists are actually part of a bigger conspiracy against the people! Now that would be funny!

Conference video diary Monday 16th September 2024

 

My first full day at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton. Fringe meetings, training events and conference debates attended. The best fringe meeting of the conference was held in the evening - the British Berry Growers Association!

No herding of cats needed - Lib Dem MPs take to the stage in Brighton

 

How long does it take to get 72 Lib Dem MPs onto the platform at Lib Dem conference for Ed Davey's speech? The answer is 2 minutes. No herding of cats needed as all the MPs were disciplined and went where they were told. We have certainly moved on from 2019 when all our MPs could have fitted into a camper van!

"All hope has gone" as Labour councillor goes independent

Yesterday brought news that Jane McCoid, Labour Councillor for Lamesley in Gateshead, has resigned from Labour and gone independent. The change does not alter the balance on the Council (Labour 47, Lib Dem 17, Independent 1 and 1 vacancy in a Lib Dem held seat). What was of more interest is the reasoning for her leaving Labour.

She joined Labour "when there was hope, and in my eyes all hope has gone." Labour's decision to axe the winter fuel allowance for most pensioners came in for heavy criticism. She described it as "an attack on vulnerable people". She was also critical of the decision to keep the 2-child benefit cap, the removal of which "would help to lift children and their families out of poverty." Meanwhile, Starmer's acceptance of freebie clothes did not go down well, at a time when some parents are struggling to cloth their children.

There have not been many resignations and defections during my 37 years on Gateshead Council. Normally, when they do happen, it often becomes apparent that the cause of the resignation boils down to personal rather than political issues. I get the impression this is not the case with Cllr McCoid. It seems this is a case of genuine difficulty with the direction of her own government. In many ways she reflects the discomfort many in the Labour party feel about the Starmer government. Jane McCoid has taken the decision to leave Labour. Is this just a flash in the pan or are others likely to follow?

Whickham North and Swalwell by-election

We have another by-election in Gateshead. On 24th October, Whickham North and Swalwell will go to the polls. This is a seat we are defending. Sonya Hawkins, who has represented the ward for 12 years, was promoted at work in the summer, making it difficult for her to attend meetings and give the role the full attention it deserves. She also has increased family caring responsibilities. She therefore took the decision to step down. Our candidate is Susan Craig. 

The result of the last election (May 2024) was:

• Lib Dems 1331
• Labour 614
• Conservatives 204
• Greens 149

Majority 717.

Historically, this was a Labour seat but they first lost to us in 1992. We then hoovered up the other two seats in the ward and it has remained Lib Dem ever since. Nevertheless, in 2011 Labour made Whickham North and Swalwell their top target in the North East and we held on by just 24 votes. Ever since then, Labour's vote has been a glacier in an age of global warming, melting away gradually.

The complicating factor in the by-election will be Reform, assuming they stand. At the last local elections, Reform stood in only one ward in Gateshead - Chowdene. If they do stand in the by-election, from whom will they take votes? There are parts of the ward which most people would describe as "traditional Labour". Could Reform grab some of those? This is an interesting question because if Reform are able to reach out to traditional Labour voters, and soak up a few Conservatives, Labour could fall to 3rd place. This would be a disaster for Labour in Gateshead and could put pressure on Labour Councillors to give Labour Leader Martin Gannon the boot.

This is only one of a number of scenarios and admittedly it is the most extreme. Nevertheless, it is a possibility. The Bridges ward by-election earlier this month may give us clues as to possible outcomes. The Green vote took a tumble though in Whickham North in May, they start from 4th rather than 2nd place. The Conservatives once held a seat in Whickham North. 42 years ago, in an all-out election, they squeezed in by a handful of votes to take one of the 3 seats from Labour. The following year they lost it. There is no sign of any Conservative activity or revival. In Bridges they were crushed, coming 5th. I suspect they will suffer something similar in Whickham North.

And finally, the first Lib Dem Focus since the announcement of the vacancy was delivered on Saturday 14th September. Sadly, I was unable to help as I was at the Bowes Agricultural Show. However, the whole ward was delivered in my absence in one day.

