18 June 2004
As widely predicted, the electorate administered a stout kick in the shins to Labour in the local elections on June 10.
Last year, the party managed to get a reasonable share of its voters out on polling day, despite the invasion of Iraq just weeks before. But this year it felt the full force of the 'Baghdad bounce'.
The government's share of the vote fell to a paltry 26%, pushing it into third place behind the Liberal Democrats, and costing it 479 seats and eight councils.
Its humiliation was symbolised by the fall of the Labour bastion of Newcastle upon Tyne to the LibDems. After 30 years of unbroken Labour rule, it went from having 54 Labour councillors and 24 LibDems, to 48 LibDems and 30 Labour.
Even news that turnout was up offered little comfort. Voters roused from torpor appeared to be motivated by anger at Labour.
The LibDems did not have it all their own way – they gained two authorities but lost control of four. Even so, they kept their share of the vote at 30% and added 137 councillors to their ranks.
The Conservatives secured 38% of the vote, 283 councillors and control of 13 authorities, including Trafford, the first northern metropolitan authority the party has had outright control of since the early 1990s.
Although the Tories had the smile wiped off their faces by the UK Independence Party when the European parliamentary results were declared, they gained one important prize.
Finally in their grasp is the Local Government Association's chair, held by Labour since the LGA's inception in 1997.
The association confirmed on June 14 that Labour chair Sir Jeremy Beecham will move aside.
The system for calculating the political balance takes into account the number of councillors each party has and weights them according to population and type of council.
Following the Tories' gains in urban areas, their voting strength is now 35.8%, up from 34.4%; Labour is on 34.9%, down from 37.8%; the LibDems have 21.8%, up from 20.7%; and independents are on 7.5%, up from 7%.
If, as expected, the LGA's annual general meeting next month approves a new structure with six policy boards, the respective voting strengths mean that Labour and the Tories are likely to chair two each, and the LibDems and the independents one each.
Having a chair politically at odds with ministers is likely to herald a change in the LGA's relationship with the government, currently characterised as 'constructive' or, by some, 'cosy'.
The Tories confirmed on June 15 that their nominee for LGA chair is Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart and his appointment should be confirmed by the AGM. The leader of Kent County Council has previously expressed his desire to introduce some 'grit' into relations between the LGA and the government. But he is often referred to as 'Labour's favourite Tory' and is unlikely to go out of his way to seek conflict.
However, the threat might lie in ministers' attitudes to a representative organisation that is now in opposition hands.
One local government insider told Public Finance: 'John Prescott has sold forums such as the central-local partnership to other government ministers on the basis that the LGA was fronted by a Labour person, and so it was a constructive arena.
'How they will feel now, I don't know, but it raises the spectre of ministers walking away.'
Local government leaders have often complained that the good relationship with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not mirrored in dealings with other Whitehall departments.
Anything that exacerbates the difficulties they have in earning the respect of ministers will be greeted with dismay.
In public, at least, such concerns have not yet been voiced. Following the change of political complexion, LGA chief executive Sir Brian Briscoe brightly declared: 'Our strength is our ability to speak with a common voice, not on behalf of any one interest group, but on behalf of local government as a whole.'
From now on, though, the LGA might have to speak louder to ensure that ministers listen.
PFjun2004
