UKIP blamed by leading Conservative councillor for Pinkneys Green by-election defeat

Newsdesk • Published 6 Nov 2012 09:00 4 Comments

A LEADING Conservative councillor has accused the UK Independence Party (UKIP) of costing his party victory in a by-election.

Leader of the Royal Borough, Cllr David Burbage, made the remarks following a narrow win for Liberal Democrat Cllr Simon Werner in the Pinkneys Green by-election held on Thursday last week.

Cllr Werner beat Conservative candidate Catherine Hollingsworth to the seat by eight votes- 839 to 831 - with UKIP candidate George Chamberlaine finishing third with 152 votes.

Cllr Burbage said: "It is unfortunate that, largely thanks to UKIP, the residents of Pinkneys Green have missed out from electing a very effective councillor in Catherine Hollingsworth. The last thing that people who voted UKIP would have wanted would be a boost to the pro-EU Lib Dems."

UKIP Cllr Tom Bursnall said: "We have made it very clear we wanted to have a strong alliance locally. This has not happened so they shouldn't be surprised if UKIP stands as its own party locally. A partnership might have led to something like this not happening."

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This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 06 Nov 12

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• 

  PJOakley
  1 post
  Nov 6, 13:46
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  What utter rubbish. UKIP votes don't "belong" to the Tories or any other party. In fact, UKIP have nothing in common with David Cameron's Conservatives. Catherine Hollingsworth lost because she could not persuade the voters that she was the best candidate. This is called democracy.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 31     No 3

• 

  ben1691
  12 posts
  Nov 10, 19:17
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  Haven't noticed Lib Dems whinging that Labour have let the Tories into government for most of the 20th century.
  
  This is first past the post in action - an electoral system the Conservatives favour.
  
  The Lib Dems are vastly under represented on the council relative to the number of votes they received in the last all out local elections - they could argue that Labour let the Conservatives in to Pinkney's Green in the first place.
  
  Instead we have Burbles-a-lot complaining about his own voting system.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 3     No 1

• 

  ben1691
  12 posts
  Nov 10, 19:21
  Report comment

  Haven't noticed Lib Dems whinging that Labour have let the Tories into government for most of the 20th century. This is first past the post in action - an electoral system the Conservatives favour.
  
  The Lib Dems are vastly under represented on the council relative to the number of votes they received in the all out local elections in 2011 - they could argue that Labour let the Conservatives in - instead we have Burbles-a-lot complaining about his own voting system.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 2     No 1

• 

  wonkotsane
  2 posts
  Nov 11, 15:00
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  I think most people that voted UKIP don't care whether a candidate for the pro-EU Lib Dems or the pro-EU Tories win. I'm fed up of hearing arrogant Tories losing elections and blaming it on UKIP like they have an automatic right to any UKIP vote. I'm a UKIP member, voter and parish councillor and I've never voted Tory in my life!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 4     No 1

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