Your Labour team for Kursaal ward

Shoeburyness by-election

candidate	party	votes	%
Anne Chalk	Independent	886	37.1
Val Jarvis	Conservative	830	34.8
Maggie Kelly	Labour	381	16.0
Edward McNally	UKIP	121	5.1
Gavin Spencer	Liberal Democrat	119	5.0
Paul Hill	Green	48	2.0

Whilst not an earthquake, last night's failure by the Conservatives in Shoeburyness is still a shock. They were the favourites, in a town they run, with two MPs, and by some distance they have the greatest financial resources.  Add in the backdrop of the General Election, and very favourable opinion polls, then it should have been a relatively comfortable ride.

There are several possible reasons behind the Tory defeat here. Their campaign and organisation could be a lot flakier than I had previously thought (and I have believed for some time that they have been struggling in the eastern half of Southend). The Tories is Southend are losing popularity. In recent years they have had wafer thin majorities (and for two years no majority at all) in the council chamber. There is no real UKIP presence to shift blame to, and the turnout was quite healthy for a council by-election. I think Tory Central in Southend has some thinking to do.

The Tories will point at 2016, when the Independents won here. They can take all the comfort they like from that one - it is delusional. They should have won, they failed. All is not rosy in Tory ranks in Southend , and they know that but for UKIP defections they would have found the current civic year tough. Roll on 2018!

Anne Chalk is rejoining the Independent Group in the chamber  - will she last the course this time? Her victory makes that group the official opposition - let's hope that they do some opposing (rather than generally saying little, and voting indecisively).

Labour move from fifth to third, with a significant improvement in their vote.

UKIP, the Liberal Democrats, and the Greens struggled.

Shoeburyness Voice

The runners and riders in Shoeburyness

Labour - Maggie Kelly

Conservative - Val Jarvis

Liberal Democrat - Gavin Spencer

Green - Paul Hill

UKIP - Edward McNally

Independent - Anne Chalk

The election date has been set for Thursday, May 25th - just two weeks before the General Election. I am not sure whether this will boost turnout, depress it, or have no impact at all.

This by-election follows the untimely death of Independent Group candidate Mike Assenheim. Considering their well-known antipathy, it does strike me as odd that Anne Chalk is seeking to be his replacement. However, I have no idea whether, if successful, she will join the Southend Independence Alliance in the chamber.

I think the Tories are favourites here. However, Labour has an excellent candidate and expects to do very well. Based on their performance in the polls, and the recent defections, one would imagine UKIP  will bomb - let's hope so anyway.

Maggie Kelly is selected as the Labour candidate for the Shoeburyness by-election

PRESS RELEASE

Maggie Kelly has been selected to be the Labour candidate in the forthcoming Shoeburyness by-election.

Maggie works for the National Health Service and is a member of the Unison trade union. She lives with her family in Shoeburyness.

Maggie said: “I am delighted to have been chosen again to contest the ward that I live in. I love Shoeburyness, and will work tirelessly for my community if elected.”

Maggie added, “I have been an active campaigner for the party for many years and I am involved in community activities.”

Maggie Kelly has been the Labour candidate in Shoeburyness in the last three elections.

Voters go to the polls on May 25th, just two weeks before the General Election. Unfortunately the Council is powerless to move the date so that the two elections coincide.