Elections 2008
| WALTHAM FOREST |  | | | WANSTEAD/WOODFORD | | | EPPING FOREST | | | | FEATURES | | | LEYTON ORIENT | | |
|
|
|
LONDON ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS LIVE: Labour hold north east London
9.05pm
JENNETTE Arnold has held her London Assembly seat.
The Labour candidate for London North East got 73,551 votes.
In second place, Conservative candidate Alexander Ellis achieved 45,114 votes.
While in third place, Liberal Democrat Merel Ece scored 28,973 votes.
Green candidate, Aled Fisher got 25,845.
Ms Arnold, who has held the seat since 2000, said she looked forward to representing the people of Islington, Hackney and Waltham Forest.
"They have shown their trust in me and they can be assured that I can carry on the work that I began.
"Thank you to North East London for showing your faith in me.
"That faith will be rewarded by a lot of hard work."
Mr Ellis could not resist a jubilant jab at the victor, and refer to fellow Tory Boris Johnson's apparant victory in the Mayoral race.
"You will have a great chance to work with the new Mayor over the next four years," he said.
"You're very lucky."
All of the candidates thanked the returning officer, Roger Taylor, those counting the votes and their supporters.
However Ms Ece was more thankful than most.
"It's been a long day for everyone. I'd like to thank my agent and supporters as well, everyone who supported me."
Mr Fisher said the result showed the Green Party was "a growing force in politics in north east London".
"We've done a lot of great work here today."
The rest of the candidates were placed in the following order: Unjum Mirza(Left List), Nicholas Jones (UKIP), Maxine Hargreaves (Christian People's Alliance), John Dodds (English Democrats).
8.18pm
All the votes in the London North East region have now been counted.
They are being verified by officals.
Labour Party candidate Jennette Arnold looks like she has won, followed by Conservative candidate Alexander Ellis and Liberal Democrat Merel Ece.
An announcement is expected shortly.
7.35pm
TORY turnout may prove the most decisive mark in this election.
So many people turned up to vote that officials in Endlebury ward, Chingford, had to send for more papers.
Police had to be drafted in to deliver the new ballots.
Sources say this means more than 70 per cent of people registered in that ward wanted to vote, twice the average across London in 2004.
Conservative candidate, Alexander Ellis said: "Our core voters have turned out in a way I found quite astonishing.
"We were going around the doorsteps yesterday and we couldn't find anybody to campaign to.
"They were all already out voting, which is marvellous."
Liberal Democrat candidate, Meral Ece agreed Tory turnout was the backbone of this election.
In 2004, her party came in second but now it is battling for third place with the Greens.
"We've been squeezed because of the Tory surge," she said.
"It's a very unusual election and people have been voting in different ways.
"I think our share of the votes has been high and I'll be interested to see the breakdown and we'll see how well we've performed."
However Ms Ece said she was pleased her Turkish Cypriot parentage had encouraged record numbers of Turks and Turkish Cypriots to vote.
"People voted for the first time in their lives and I think that's very positive for all parties.
"They felt there was a real contest for a change."
6.45pm
THERE are only 20 per cent of votes left to count in the London North East constituency.
Jennette Arnold (Labour) is still ahead of Alexander Ellis (Conservative) in the race for the London Assembly constituency seat.
But the race for third place is more exciting.
21-year-old Aled Fisher for the Green Party is creeping up on Liberal Democrat candidate Merel Ace.
Labour are also ahead in the top-up seats, which are allocated on a proportional representation basis.
They have taken around a third more votes than the Conservatives.
In third place, the Greens have been leading most of the day but now the Liberal Democrats are staging a last-ditch dash for third place.
On the big LCD screens in Alexandra Palace's Palm Court showing a moving bar graph of results, they appear neck and neck.
Out of 366 votes cast, 310 have been counted.
Meanwhile supporters of Ken Livingstone look increasingly glum.
Afzal Akram, Waltham Forest Council's cabinet member for community safety is sitting in a corner staring despondently at his mobile phone.
Even his jaunty purple shirt, chosen to match Mr Livingstone's campaign colours, do nothing to make him look cheerier.
6.15pm
TORY London Assembly candidate Alexander Ellis is prepared to stake his house on Boris Johnson winning.
He said he would "bet his mortgage" on the Conservative candidate for Mayor taking the seat.
