Comments on: Coventry North West

By: Pete Whitehead

Pete Whitehead — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:31:38 +0000

Earlsdon is a classic old middle class area, Edwardian – quite close to the town centre. It has a high proportion of ABs, graduates – a fair share of public sector middle class, Guardianista types. Further out in Stivichall is more modern suburban territory. Cheylesmore is more inter-war semis. Fairly middle class in composotion but more C1. Bablake is fairly mixed. It includes some similar territory to Cheylesmore on the fringes of Coventry proper but also semi-rural areas beyond the old city boundary. Allesley and Keresley are former pit villages but there are also some attractive villages resembling neighbouring areas in Meriden

By: richard

richard — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:59:10 +0000

What sort of demographics do Bablake, Earlsdon and Cheylesmore have?

By: Pete Whitehead

Pete Whitehead — Thu, 19 May 2011 10:46:36 +0000

Bablake had been Conservative since 1998 and had otherwise only been lost in the three years of the mid 90s and in 1990. Cheylesmore was traditionally much more marginal and was won by Labour in every local election in the 1990s except for 1992 and many in the 1980s too (84, 86, 88). I think indeed the Conservative majority in Cheylesmore this year was bigger than in Earlsdon

By: Barnaby Marder

Barnaby Marder — Thu, 19 May 2011 10:39:47 +0000

Harborne had only been won by Labour once before, in the annus mirabilis of 1995. I don’t know how long it had been since Bablake had been won. A Tory hold in Earlsdon isn’t a surprise but Labour have won in Cheylesmore before & will want to take it next year if they can.

By: Shaun Bennett

Shaun Bennett — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:38:28 +0000

Thats interesting and seems to be repeated in Birmingham. Tories lost formerly safish Brandwood and Harborne and came within a whisker in Edgbaston, Northfield and Bournville.

…but then they won an 800 majority in Erdington and narrowly held Weoley which surely most people would have written off!

I wonder if the party has become complacent about holding some of their wards that looked safe on paper? I wonder if Labour may find it more difficult to win wards like Bablake and Harborne in future years as the Tory activists respond to the kick up the backside they got there this year?

By: Lithotomist

Lithotomist — Thu, 19 May 2011 08:43:12 +0000

Bablake ward in this seat, which has for donkeys years been a safe Conservative hold, was taken by Labour at this year’s council elections. Their candidate was a respected former local headmaster but even so this was quite an achievement for Labour, given that for example elsewhere in the city, the Conservatives managed to hold Cheylesmore and Earlsdon by relatively small majorities.

By: H.Hemmelig

H.Hemmelig — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:17:58 +0000

Doesn’t sound like a very nice man at all.

I quite like Geoffrey Robinson. That rare species in politics these days, a former captain of industry, on the Labour side.

By: Lancs Observer

Lancs Observer — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:21:18 +0000

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Liberal-Democrat-Parliamentary-Candidate-Suspended-For-Defrauding-Students-Of-Thousands-Of-Pounds/Article/201101215890360?lpos=UK_News_News_Your_Way_Region_0&lid=NewsYourWay_ARTICLE_15890360_Liberal_Democrat_Parliamentary_Candidate_Suspended_For_Defrauding_Students_Of_Thousands_Of_Pounds

By: Lancs Observer

Lancs Observer — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:20:46 +0000

The LibDem PPC here Dr Vincent McKee has been suspended by the LibDems after allegedly defrauding students of thousands of pounds.

By: Barnaby JL Marder

Barnaby JL Marder — Tue, 04 May 2010 10:44:14 +0000

LAB HOLD