Saturday 7 May 2016

Elections-minority opinion

Elections are always interesting and sometimes surprising to me but them I've been interested in politics since my teens. The truth is that a great number of people don't vote and aren't that interested.They don't see elections as relevant to their lives. In many cases they are probably right.

In Llanelli the"final" results were:

Labour             10,416
Plaid                   9,883
UKIP                  4,233
Conservative      1.886
People First        1,112
Greens                  427
Lib Dems              355

We had 3 recounts, all of which had different results but all favoured Labour. In the third recount 100 votes not belonging to UKIP were found in the UKIP bundles, 50 for Plaid and 50 for Labour, I believe. The returning officer argued that as Plaid were still behind we should stop now and Plaid agreed.I was left thinking of exactly how accurate are the results are everywhere else? After all if they are not close, they are never checked.

As we had only 4% of the total votes cast, we lost our deposit along with the LibDems and the Greens. I don't yet have the regional list results as my duties on the school run meant I couldn't wait until 9.30 am for those results. I'll post them later.

 However, if the number of postal leaflet drops are anything to go by Labour, Plaid and the Conservatives spent at least 20 times what we did in Llanelli, just on leaflets, and we certainly spent nothing on busing in support and celebrity visits. Plaid Cymru must have spent a bit on their Spring Conference in Llanelli as well, which of course is not strictly an election expense. Many thanks to all who contributed to our campaign with time, money and good wishes.

However, for us the publicity has provided new helpers,new members and more local people's problems we can try to address. We have barely time to take breath before our next election - a Comuunity Council  By election in Hendy Carmarthenshire on May 19th,  prompted by a resignation of a current member in the face of the Llanedi Council's financial difficulties. Our candidate there is local resident and campaigner Wayne Erasmus.

 Siân Caiach 

5 comments:

  1. You have done it again, you self-absorbed waste of space.

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  2. I am sorry you lost your deposit but glad this election raised the profile of "People First". I feel your interview with Llanelli Herald's Alan Evans went well which took place after the voting but before the count I believe and saw it on Llanelli Heralds twitter page. He interviewed all you candidates; no doubt too good a chance to miss with you all being in the same place at the same time. I hope people will now hunt out your leaflets and read/re-read them; they'll then find out it's a party/movement that offers them a true voice. If people believe in the ideals of "People First", like you found, they'll willingly help as much as they can and their encouragement would have worked wonders no doubt. I wish Wayne Erasmus the very best in his efforts to become a Community Councillor in Hendy under the banner of "People First". There's the County Council elections next year so it's all go for "People First" I 'spect. Hwyl!

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  3. Anon 13.23, perhaps if you are going to be hostile and personal you could elaborate your criticism and maybe use your own name?

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  4. I used to be a staunch labour voter until not only the lack of concern shown by my union to the lack of proper action taken by the Carmarthenshire County Council after abuse in a care home was revealed under the whistleblowing policy but the Labour AM turned his back on the problems too. Plaid did not want to get involved in trying to persuade the CCC to look into our (whistleblowers) complaint either after I approached their Llanelli office. If we want to hold our public bodies to account then we need representatives who are free to act for their constituents not consider their own and party interests first. I put up a sign on my own propery supporting Sian the following morning it had been torn off it's post. I managed to find it and reattached it. The matter is still being looked into. Sian is taking some of the Labour vote too so Plaid needs to look at itself and the example their members show us in regard to the way some seem to put self interest above the public interest. They all talk the talk but their actions speak louder than words (the same to some extent can be said of Labour). Sian & other "People First" candidates are showing us how proper representation could and should look like and I hope they keep up the good work. If it persuades the other parties to be a little more selective of who they allow as members then that too would be a good thing. The Public interest should come before political expediency and self interest.

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  5. Anonymous7 May 2016 at 13:23 - Keyboard warrior aka as a troll.

    These lowlifes rarely venture out and have little idea of the real world or have any proper values. The comment says more about it than you.

    Well done on your efforts and good luck with your future campaigning. The more exposure you get the better and I for one appreciate what you do on behalf of many people living under the napoleon regime in CCC.

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