Results are underway at the Walsall Civic Centre, where the Conservatives are looking remarkably cheery and Labour a little dour. Every Tory I speak to seems to have been told to say that “in Walsall, we buck the national trend”, and the first declaration, a very comfortable hold for Cllr Garry Perry in the ward of Pelsall, backed that up.
“From what I’m hearing, we’re holding our vote in Walsall, but we tend to throw up an anomaly against the national. We don’t play politics, and more importantly, we aren’t afraid to stand up to national policy and go against it if we don’t agree. The residents respect you for that, and a lot of politicians could learn from it,” Cllr Perry tells me.
It’s a line we might hear a lot tomorrow, if Andy Street wins: that distancing yourself from the government, and speaking out against Westminster when necessary, is a winning ploy.
“Correct, you’ve got to put your community first. Too many people play politics and that’s what consumes their work. Based on what I’ve seen here, and it’s just a snapshot, [Street] will do it,” Cllr Perry says.
The Tories, then, are bullish. “These close results really worry me…” Cllr Mike Bird, the Conservative leader of Walsall Council, quipped as that huge first win (Labour with 510 votes, the Conservatives with 1,801) was announced. He got a laugh. It was that rarest of sounds today: happy Tories.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