Conference video 15th September 2024

 

My conference video diary from Sunday 15th September - I had missed the first day of conference because I had been at an agricultural show on Saturday 14th. So on Sunday I arrived at Brighton in the evening just in time to get to the rather crowded councillors' reception where Ed Davey was speaking. Sadly I was stuck at the back of the room with lots of taller people in front of me!

Conference moves on to Harrogate

Brighton Lib Dem conference is behind us and so we now look ahead to next year. I haven't heard anything about the venue for Autumn but in Spring, we are heading to Harrogate. I am a bit disappointed that we are not in York, a city that is only an hour away by train for me. I also love the history of York and often use conference in the city as an opportunity to explore it. Nevertheless, Harrogate is a town with which I have some affinity. I worked there for Harrogate MP Phil Willis in 1997 for 6 months. We can also celebrate holding conference in Harrogate because it again has a Lib Dem MP. Tom Gordon picked up the seat from the Conservatives in July with a sturdy majority of over 8,000. Interestingly, Labour came 4th in July.

We can only dream of conference coming to Gateshead. Though the Glass House (formerly The Sage) hosted spring conference in 2012, the long awaited convention centre, which could host the bigger autumn conference, is still just a cleared site with not even a brick having been laid.

Final by-election photos

I didn't have time to sort the following photos taken on polling day last week in the Bridges by-election in Gateshead. So here they are a few days late. They were taken on polling day.

Cllr Paul Diston near one of the main roads in the ward. The diamond posters were seen by hundreds of people.

It rained in the afternoon. Fortunately, the shower did not last long though it was long enough to give Cllr Amanda Wintcher a soaking.

Historic Liberalism: I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a photo of myself in the street named after  William Gladstone, the greatest Victorian Liberal Prime Minister.

Good to see window posters on display for Lib Dem candidate Jonathan Aibi.

Delivering the polling day leaflet.

Conference photos

 Lib Dem conference ended yesterday and so I headed north to get home. Here are some of the photos I took during my stay in Brighton.

Ed Davey's speech on Tuesday with the MPs seated behind him on the podium. It almost took as long as the speech just to get them all into the allocated places. That's what comes of having 72 MPs!

In the days when we had only 11 MPs, getting a full set of Lib Dem mugs was quite cheap. That's not the case now.

Remember this for next year - get to the National Farmers Union fringe meeting early or otherwise be stuck at the back.

Nothing political about this but the sunset over Brighton on Sunday was quite stunning.

Best fringe was the British Berry Growers. Samples gladly accepted.

I wasn't the only person from Gateshead to attend conference. Jamie Rickelton was there as well, doing the job of a conference steward.

Rising star and deputy leader Daisy Cooper gave a moving speech on Monday.

Me outside the Grand on Sunday evening, having just arrived at conference.

That's it folks!

Definitely a Lib Dem conference!

It's the last day of conference in Brighton and I am back in the main hall for the debate on rivers, sewage and water companies. Yesterday we had a debate on fair votes. This is very definitely a Lib and Dem conference!

As I write this, the motion on sewage has been passed and we are now on to reports from the Parliamentary parties, both Commons and Lords. For the first time in a long time, there is much interest in the reports. I guess that's a result of gaining 61 MPs at the general election! 

Reviewing the general election

I arrived last night at Brighton just in time for the local government /Ed Davey reception. A bigger room would have been useful as we were packed shoulder to shoulder. Afterwards I headed out for food and then returned to the hotel, feeling rather knackered. After all, 7 weeks solid on the Bridges by-election, running the farm, days of prep for the Bowes Agricultural Show and a journey to Brighton all took their toll.

So, feeling suitably refreshed this morning, I have made my way through the crowds of fleece and sandal wearing Lib Dems to get to the consultation on the general election. This is turning into a useful discussion. While it is recognised by speakers that the targeting strategy worked very well in July, many are saying that we need to look at how we move forward especially in Labour held seats. Music to my ears! 

This debate is just the start of the consultation process. It runs for the next few weeks. I will likely be making my own submission. 

