Greens beat Lib-Dems in Tower Hamlets

The Green Party gained 5,406 votes against the Lib Dems’ 5,080 in Tower Hamlets..
The Green vote came to 12%. In other words, nearly one in eight voters in the borough put a X for the Green Party.
It would be interesting to see this vote broken down by ward.
Given that a lot of effort was put into the north of the borough, and the visible nature of support at the doorsteps and posters on windows, it is possible the Greens did much, much better in Weavers, Bethnal Green North, Bow West and Bow East.
We would not be surprised if we had pulled in more than 20% in these wards, making up for less than 5% in Canning Town, Millwall and perhaps Mile End East.
The Conservative vote at just over 10,000 is almost for sure from the south of the borough, along with UKIP and BNP.

The result is a major blow to Lib-Dem pretentions. They are correctly perceived as ‘more of the same’, with hardly any difference to the Conservatives or New Labour.
In effect, votes for the Lib-Dems offers no message of voter anger and call for a change. While they may claim that it’s their pro-Euro stance that cost them votes, it was clear that this election was fought on domestic issues.
Moreover the Greens do not want to pull out of the EU, though they are opposed to the EU in its present form (corporate control) and want radical changes.
The Green Party is now being viewed as a realistic proposition where voters can make their message loud and clear: they want meaningful change.
It is also clear that the Greens are now the only Left-of-Centre Party on the national scene. Smaller operations such as the No2EU took precious votes away to allow in the BNP but were insignificant.
Respect honorably decided to step aside in the Northwest and West Midlands allowing the Greens to challenge the BNP. Salma Yakoob should be thanked for that gesture.
However, we wonder if Respect is in terminal decline – its results in last year’s GLA elections and this years’ local and EU polls suggest its best years are behind it.
After all the results are digested, groups to the left of New Labour/Lib-Dems will be wondering what their position is in May 2010.
Let’s have no doubt in our minds. The Right won won hands down all over Europe, including England and Wales (not Scotland or Northern Ireland).
The only good news is that the European Greens increased their number of MEPs significantly to 53 (out of a 736 seat parliament).
Dark clouds hang over the political landscape as the agenda shifts to the Right.
Those opposed to the status quo need to realign their aspirations and position.
Greens can now take on the Lib Dems all over London where the votes were only 40,000 apart. While the seat count shows a vast gulf, the votes cast show Greens are ahead of the Lib-Dems or within touching distance.
This does not mean we should get into calculations about targetting Lib-Dems or massaging our message. Voters prefer us to emphasise our policies especially about jobs and housing.
If we keep to the theme ‘Think Again’, we will make waves.
Let’s leave spin to the three discredited parties.
Many Labour voters will also be wondering whether they should waste their democratic right on a spineless party which has betrayed all its traditional values.
Many will now see the Green Party as a viable, progressive alternative against an unpalatable Right.

Euro results Tower Hamlets borough

Full result for European Parliament Elections for Tower Hamlets Number of votes cast:

British National Party 2158
Christian Party 756
Conservative Party 10393
English Democrats Party 437
Jury Team 341
Liberal Democrats 5080
No2EU: Yes to Democracy 626
Pro Democracy: Libertas.eu 192
Socialist Labour Party (Leader Arthur Scargill) 456
The Green Party 5406
The Labour Party 16138
The Socialist Party of Great Britain 127
United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) 2781
Yes 2 Europe 77
Gene Alcantara (Independent) 31
Steven Cheung (Independent) 211
Jan Jananayagam (Independent) 109
Sohale Rahman (Independent) 179
Haroon Saad (Independent) 93

Electorate: 148,970

Ballot Papers issued: 46,016

Turnout: 30.89%