Local elections 2012: Labour takes five Hull City Council seats from Lib Dems
Labour have strengthened their grip on power at Hull City Council after gaining five seats from the Liberal Democrats.
However, apathy was the biggest winner in the city council elections with just one in four people bothering to vote.
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Thumbs up: Labour candidates celebrate a good night - but the turnout was just 25 per cent.
The overall 25 per cent turnout figure was one of the lowest seen in Hull for several years.
The most high-profile Lib Dem casualty was former cabinet member John Robinson, who lost in Avenue ward to Labour newcomer Rosie Nicola.
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However, despite expectations in some quarters of a wipeout, the Lib Dems held seven of the 12 seats they were defending.
It means Labour now has 39 seats at the Guildhall compared to 17 held by the Lib Dems. There are two Conservatives and one Independent.
Labour leader Councillor Steve Brady said he was disappointed at the low turnout.
He said: “I think local politics and local decision-making is extremely important so when I see the low turnouts in some of the wards it does make me disappointed.
“I think many people have switched off from politics.
“They have lost faith in politicians, particularly at national level and that applies to all the political parties.
“Trust has disappeared completely and that is a dangerous thing. Until that trust can somehow be restored, I think we are going to see low turnouts like this continue for some time and I am not sure how politicians, both local and national, can change things for the better.”
His views were echoed by Labour’s Colin Inglis, who won in Myton ward.
He said: “People have voted with their feet, or rather they haven’t because they have decided to stay at home and not vote at all.
Comments
by maidinbrough
Saturday, May 05 2012, 12:13AM
“to GavWanster
G is for gormless”
by doch25
Friday, May 04 2012, 10:49PM
“Some of these results were based on an 18% turnout. What should happen, instead of the usual Labour win is simple. Any result with say less than a 33.3% turnout should be declared void and the ward have no representation on the council. I would suggest 50% but voter apathy is so endemic a third would seem a viable thing.
Then we would see our councillors out there, pushing people to vote rather than just an occasional poster through my letter box. Becoming a councillor is not badly paid, but requires certain skills, some of the people that were voted in or came close did little more than put on a red rosette.
We need to give people incentive to vote, having no representative may just be the answer.”
by Delnoch
Friday, May 04 2012, 10:25PM
“The local Tory and lib-dem candidates apparently didn't want my vote, as the only time that I knew who they were was when I went to the polling station.”
by thesnooper
Friday, May 04 2012, 9:40PM
“@ SPBlakeney
well i guess you voted then ?
i hope your ballot paper made more sence then your post on here does its just garbled.”
by BevRoadNorth
Friday, May 04 2012, 9:35PM
“Unique? in Hull? Voting other than Labour would be a good start. Voting at all, even better. Theres not one of those grinning chumps who has a legitimate mandate. Its depressing and alarming in equal measure theyre authorised to decide the city's future on turnouts like 18%.”
by Gavhun76
Friday, May 04 2012, 9:26PM
“Hull will only truly develop if it does something unique again (Remember Hull Telephones) and some business man in this city pulls together 20 good like minded business based people and forms the Hull Party. Come on someone.”
by SPBlakeney
Friday, May 04 2012, 9:21PM
“It's always heartwarming to see electoral success through voter apathy. Bless. Thanks to the 80% eligible to vote who didnt-fresh blood, ideas, enthusiam wasted while the Labour crowd regally enter council chambers-via the very nice road taxes paid for. Same old, same old.”
by PURPLESPIDER
Friday, May 04 2012, 8:13PM
“I didn't vote and are proud, I do care about my town and country but too many don't. Atleast i cannot be involved for voting for someone who makes a complete mockery of everything!”
by johnniebj
Friday, May 04 2012, 8:01PM
“Some posters here have said they don't vote, for various reasons. Why not go to the polling station and mark every box with a cross? In that way, you have voted and 'made your mark' and thereby told people what you think of the system. To everyone: don't waste your vote, even if there's no-one you want to vote for! You can still make your point!”
by angrywm
Friday, May 04 2012, 7:39PM
“@HullBlues:
Courtesy of Wikipedia: 'Preceding World War II, Siemens was involved in funding the rise of the Nazi Party and the secret rearmament of Germany. During the second World War, Siemens supported the Hitler regime, contributed to the war effort and participated in the "Nazification" of the economy. Siemens had many factories in and around notorious concentration camps to build electric switches for military uses. In one example, almost 100,000 men and women from Auschwitz worked in a Siemens factory inside the camp, supplying the electricity to the camp.'
I don't think the boys at Siemens will be too alarmed at a few votes for the BNP in Hull. More to the point however is WHY people feel driven to vote for the BNP. Perhaps the mainstream parties have simply failed to openly debate the immigration issues.”