Off to conference

Lib Dem conference started in Brighton yesterday but I missed it as I was at the Bowes Agricultural Show in Co Durham. So today I am heading south on the train using my Senior Citizen's railcard to make the cost of the tickets that bit more affordable! I have my reading matter for the journey: 2 recent copies of the BBC History Magazine. I should be in Brighton later today.

Greens crushed in Gateshead by-election

 I am now home from the Bridges by-election count in Gateshead. The result was:

• Labour 320
• Lib Dem 255
• Green 253
• Reform 166
• Conservative 53

Turnout was a disappointing 17%.

The key changes from May are that the Lib Dems jumped from 4th to 2nd place. Labour held on but their majority is now just 65 in a ward they had previously regarded as a stronghold. Though Labour only just made it over the finishing line in first place, the main losers in Bridges were the Greens. They had high hopes of a victory as they had run Labour relatively close in the May local elections in the ward. They were certainly looking excited when they turned up for the count but their fall from 2nd to 3rd place was a crushing blow for them. Bridges was their only target ward in Gateshead. They looked like a deflated whoopy cushion as they limped away after the declaration.

Reform scored 16%. This is the first time they have contested Bridges. It is not clear from whom they have taken their votes though I suspect quite a few came from both Labour and Conservatives. Note the Conservative total, just 55. The rest of Reform's vote may have come from people who don't normally vote in local elections but this time have come out for Reform.

The crushing of the Greens means that Gateshead Council continues to be made up of Labour and Lib Dem councillors. No other party is strong enough to get elected in the borough.

And finally, I do hope that the Labour candidate Robert Waugh is okay. He was not at the count tonight to accept his election as councillor and I hope he has not gone down with any injuries or illness which kept him away from his moment of victory.

Bridges by-election forecasts

I'm just home after a day of slogging my way through Bridges ward for the by-election. I will be back to Gateshead Civic Centre later this evening to attend the count. Unlike many elections, I find this one rather difficult to predict as there are a number of knowns. Reform are standing for the first time. The Lib Dems have fought the ward hard for the first time (we usually just have a paperless candidate.) Given the quantity of literature we have produced for this campaign, "paperless" is definitely not the applicable description now. The ward was previously a Labour stronghold and their campaigning (indeed any party's campaigning) was somewhat limited. In the local elections in May, Bridges was the Greens' only target ward in Gateshead. They didn't win but they cut into Labour's majority. So from this mix we have to try to predict the result. 

Here are the different possible results.

1)Labour hold. Given the history of the ward, this should be the most likely outcome. However, Labour haven't exactly covered themselves in glory recently. The High Street is a mess, the convention centre planned for the Quays hasn't even got as far as being a building site and large areas of cleared land sit idle. Their choice of candidate hasn't helped. He lost his seat in Saltwell to the Lib Dems in 2023 and was defeated in Low Fell and Whickham South wards by the Liberal Democrats. Bridges is his 4th ward. But Labour are usually entrenched here.

So a Labour hold is possible but not with the surety of previous contests.

2)Green gain. Given the result in May, the Greens should be hopeful of a gain. Labour's majority over them is 290 (16%) so it is not marginal but neither is it safe for Labour. If the Greens don't win Bridges, they will have nowhere else to go in Gateshead, having abandoned their only other target of Crawcrook and Greenside. Lib Dem campaigners who have crossed paths with Greens on the campaign trail have told me the Greens are very confident, based almost entirely on the result in May. We shall see.

3)Lib Dem gain. The Lib Dems have not campaigned hard before in Bridges but an 8 week campaign using literature and campaign techniques usually employed in our top targets may have turned around Lib Dem prospects in the ward. A Lib Dem gain is still an outside chance but not one that can be discounted.

4)Labour coming 3rd. This would have been regarded as a fantasy story in previous contests but it can no longer be discounted. Labour may lose some of their support to Reform and their government have not made friends by axing the winter fuel payments for pensioners not on pension credit. The 2 child cap has also gone down badly.

