Elections 2006 - Labour arrogance, an analysis of why Crawley is now (just) Conservative run

11.34.20pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 7th May 2006

Although the Conservatives have gained control in Crawley there hold is tenuous to say the least. Although, as expected, they gained Southgate and held on to Furnace Green and Broadfield South it was a close run thing in Ifield and Broadfield North.

In the case of Ifield they won the seat by only 21 votes and this was only due to the intervention of the BNP candidate. That candidate, who comes from what must be one of the most disreputable of political parties, seems to have taken a considerable number of votes from Labour. If the cheer the BNP raised when the Conservatives took control at the Election Count is anything to go by then that was there main aim.

In Broadfield North the result was even closer with both the Labour and Conservative candidates getting 500 votes each. The Conservatives "gain" was by the drawing of lots. So much for potential voters saying that a "cross in the box" doesn't change anything!

In 2004 Labour held on to control from possibly NOC by three votes in Southgate. This time the Conservatives snatched control from a possible NOC by luck.

Labour were either incredibly arrogant, naive or stupid (or a combination of all three) as that should have been a warning shot for them. They chose to ignore it and in 2005 only held on to the parliamentary seat of Crawley - which has the same boundaries as Crawley Borough Council - by 37 votes.

Labour however, irrespective of the politics nationally or locally, still hadn't learnt that the electorate of Crawley was tiring of them. They then hastened there own downfall this year with both the losing Labour candidates in Broadfield North and Southgate campaigning time trying to unseat long time Councillor Linda Seekings in the safe Lib Dem seat of Northgate. This included at least one of them actually working in Northgate for part of Election Day rather than bothering to spend time defending his seat.

At the same time Conservative Councillors left there safe seats and were seen working for colleagues in both Ifield and Broadfield North. It was that working together for a common aim that was their strength and Labour's weakness.

It is a lesson that Labour would do well to learn.