Handbags at dawn

Cllr Moyies volte face last year into a Conservative member gave him a problem; he could not defend his West Shoebury seat as the Conservatives already had a candidate. Moyies had to look elsewhere, and his eye fell upon Thorpe ward.

Thorpe was once a Tory stronghold, until complacency created enough rot for the Independents to sneak in. Now the Independents are firmly ensconced, seemingly immovable. However, Moyies believes (or at least pretends he believes) that he can win. He faces chicken-run Martin Terry, whose love affair with the ward began (coincidentally) with the realisation that he was about to lose in Westborough.

The local press now enjoys the sight of a war of words between Cllrs Moyies and Terry. Much of the exchanges centre around the various political affiliations each has had. Both are as bad as each other, with elastic principles regularly on display. Moyies and Terry have in their respective ways chosen flags of convenience so as to maintain presence in the Council chamber. Both have swapped teams and political identities. In Moyies case this is a switch from UKIP through the short-lived Southend Independence Group (SIG), to his current home in the Conservative Party. For Martin Terry, it is a case of maintaining the pretence that the Independent Group is not a party, whilst acting just like a party; and assuming a number of labels on the ballot paper whilst maintaining the charade.

The SIG not only was short-lived, its three members are all near certainties to lose their seats in May. If this is the case, and Cllr Terry holds his seat I guess the last laugh will belong to him. In the meantime be prepared for more faux outrage and hypocrisy from both camps in the run-up to May 3^rd.