Local by-election results (06/02/14) and other thoughts

In case you missed it, the results from the Sheffield local by-election (the only one of this week to feature a Green candidate) are as follows:

Sheffield, Arburthorne: Lab 1398 (52.2%), UKIP 482 (18.8%), Con 213 (8.0%), TUSC 204 (7.6%), Lib Dem 161 (6.0%), Green 143 (5.3%), English Democrats 75 (2.8%).

Most notable about this by-election is the significant drop in Labour's share, partly caused by UKIP and also by TUSC, which in local by-elections two or three months ago had been performing considerably worse. I am also sure they bear responsibility for the slight loss in our vote share. Interestingly, Left Unity, which sprung up just over two months ago, have not as far as I know fielded any candidates for upcoming local by-elections, but I hear they are thankfully supporting us in the North West for this year's European elections.

Speaking of by-elections, I will be keeping a close eye on news on the Wythenshawe and Sale East by-election, whose polling day is less than a week away now. I am proud of Nigel Woodcock, our candidate, for the hard work he has done so far, especially in highlighting Labour PPC Mike Kane's ties to the right-wing Progress faction of Labour and the disparities between the Wythenshawe and Sale parts of this constituency.

On another note, the Independent reported that experiments have apparently shown links between high levels of chloride in neonates to the development of autism later in life. This is not necessarily true and I know that disorders of the autistic spectrum cannot be linked solely to one or two causes (and especially not vaccinations). 

 Regards, Alan.
 

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