"We have won the Mayoralty. Our core support has come out in a difficult area for us," he said.
Mr Ellis was cagey about how much his house is worth but he did say it is a three-bedroom residence in Hackney.
He was more definite about Mr Johnson's win, and disagreed with Labour candidate Jennette Arnold, who is ahead in his race for the London Assembly constituency seat for North East London.
"Boris will get 50 per cent of the vote," he said.
5.15pm
LABOUR candidate Jennette Arnold said she was confident of retaining her London Assembly seat.
But the Islington-based candidate for London North East said the Mayoral race was a different story.
"We won't have a clear idea until 8pm," she said.
"In the past it was clear Ken was leading and the second choice votes just confirmed that.
"But this time it will be decided on the second vote."
She said she was not sure how much easier or harder it would be to do her job if Conservative candidate Boris Johnson replaced Ken Livingstone.
"It's very interesting that we've got such a character for the Mayoralty but we don't have a clue about his policies.
But according to Ms Arnold, who has held the seat since 2000, it might not make a huge amount of difference who is in charge tomorrow.
"If you look at my record with Ken it was never lovey dovey," she added.
"I've challenged him. People also don't really understand how the GLA works.
"The Mayor, no matter how powerful, can't just sit in City Hall and say 'I want, I get.'
"It's about working with a consensus.
"What would be a bigger challenge than Boris is if I found myself sitting with a BNP member.
"I won't be happy until I see they have not won any seats."
A total of 72 per cent of the votes have now been counted.
3.40pm
GREEN party candidate Aled Fisher has said he is very pleased his party was in third place in the top-up list.
Mr Fisher is running fourth in the London Assembly constituency race, after the Lib Dems, Tories and Labour Party.
But the Greens have nudged ahead in Londoners' other vote, to find London wide assembly members on a proportional representation basis.
He said: "We've had a very good election right across London.
"People wanted to hear about a living wage and were very concerned about the Olympics.
"They are worried about broken promises and the concreting over of our green spaces."
Mr Fisher also said the two former Green Party members in the London Assembly had created a good impression.
At 21, and a third year student in international relations and history at the London School of Economics, Mr Fisher is the youngest candidate.
He said young people were attracted to the party's values but that it many older members as well.
3.20pm
MORE than 50 per cent of the votes have been counted.
In the North East region have overwhelmingly chosen Ken Livinstone for Mayor.
He has attracted almost twice as many votes as The Conservative's Boris Johnson.
But in Barnet and Camden, for example the picture is almost completely reversed.
Jennette Arnold, for Labour is leading the North East race for the London Assembly by a large margin.
She is said to be on her way to the count.
Tory candidate Alexander Ellis is second, followed by Green candidate, Aled Fisher, then Liberal Democrat candidate Merel Ece and the BNP candidate.
There are 366 boxes to be counted in all.
2.40pm
THE ESTIMATED turnout in this election is up by 20 per cent.
The increased number of people voting means a result is not now expected until 8pm at the earliest.
The estimated turnout is 45 per cent.
This is around 2.4 million voters across London.
It is the first time more than two million people have voted in this election.
The turnout in 2004 was 37 per cent or 1.9m voters.
2.20pm
ALEXANDRA Palace is a hive of activity as a third of London's votes are counted.
One of three centres across London, the venue is counting votes from Enfield, Haringey, Barnet, Camden, Hackney, Islington, Barnet and Harrow, as well as Waltham Forest.
Standing on a hill in parkland overlooking the capital, Ally Pally, as it affectionately known, is perhaps the grandest venue for counters of our votes.
The other centres are ExCeL in east London and Olympia in the west.
YOUR local Guardian will be in the heart of the action as votes are counted in the London Assembly elections for North East London (Waltham Forest).
The first results are expected at around 4pm this afternoon (Friday).
We have a reporter at the count, who will be posting regular updates on this website.
9:05pm Friday 2nd May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: K, Waltham Forest on 9:09pm Fri 2 May 08
Well done Jennette! Well deserved and a special well done for pushing Merel Ece into third place. Her attacks on you were completely outrageous. I hope that's the last this area sees of her!
Well done Jennette! Well deserved and a special well done for pushing Merel Ece into third place. Her attacks on you were completely outrageous. I hope that's the last this area sees of her!
