A commenter on this blog writes that Cllr John Chorlton, leader of the Labour grouping at Anglesey County Council, is considering standing down as a councillor in order to be the Labour candidate for Ynys Môn at next year's Assembly elections. Chorlton is currently a popular man - only last week the Druid wrote about Chorlton as the man Albert Owen had in mind when he floated the idea of an elected Mayor for Anglesey. Now it appears that Chorlton may have an even larger prize in mind.
Ynys Môn Assembly Election results 1999-2007
click to enlarge
Labour in Anglesey are no doubt feeling buoyed by Albert Owen's better than expected results in the recent general election - however, as the above chart shows, any Labour Candidate for the Assembly will face an uphill struggle. For various reasons people vote differently in Westminster and Assembly elections, and since Labour came second in the 1999 Anglesey poll, their vote has progressively declined at each election. Labour's 2007 candidate, Jonathan Austin - a welsh speaking barrister from Anglesey who has served on the Welsh Books Council and the governing board of the National Museum for Wales - seemed on paper to be an excellent candidate, but he bombed. Can the much less accomplished John Chorlton do any better?
26 comments:
John Chorlton CAN do it. He is from the right place and he is established.
The key is the Assembly referendum. There has to be a national dialogue prior to the Referendum and the level of awareness about the functions of the assembly is going to be higher.
Plaid always has got its vote out for the Assembly elections, other parties less so. This time the turnout could be 60% plus. At that level the static Plaid vote can be overhauled by John Chorlton or a dynamic Tory in the "Best" mould.
Plaid has problems in their Heartlands; they can and do make progress in the South where they are seen as a Socialist/nationalist party without New Labour's baggage. In the North and west Plaid are a middle class/rural culturally conservative party closely associated with Language activism and, occassionaly, extremism.
Ieuan Wyn Jones, despite his protestations, is perceived as serving an increasingly narrow section of the population in Ynys Mon. He has lost broad support since becoming a minister and his "Tetchy," brittle and petulant demeanor makes him incapable of connecting with a broad section of the constituency.
The fact remains that incumbents are not removed from office in Ynys Mon but there is a certain air of revolution about, nurtured in part by the Druid's blog.
Labour must finance John Chorlton adequately and make a determined effort.
The Arrogant triumphalism of Plaid leading up to the General Election was un-attractive and many have enjoyed seeing Plaid brought back to reality. No sooner had the results come in, however, than Plaid were at it again, bigging up their prospects in the Assembly elections on the back of a National rejection of CONDEM politics from Westminster. The analysis is again faulty; Plaid lost 10,000 voters precisely because so many Welsh people associate themselves with the UK. A petty, whingeing, sectarian party like Plaid was shown to be an irrelevance peopled by nonentities.
Plaid will suffer in 2011. IWJ is vulnerable!
what if Peter Rogers stands? and maybe Jeff Evans will try? and then ther is Dorris Jones.
If I where the Labour party I would concentrate on putting forward credible candidates for the next council election.
I personally would not vote for John Charlton (in an election for the assembly)and I am a long time Labour supporter. He should concentrate on making Holyhead better - he's getting there.
JC is certainly a popular man, in many circles, but not in all (who is ?)
I have found him helpful on all matters upon which I have approached him over the years and I believe he is tuly socially minded and conscientious.
According to some on this blog, however, he has enemies.
I genuinely think he is of the people, for the people, and would represent Anglesey by its people.
I believe he is far more approachable than IWJ, who as someone described is tetchy and remote.
Of the two I`d vote for JC.
what happened to the 2003 Labour assembly candidate? could they try again?
Ha ha! Anglesey voters don't seem to like clever people, so if he is indeed less accomplished than the barrister, then he'll storm through!
HOT OFF THE PRESS FROM BODFFORDD !!
By local briefings, JAJ will stand as well !
I am already making plans to emigrate just in case
I too will emigrate with you. AO is bad enough - all talk and no action and taking the credit for things he has not even been involved in - but JC, come on - someone wake me up from this nightmare. He will get siltch votes from outside Holyhead.
Oh my God, someone tell me this is not true. Anyone reading this tomorrow morning will choke on their Cornflakes! JC as AC for IoaCC - NOT!
COME ON FOLKS...ITS ALL A JOKE !
Some people are so gullible ?
I bet John Chjorlton doesn't think it a joke.
