Was it the right choice for Camden?

I’ve been reading on the Camden Liberal Democrat’s website that they forged their partnership with the Conservatives of Camden because the voters ‘decisively rejected the Labour party’.

Statments like this, which lack any source or corroborative information always make me wonder, so I checked out the election results.

Labour lost 17 seats in the 2006 local elections, leaving them with 18 seats, marginally behind the liberals who scored 20. The Tories had 14 seats, the greens just two. The liberals chose to forge their alliance with the Tories in third place, claiming that together they would represent nearly 60% of Camden’s residents.

In terms of Councillors, of the 54 in Camden, they had 34. Vote percentage wise, together they scored 55% of the vote – nowhere near the ‘nearly’ 60% claimed.

Had the Liberals paired with Labour, they would have commanded the support of 38 Councillors, and enjoyed 57.8% poll success. Notice how a Lib Dem – Labour partnership would have been more beneficial in terms of representation of the people who voted in Camden. It may have only improved things by 2.8%, but in politics ever little percentage point is vital.

Don’t believe everything you’re told – especially by a Lib Dem – Tory pact of Councillors!