Posted by: H,, Waltham Forest on 9:35am Sat 3 May 08
A sad Labour hack retains bum on seat. Luckily for London, we have opted for change overall and elected Boris, who will no doubt quake in his boots as he contemplates her track-record in failing to hold the Chavez-loving has-been Ken and his corrupt cronies to account. Two cheers for democracy.
A sad Labour hack retains bum on seat. Luckily for London, we have opted for change overall and elected Boris, who will no doubt quake in his boots as he contemplates her track-record in failing to hold the Chavez-loving has-been Ken and his corrupt cronies to account. Two cheers for democracy.
Posted by: Jennette Who?, Walthamstow on 12:37am Sun 4 May 08
It's a bit rich for Jennette Arnold to say she's "looking forward to representing the people of Islington, Hackney and Waltham Forest." She's never actually seen in Waltham Forest, has done nothing for us at all im her tewnure in office and doesn't seem to know the way from Islington to Walthamstow.
She's a hypocrite of the first order and it is just a shame that tribal party voting patterns kept her on the gravy train.
It's a bit rich for Jennette Arnold to say she's "looking forward to representing the people of Islington, Hackney and Waltham Forest." She's never actually seen in Waltham Forest, has done nothing for us at all im her tewnure in office and doesn't seem to know the way from Islington to Walthamstow.
She's a hypocrite of the first order and it is just a shame that tribal party voting patterns kept her on the gravy train.
Posted by: Mr.T.C.Hull, Walthamstow on 12:36am Tue 6 May 08
I've never even heard of this woman in any connection with politics in Waltham Forest. Speaks volumes about her representational skills!!
I've never even heard of this woman in any connection with politics in Waltham Forest. Speaks volumes about her representational skills!!
Posted by: H, Waltham Forest on 3:01pm Tue 6 May 08
T.C. Hull, I also have seen hide or hair of the woman locally. Its not just a reflection of her lack of skills- she hasn't even bothered to try. Its a refelction of the contempt with which this borough is held by the Labour Party that they don't care less. We all know how useless our local administration is, but they will do nothing to rid us of the rubbishy clique they have foisted upon us. I reackon though that Labour deserve to be kicked up their smug backsides the next time their is a council election in Waltham Forest if they don't replace the inept mediocrities they have keep in office here.
T.C. Hull, I also have seen hide or hair of the woman locally. Its not just a reflection of her lack of skills- she hasn't even bothered to try. Its a refelction of the contempt with which this borough is held by the Labour Party that they don't care less. We all know how useless our local administration is, but they will do nothing to rid us of the rubbishy clique they have foisted upon us. I reackon though that Labour deserve to be kicked up their smug backsides the next time their is a council election in Waltham Forest if they don't replace the inept mediocrities they have keep in office here.
Posted by: Paul, Walthamstow on 4:19pm Tue 6 May 08
Boris Doris Johnson won it with the help of the Standard and anti-congestion charge fundamentalists.
He will be out of his depth trying to run London. He neither understands or cares about the diversity and poverty gap that exists.
Boris Doris Johnson won it with the help of the Standard and anti-congestion charge fundamentalists.
He will be out of his depth trying to run London. He neither understands or cares about the diversity and poverty gap that exists.
Posted by: chris, essex on 12:46am Wed 7 May 08
[quote][bold]Paul[/bold] wrote:
Boris Doris Johnson won it with the help of the Standard and anti-congestion charge fundamentalists. He will be out of his depth trying to run London. He neither understands or cares about the diversity and poverty gap that exists.[/quote] So if you're so bleeding clever why did you not stand for election?
Paul wrote:
Boris Doris Johnson won it with the help of the Standard and anti-congestion charge fundamentalists. He will be out of his depth trying to run London. He neither understands or cares about the diversity and poverty gap that exists.
So if you're so bleeding clever why did you not stand for election?
Posted by: clif, london on 2:43pm today
The labour party is for the people? what a big joke. They have taken away peolpes freedom of choice, they have made life in britain more stressful for millions of hard working people with petrol, food rises and the rises in the cost of living (bills), and crime is still out of control, this is some of the reasons why at the next election we (the people) must unit together and get these dictators out of office.
The labour party is for the people? what a big joke. They have taken away peolpes freedom of choice, they have made life in britain more stressful for millions of hard working people with petrol, food rises and the rises in the cost of living (bills), and crime is still out of control, this is some of the reasons why at the next election we (the people) must unit together and get these dictators out of office.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