2011 WA election line up:
Ridge Newman Con
Wyn jones Plaid
Rogers Independent
Jones Lib Dem
Chorlton Labour
Morgan Pawb
10.10 You missed out the Archangel
The politicians causing most problems at Anglesey Council are: John Chorlton, Elwyn Schofield, Hefin Thomas and Gareth Winston Roberts.
These councillors should be suspended or asked to stand down as they are causing mayhem in Anglesey.
JAJ is capable but tarnished and should never seek political office again.
11.50
What I find hard to understand is the massive and ongoing attacks there have been on the Druid pages about a man who is no longer a County Councillor and (apart from some against JAJ) none of those you list have been mentioned. All this strikes me as a personal vendetta by one man against the Ex-Councillor rather than a true determination to sort out the alleged problems. This si borne out by the distasteful inclusion of the U Tube clip, once again a one man vendetta and not representative of the alleged problems.
Anglesey Islander
What do you remember Hungerford for? What do you remember Gazza for? What do you remember Zola Budd for? So JAJ was caught out by his own temper and the UTube clip haunts him.
My personal view is the guy is capable and intelligent but he is close to some politicians such as Winston and Hefin Thomas and together they have caused many problems in Anglesey.
We need new politicians that are from mainstream parties.
Why not?
Anglesey Islander
You are correct, and let's not forget the good work the Council does quietly in the background, be it by public or private providers.
The majority of us want to move on, and ensure that proper procedures are in place to ensure that the instances of wrongdoings cannot occur again.
We all know there has been bad mistakes in the past, intentional or not, but we need to learn from them and move on.
This may mean abolishing the current Council and creating a larger Council. The more I hear and read the more I lean towards this being the only answer.
ALL,
I`ve said it before, and I`ll say it again -
The only way to rid IACC of its troubles is to -
1. Insist that Members stand down voluntarily after 2 terms.
2. That they retire at 65, in any event.
Trouble sorted ?
BoF
To BoF
I agree, it's a sensible proposition.
Todays news:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10241522.stm
"Councils in England and Wales are being urged to publish details of spending above £500 as part of a government "revolution" in transparency"
This could be interesting.
Prometheuswrites
Well, we alsmot cracket it in Cardiff, almost.
Now then, how about our councillors waring the shirt of what they truly support, red (not labour) and The Others!
nce before it has been said here that most of the blogs are from invaders (I am not being nationalistic) who want to ditate how our Island in Wales is run.
Anglesey Islander
If IOACC want to move forward from their past mistakes the first thing they should do is APOLOGISE and then call the POLICE in.
As a former retired employee of Gwynedd Council I can only agree with the sentiments expressed that Anglesey County Council needs to be merged into or amalgamated with Gwynedd County Council. No, that council was and still is not perfect, but it is a damn sight better than Anglesey. There, you were left to get on with your job without interferance from Councillors. Yes, there were disagreements and debates, but they were to do with policy mostly, and most debates were conducted with respect and dignity within the council chamber. It is sad in Anglesey, as most councillors - whether they are active agitators or decent bystanders - are now forever tainted. Its a strange but very uncomfortable fact that Anglesy electors and communities elect the councillors they get/deserve - that's democracy, and whatsmore it is even sadder to note that those councillors who shout from the sidelines for others to be 'named and shamed' would be very high on that list themselves. That's the sad reality of Anglesey - those who cause trouble, conflict and strife are not even aware that they are doing it and blame others (hence the vicious and never ending circle). Lets join Gwynedd - there was more openess and stability then.
3.27 is right.
IACC will not/can not climb out of its cycle of decline, it is terminal, it is hopeless whilst the hardcore of older vicious Members continue to be there..and we know who they are !! They defiantly deny any wrongdoing, as someone said earlier, they are oblivious to their own fault. Whilst THEY continue to be there, its hopeless....we should identify them on this blog and vote them out next time. They are GWR, JC, HT, ES, BP, GOP...Its obvious IACC will not recover while these people hold any sway....DB take note !
I also favour dissolving IACC and throwing it in with Gwynedd...either that, or bring in a WAG emergency team till the next local election and lets then have a grand bonfire of the culprits once and for all. We don`t need them, and they don`t deserve our support.
Why don't we ask for a thread on this website about each Councillor and everyone can leave their comments and remarks...?
Druid will need more Gigabites!
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