Commiserations, surely?

No, this was widely expected and reflects the 2023 district results there. The bigger story was the Staines result in Spelthorne - a seat the Lib Dems hope to take from third place and on yesterday’s showing I wouldn’t bet against them doing just that.

I think they would say they are not “political” although there has to be some scope for argument what political means in this context.

Agent for a big set of all up council elections might have 40 or 50 candidates (and be a bit desperate to have anyone in non-target wards!). Quite possible a candidate dies after signing consent to nomination but the agent does not know about it until after the count. Would that void the election?

Only if you know they are or might be dead

Do you have to be alive or just not officially dead ie that a nomination is fine so long as nobody has informed the returning officer of your demise. Aren’t there a few people who got elected despite dying before their poll and hence a by-election not a countermanded election. One in L’pool 1992ish?

The wild thing is that this actually what the Beeb is presenting as *Northamptonshire* news. I mean can’t they find a village fete somewhere near Daventry to report on?

Depressing. But it is poor polling methodology to give two options for “increase” and just one for “decrease”. The questions themselves appear to carry the bias that *of course* it is all increasing

This post is wrong. It is just a misquote. The piece is clear that by “we” he is referring to lawyers rather than Conservatives. Is Grieve actually a Conservative member since 2019? (And he is right of course - lawyers are not to blame for people having legal rights)

Indeed. It is also one of the issues being pushed as grounds to refuse the new Chinese embassy planning application.

“Early Schubert” 🤷‍♂️

I get what they mean, but what a misjudged title. All the music we have from him is tragically “young” Schubert.

I think the “both wings to fly” was an old Rev Jesse Jackson line

Alas no longer Sutton and Merton with adjacent St Helier wards

Northumberland Unitary apparently

In the piece you quote he says “people” and “Europe” not “EU citizens” and EU. Are you really saying there are no controversies about people moving around Europe, because that sounds quite a bold claim. (Or is there more context? I’ve not seen Clegg’s piece)