5 May - Reform UK on Bexley’s doorstep
Reform
did quite a lot better in last Thursday’s elections than many expected
but maybe not those with an ear to the political ground. Do you know anyone who
is not a train driver, a civil servant or on benefits who thinks Labour has done
anything laudable? And the Conservatives are mainly Limp Dems so barely worthy of
consideration nationally. They lost a lot of seats (674) as was to be expected
after doing so well in 2021 but Labour who did very badly that year and might
normally have been expected to bounce back lost more seats. (187.) One
might argue that Labour got the biggest bloody nose. Well done Keir.
Reform UK is far from perfect and harbours some extremely dodgy characters but
which party does not? They are now parked on our doorstep having taken over Kent
County Council and Dartford Council. (57 of 81 Councillors in Dartford are now
Reform.) What a shame that the Police and Crime
Commissioner was re-elected last year. Another dodgy character.
Former Bexley Counclllor so maybe not surprising.
Bexley’s Councillors must be worried for May 2026,
Three former Councillors (Felix di Netimah,
James Hunt and Nigel Betts who we
are not allowed to talk about) have fallen by the wayside since 2022 and unlikely to
be seeking re-election and several are scrambling for safer seats; though none are truly safe any more.
The rumour mill says that the Leader may decide that she is no
longer fit enough to
get around easily and there has been comment suggesting that West Heath ward
may be changed considerably. Brian Bishop is apparently no longer a Barnehurst
favourite and has been eyeing up Blackfen and Lamorbey. Cafer Munur is reported
to have done the
Chicken Run to Blendon which may be a safer Conservative ward. Frazer Brooks who is rarely heard
of here allegedly had to fight
for his Falconwood seat and no one wants to be in Sidcup where Reform UK did
better than was deserved last July. (They say they will sue me if I say too
much about Reform in Sidcup and several
General Election reports were removed
from Bonkers a few months ago in the face of such undemocratic threats.)
Andy Dourmoush no longer runs his chicken factory in Erith so is not qualified to stand here again and
Cheryl Bacon has already said she
will not stand in Sidcup next year. Understandable given that her husband is MP for Orpington and presumably lives
there now. Which leaves Councillors Diment and Slaughter to defend their Sidcup patch.
Note: Today is the beginning of the VE Day celebrations, hence the 80 year old photograph.