So now what...?

Early tension at the count soon eased as it was clear this
was Exeter Labour's night

As the dust settles on the stunning Labour results in last Thursday's elections, I have been catching up on sleep, and spending some time with the family after months of hard campaigning. I have been grateful for the many messages of congratulations I have received on the street and by emails and Twitter. However, my favorite was a message from my new friend John Maclean. John is a former serviceman, a successful businessman, and a former Lib Dem Councillor and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate. He is a straight-talking, no-nonsense Scot, and has no party allegiance any more. Like many, he has become deeply sceptical about party politics, but he has nonetheless been very supportive of my campaign after I got to know his son, Steven, who is a "free journalist" and activist. In the early hours of Friday morning he sent me this Tweet:

I could almost hear him say it!

What we know about the result in Pinhoe is that while turnout in the ward overall was the highest in the city at 43.34%, turnout in the more "traditional" Labour polling districts of Whipton village and Arena Park were significantly lower, in the mid-twenties. Given that Labour had a frankly startling majority of 280 something significant has happened in Pinhoe. It's not the UKIP effect either - even if you add the Tory & UKIP votes together Labour still would have won in Pinhoe. The only explanation is that there were a lot of people in the traditionally Conservative-voting Pinhoe village  and White City areas voted for Labour, and for me. People who would normally vote Conservative are instead trusting me to represent them. Some people who would normally vote Labour, chose to stay home and not vote at all. Yet also people like John, who view all politicians with a healthy degree of cynicism, actively supported my campaign. 

John is right - it is now time to get working. I want to show those that voted Labour against their natural voting instincts that their trust in me and in Exeter Labour was not misplaced. I want to show the voters of Whipton village and Arena Park that their voice does matter, it is worth voting, and that Exeter Labour councillors are working for and with them to improve our communities. I want to show John, and the many people like him, that not all politicians are self-serving and that the best politicians can be community activists too. 

Cllr Dawson, one of our colleagues from
neighbouring Mincinglake ward

This week I shall be inducted into Exeter City Council life and find out what committees I will serve on and any specific responsibilities I will carry, but already I have been talking to my colleagues about how we can work better for those we represent. Cllr Catherine Dawson, from our neighbouring Mincinglake ward, wasted no time in suggesting that all the Labour councillors for Pinhoe & Mincinglake get together monthly with our County Councillor Saxon Spence to take a joined-up approach to tackling issues in the area - an idea that was embraced by all of us. We acknowledge that many of our communities "straddle" the somewhat artificial boundaries of the city's political wards, so by working together we will be able to achieve far more.

I have committed to having a dedicated website where residents can report issues to me, and to be able to see openly what action I am taking to resolve it. I will continue to use social media as a quick and convenient way to communicate, but will also be available in person at surgeries to talk. I intend to alternate surgeries between the Pinhoe "end" of the ward, and the Whipton "end", and will suggest to my colleagues street surgeries at Pinhoe shops and Whipton shops so people can informally tell us about what matters to them.

Communities working together can achieve amazing things,
like this picnic bench at Arena Park

I am very proud that Pinhoe had the highest turnout in the city, almost double that of some wards. I believe it is not politicians’ jobs to “fix” things for communities, but rather to work with communities to improve and develop them, and I am delighted that the Pinhoe ward has so many people who are active already. So I shall be particularly pleased to hear from you with your ideas and to hear about your projects, and if you would like to make a difference within Exeter Labour Party itself, why not consider joining us? See  http://www.exeter-labour.org.uk/ for more details, or call the office on 01392 275004.