Congratulations to the Plaid Cymru candidates in Ynys Môn for a dramatic increase in seats and 34.3% of the equalized vote.
The "equalized vote" corrects the distortion of different voters having a different number of votes depending of the number of seats in the electoral division.
In a two-member division each voter is reckoned to have two half-votes; in a three-member division each voter is reckoned to have three third-votes. Therefore every voter has one whole vote.
With twelve of the thirty seats we were the big winners, and it should be possible for us to lead the new council with support from only three or four other councillors; perhaps the three from Labour, or perhaps some of the independents instead.
And even though the anglocentric media are headlining UKIP's success in England, it is nice to point out that Nigel Farage is completely wrong when he says that his party are getting "over 25% of the vote everywhere we stand". They only got 7.8% of the equalized vote in Ynys Môn ... although that is rather better than both the Tories (6.6%) and the LibDems (5.2%) managed.
5 comments:
Plaid didn't do very well. There are still 14 independents, more than Plaid's 12.
You'd better be careful that they don't do a deal with Labour to keep Plaid out, just like in Carmarthen.
There are independents and independents, Horsemeat. They don't act as a single group.
In the old council (see here) the "Original Independents" did act as a group, and the other independents described themselves as "Unaffiliated". Only 6 of the 19 "Original Independents" have been re-elected, together with 3 of the 5 "Unaffiliated" independents. There are 5 newly elected independents.
Original Independents re-elected (6 in total)
Aethwy: Jim Evans
Llifon: Richard Dew, Gwilym O Jones
Lligwy: Ieuan Williams, Derlwyn Rees Hughes
Talybolion: Kenneth Prichard Hughes
Unaffiliated Independents re-elected (3 in total)
Bro Aberffraw: Peter Rogers
Bro Rhosyr: Hywel Eifion Jones
Caergybi: Bob Llewelyn Jones
New independents (5 in total)
Bro Rhosyr: Victor Hughes
Twrcelyn: Richard Owain Jones, Will Betws Hughes
Ynys Gybi: Dafydd Rhys Thomas, Jeffrey M Evans
So the "Original Independents" certainly won't be able to lead a group. In effect it will be up to Plaid to decide whether they cut a deal with Labour, or whether they can work with three or four of the "Unaffiliated" and/or newly elected independents. Plaid has the choice, and that is why I'd expect them to lead the council.
As for Plaid not doing well, I'm not so disappointed with 12. Some of my friends in Plaid were talking in terms of 8 or 9. I'd tend to agree with Vaughan Roderick (here) that Labour really should have done better than to get 3. If they'd have got half a dozen, then a Plaid/Labour coalition would have been a fairly obvious outcome.
I would just question whether Plaid are wise to say (as they do in the link) that they are seeking a deal with Labour. They might well get a far better deal by working with a few of the independents. At least talk to them and find out what they have to offer.
Plaid did very well, the only political party to make gains. I think its now up to Bob Parry and the Plaid group to form a coalition. In my opinion doesn't matter who they do a coalition deal with either Labour or some left leaning Independents. Its now important that whoever forms the coalition, they must put the whole of Ynys Mon first and not get too engrossed with the old tribalism. This is a great opportunity to do very positive things for the people of the island.
And in the Aethwy ward (PC 2, Ind 1) in last place:
Jacques Protic Independent 177 3% Heb ei ethol
It's clear that Plaid will form a strong and effective opposition.
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