Greens and Lib Dems have been slogging it out in the ward. Has one of them managed to push ahead as the challenger to Labour, or have both Lib Dems and Greens bitten chunks out of Labour,s vote. Labour have not helped themselves by running an uninspiring campaign which was slow to get off the ground.

So with so many unknowns and new variants, predicting this one is challenging. We will know the actual result by midnight.

Farron photos

 

To add to the video from yesterday, here are a few of the photos of those helping in the Bridges byelection with Tim Farron MP.

Tim Farron MP in Gateshead

 

On Saturday 7th September 2024, MP Tim Farron met Lib Dem campaigners battling Labour to win the Bridges by-election in Gateshead. Tim gave an impromptu speech covering how Labour had won the general election by default but there was no great enthusiasm for Starmer. He also wished local campaigners a successful campaign before heading to meet local voters with by-election candidate Jonathan Aibi.

Reform's by-election leaflet

 

We keep a close eye on opposition literature in the Bridges by-election in Gateshead. Today I'm having a close look at the Reform Party's publication. There is frankly not much to write about. The leaflet has very little to say. Let's at least start with the imprint. It fails to show the name of the party and the name of the candidate though presumably the agent and candidate are the same person. Smacked wrists for that. The reference to "The Brexit Party" is a bit confusing as I thought that organisation had stopped functioning and was replaced by "The Reform Party". And then there is the call to "Save Britain" though from whom or what is not explained.

I was somewhat amused by the call for local issues to be sent to the candidate. One of the ways to make contact is via an email address which includes "blaydonandconsett". Though Blayon is in Gateshead, it is at the other end of the borough to Bridges. And Consett is over the border in Co Durham! So not very local.

The leaflet was found on the ground, hence the photo rather than a scan. Time to sweep it up along with all the other rubbish!

Where's the convention centre?

The Bridges by-election in Gateshead is turning into quite a battle between Lib Dems and Labour. Since the general election, we have held 4 action days and delivered 4 different leaflets across the ward. So far Labour have delivered 2 while the Greens are in the bronze medal position with one leaflet.

Labour's first leaflet talked about lots of plans being in the "pipeline" which I guess is Labour's way of explaining why little appears to have happened in the ward. Labour talk about plans for the High Street which is still decaying away, new homes at Chandless and Clasper Village though the sites were cleared years ago and nothing has been built on them since, and "new life" for the old Town Hall which is still closed.

But what was not mentioned was the convention centre that was meant to be coming to Gateshead, in the heart of Bridges ward. Given the noise made by Labour about the convention plans in the past, and the significant sums poured into them, Labour's silence on what should be one of the country's biggest urban redevelopments seems to be rather odd. I wonder why the convention centre failed to make it into Labour's pipeline.

(Video about - the site of the convention centre though not a brick has been laid.)

5 in the running for the Bridges by-election

 

The Bridges by-election in Gateshead will be held on 12th September. There are 5 candidates in the running. The Lib Dem candidate is Jonathan Aibi (pictured above). He is 23 years old and my guess is that he is the youngest of the candidates. Labour are defending the seat and their candidate is Robert Waugh. He has been a Labour candidate in 4 wards. Only 18 more to go to get the full set!

Other candidates include Conservatives, Greens and Reform.

Picnic in the Park - video

 

As usual, I had my video camera with me when I was at the Pride Picnic in the Park at Saltwell Park yesterday. So here is my latest blockbuster video of the event!

Picnic in the Park

 

There was a good turnout of Gateshead Lib Dems for the borough's first Pride Picnic in the Park, held in Saltwell Park yesterday. We were joined at one point by Cllr Freda Geddess, Deputy Mayor, accompanied by her consort Cllr Alex Geddess.

An enjoyable event and hopefully it will become a regular event in future years.

Bridges action day no. 3

 

Gateshead Lib Dems held our 3rd action day in Bridges ward of Gateshead on Saturday morning. A bunch of Lib Dems descended on my car and stripped me almost bare of Focuses newsletters. Thank you to everyone who helped. I had to head quickly to the office to get another batch of leaflets. It's early days in this by-election but from conversations reported back to me by our leafletting team, we are being received positively by residents.

