Lib Dems win 'High Speed 2 referendum' by-election (From Bucks Free Press)
Send your news, photos and videos by texting bucksfreepress to 80360 or email
Lib Dems win 'High Speed 2 referendum' by-election
2:50pm Saturday 4th February 2012 in Amersham
'High Speed 2 referendum' by-election won by Lib Dems
A BY-ELECTION dubbed as a referendum on High Speed 2 has been won by the Liberal Democrats – by just four votes.
UKIP dubbed the ballot, for the Amersham Town Council town ward, as a vote on the £33bn rail scheme, saying it was the only party standing which opposes it.
Yet, it was beaten into third place.
The election, held this week, was a close run thing with Lib Dem Vera Head regaining the seat which she lost in 2010.
She pipped Andrew Fleming, Conservative, by 286 votes to 282 and becomes only the second Lib Dem out of 14 councillors.
Michael Hurley, UKIP, was not far behind, with 252 votes.
Labour, however, slumped into bottom place with just 127 votes.
The seat was previously held by Tory Ros Aitken and the by election was called after she resigned.
The Tories remain dominant with 13 out of 15 councillors.
The turnout for the by-election was 25.9 per cent.
Comments(6)
Council Rebel
says...
6:31pm Sat 4 Feb 12
piran
says...
7:32pm Sat 4 Feb 12
yog
says...
7:37pm Sat 4 Feb 12
Council Rebel wrote:What is the problem with UKIP? Every time they lose an election they blame the voters. Calling your voters lazy is not the way to win elections.
Just shows you that 71% of people in Amersham didn't even bother to go and vote! Lazy people especially when HS2 is the real local issue there. The Lib dems winning their is totally the wrong message & those people that voted for the Conservatives need their heads testing... It was a great shame that UKIP only missed winning by 35 votes....in this Conservative blue area. The Conservative candidate Andrew Fleming didn't even bother to turn up to the count, this just shows utter contemp for the people who bothered to vote for him. What a dead loss the Conservatives really are. I can see next time that UKIP will take this seat, people now know that 35 vote is a whisker away. Amersham people you FAILED to send a message to Mr Cameron & Mr Clegg, you obviously support HS2.
Scarletto
says...
12:42pm Sun 5 Feb 12
Simple message they have is for us to get out of Europe... Just one policy and no real views on the broad spectrum of topics affecting our nation. What bearing has "leave Europe" got on the tooings and froings of Amersham Town Council!!?? At least the Lib Dems are credible and Vera Head, has some grassroots credenitials for years caring about the area.
miccles
says...
1:45pm Mon 6 Feb 12
piran wrote:You are not alone there, i pay my council tax for services in Bucks, these services are very poor and shoddy, but they seem to have plenty of money to throw at "anti HS2".
So perhaps it is as many of us thought, the anti-HS2 lobby is a small, vocal minority!! Wish my council taxes was not being stolen to pay for the anti-HS2 camapaign by lacal and Bucks CC!!
Obviously the powers that be at these councils do not care about the elderley, the mentally handicapped, the slow learners, they are more interested in green trees and shrubs.
The sooner Tett goes the better.
yog says...
4:11pm Sat 4 Feb 12