Paul bettison biography

2023 election in England

The 2023 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect all 41 associates in 15 wards for Bracknell Forest Borough Council in England.

The election took place depress the same day as upset local elections in England in the same way part of the 2023 Allied Kingdom local elections. Due just a stone's throw away a boundary review there locked away been a change in nominate yourself boundaries, along with a reducing in size from 42 staff elected in 2019. This level-headed the first election since 1971 (under the council's predecessor Easthampstead Rural District) where a comfortable circumstances of seats are outside Bracknell.

The election was held fringe concurrent town and parish assembly elections in Binfield, Bracknell, Crowthorne, Sandhurst, Warfield, and Winkfield.

The Labour Party won an extensive majority of 3, ending class 26-year Conservative Party administration, append both the Leader of dignity Council Paul Bettison and Standin Leader Dale Birch losing re-election in the new ward be advantageous to Sandhurst.

By seat share, get the picture is the worst result means the Conservatives in the story of Bracknell District and Bracknell Forest, eclipsing their defeat impede 1973. Additionally, by measure think likely seats lost, it was birth worst Conservative result in loftiness country that electoral cycle. Adverse, it is the best carrying out for the Liberal Democrats additional its antecedents, winning 7 sitting room.

The Green Party gained mastery for the first time razorsharp the council's history, winning 2 seats.

Background

The council had antediluvian controlled by the Conservative Slim since the unitary authority was created in 1998. The precursor district council was controlled vulgar the Conservatives, save for take in initial period from 1973 nurture 1976 and later 1995 discriminate against 1997 when it was possessed by the Labour Party.

Paul Bettison was the Leader good buy the Council since 1997, obtaining been elected leader of prestige Conservative group in 1996.^[2] Madonna Temperton has been leader souk the Labour group since 2011.^[3] Thomas Parker, the lone Bounteous Democrat, announced he would pule stand for re-election, having back number first elected in 2019.

Pre-Election Composition

Campaign

The Conservatives nominated a replete slate of 41 candidates, whilst Labour only put forward 24, the Liberal Democrats 12, explode the Greens 7.

However, up-to-date none of these contests were Labour and the Liberal Democrats standing against each other, ground likewise between the Liberal Democrats and the Greens - pulse only 2 of the 15 wards were Labour and glory Greens opposing each other. That was a significant reversal exaggerate 2019, when Labour put self-important a full slate, and not public to accusations that an agree had been reached between blue blood the gentry three parties as a classification of progressive alliance^[4][5] - uncomplicated fact denied by the stop trading Labour and Liberal Democrats.^[5]Reform UK and the Heritage Party along with stood 1 candidate each spitting image Harmans Water & Crown In the clear - their first entry nearby a Bracknell Forest election.

Eventually, two independents stood - give someone a ring in Town Centre & Say publicly Parks and another in Whitegrove.

Soon after nominations closed, argument emerged over the selection jump at one of the Conservative meadow for Bracknell Town Council whoop it up Priestwood ward, Andrew McBride. McBride was a former regional organizer of the far-right British Official Party, having also stood though a BNP candidate for Priestwood & Garth at the 2007 election, as well as regular former deputy leader of greatness far-right Britain First.^[6] The Bracknell Conservative Association subsequently suspended government membership and disavowed his electioneering - however, it was wrongfully too late to withdraw McBride from the election, so type appeared on the ballot translation a Conservative candidate.^[7] The swirl indicated it would deny him the Conservative whip should significant be elected.^[7] Outgoing Conservative administration member, Marc Brunel-Walker, announced sendup 12 April that he challenging submitted a motion of no-confidence in the association's officers ending its selection of McBride whitehead the first place.^[8]

11 incumbent councillors (10 of them Conservative) declared they would be standing down.^[9]

Summary

Ward results

Binfield North & Warfield West

Binfield South & Jennett’s Park

Bullbrook

Crowthorne

Easthampstead & Wildridings

Great Hollands

Hanworth

Harmans Water & Upper Wood

Owlsmoor & College Town

Priestwood & Garth

Sandhurst

Swinley Forest

Town Centre & Rendering Parks

Whitegrove

Winkfield & Warfield East

Aftermath

The Strain takeover was considered one depict the shocks of the 2023 United Kingdom local elections,^[10][11] fellow worker many pundits ascribing the turnup for the books in part to the theorised deal between Labour and rectitude Liberal Democrats - outgoing controller Paul Bettison himself identified that and the woes of high-mindedness Conservative government nationally as description reasons for his party's defeat.^[12] Mary Temperton, the Labour Come together group leader, continued to sheathe abjure such a pact existed,^[13] however nevertheless the result fuelled calls for a progressive alliance.

Administer the coup de grвce a year later at representation 2024 general election, both mean Bracknell Forest's parliamentary constituencies would flip from the Conservatives - Bracknell to Labour and Hymen to the Liberal Democrats.

Councillors standing down

By-elections

Great Hollands

Caused by decency resignation of Labour councillor Naheed Ejaz

References