Washingwell Woods history talk

 

The next meeting of Sunniside History Society will be held on Wednesday 4th September 2024 at 7pm at Sunniside Club. I will be the speaker! Washingwell Woods is packed with historical sites going back to the Roman period. These will be discussed as part of the park.

All welcome.

Pride event postponed in light of riots

This Saturday, 10th August, should have been a day of celebration of diversity in Gateshead. Organisers of the event - Out North East - however have decided to postpone the event, planned for Gateshead town centre, because of concerns about the recent riots carried out by far right extremists. While it is worrying that a tiny minority of extremists threatening violence can impact on the wider community, public safety has to be the primary concern. Hopefully a new date will be announced soon.

The good news is that the Pride Picnic in Saltwell Park will be going ahead on Sunday (12pm-4pm). I'm already working on making flans and so on, using produce from our farm.

Bridges by-election

 

There is to be a by-election in Bridges ward of Gateshead Council following the sad death of Labour Councillor, and chair of planning, Bob Goldsworthy. Bob was one of those people everyone could get on with. He had always treated me with respect and politeness, particularly when I was representing constituents at planning committee meetings.

The by-election will be held on Thursday 12th September. It means the constant election campaigning stretches into the late summer, having started in January as activities ramped up for the local elections (only then to run straight into the general election). Our most recent Focus in the ward is pictured above, awaiting delivery.

Say no to racism

Given the current riots by the far-right, Gateshead Liberal Democrats are taking a stand against racism. Visit their website on this link.

Those taking part in the riots are not patriotic or pro-British. They are a stain on the country, using a terrible tragedy as an excuse to destroy property, threaten people, steal, loot, vandalise and attack the police. True Brits are those volunteers who have banded together to clear up the mess left by the thugs and rioters.

Looking back on July: exceeding expectations

 

I filmed this the day after the general election last month. I have to confess I was surprised the Lib Dems had won 72 seats. My expectation was around 40-50. Well, better to exceed expectations rather than fall short!

Look back at July: not the Official Opposition

 

I recorded this video on the evening before polling day last month. In it I said that the suggestions from opinion polls that the Lib Dems could become the official opposition were highly unlikely to happen. Our realistic aim should be to regain our position as the 3rd party in the Commons, taking back the position lost to the SNP in 2015. My expectation was for a total Lib Dem MP count of 40-50.

The future of Sunniside Church

 

In January I was told by members of the congregation that Sunniside Methodist Church would be closing in March. The numbers in the congregation had fallen to 11, most of whom are elderly. The chapel and hall were too much for them to cope with and the running costs are huge. There had been valiant attempts to keep the hall and chapel in operation but sadly they were defeated. The closure leaves Sunniside with a large building which needs a future.

As ward councillors, Marilynn Ord, Jonathan Mohammed and myself are keep to explore options for the future of the chapel. It sits in a very prominent location in the village and we are concerned that if no future use is found for the hall that it could become derelict.

The Methodist Church South Tyne and Wear circuit, ultimately responsible for the building, asked me to chair a meeting of residents and interested parties at the church to see if there was any interest in taking on the building. The meeting went ahead last week and was attended by 38 residents, plus members of the circuit.

It was a useful meeting and there is a possibility of a community group being set up to take on the building though the repairs to the roof that are needed means the group would need to raise a sum over £50K and possibly approaching £100k. I suggested that the group should be given a chance to get up and running but that there would have to be a specific deadline to take on the building. This is out of fairness to the Methodist organsation as they are currently having to pay huge insurance and energy bills on the building.

For the 3 of us as ward councillors, our priorities are to retain the chapel building but it has to have a use. The building is one of the oldest in Sunniside and therefore it is part of our local heritage and history. So hopefully we can have some positive news about Sunniside Church in the near future.

More photos from Saturday's Northern Pride in Newcastle

 

Northern Pride

 

Yesterday Newcastle hosted Northern Pride and the parade to celebrate diversity started off at Newcastle Civic Centre and ended there as well. I was pleased to see a good turnout from Gateshead Lib Dems. Alas, once the parade through the streets of the city was over, I had to return home - lots to do on the farm.