onionbagblog

False information in election leaflets is an issue that is not only making headlines nationally. Here in Lambeth and the local Labour party is publishing literature in Herne Hill that is quite frankly, a pack of lies.

With two sitting @LambethLabour Councillors, and one Green party Councillor, SE24 has become something of a political battleground as the borough decides who will govern at Lambeth Town Hall.

@LambethLabour needs this lone Green seat to counteract the @LambethLibDems surge. The Greens meanwhile have recognised that their share of just under 37% of the vote in 2006, suggests that the electorate in Herne Hill is sympathetic to the Green message.

Ah yes - about that 36.7% share of the vote that the Greens managed to achieve back at the last local election. If you are in possession of an election leaflet put out by the much hyped #labourdoorstep team in Herne Hill, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Green’s fine performance four years ago was simply a political mirage.

Even keen to re-write political history, @LambethLabour has produced a highly misleading graph. Nu Labour feature (45%), as do the LibDems (40%) and even the Tories (15%) - the Greens are nowhere to be seen in the vision for Herne Hill, as fantasised by @LambethLabour.

Which is all a bit strange, seeing as though the @LambethLabour leaflet headlines states: “Two Horse Race in Herne Hill,” with the overt suggestion that a vote for the Greens is a meaningless vote.

Green Councillor Thackray was elected with more votes in 2006 than any of the @LambethLabour candidates. A whopping great big political lie is currently dropping through the letterboxes in Herne Hill.

I emailed Councillor Dickson, one of the current @LambethLabour Cllr’s for the ward, as well as the current Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources. With such a prestigious (and well paid) position, one would hope that the good Councillor has a fine head for figures:

“I am researching and writing a news story on the Labour election leaflets in Herne Hill. The Greens are taking issue with the claim that Labour has 45% of the vote, the Conservatives 40% and the LibDems 15%.

Please can you confirm where the figures came from, and why the Green vote of 36.7% at the last local election doesn’t appear in the leaflet.”

I appreciate that is must be a busy time for any local Councillor seeking re-election (especially so with the pesky Green vote of 36.7% giving you a bit of a headache…) - but no response from Councillor Dickson as yet.

Ever keen to find the missing 36.7% of the Green vote in Herne Hill, I turned instead to the political party that appears to have been whitewashed out of Lambeth politics.

John Hare is one of the Green candidates for the Herne Hill ward. He very kindly agreed to give me his take on the misleading @LambethLabour leaflet, as well as look ahead, with hopefully a positive agenda for the borough.

As John admits in the audioboo below, the fabrication of the figures by @LambethLabour leaves his party in a tricky position when trying to convert the good people of Herne Hill to the Green cause.

To make an issue of the @LambethLabour lies is to possibly appear as mudslinging. It’s a difficult dilemma, and one that has wholly been created by the Nu Labour party in the borough, with the aim of making political capital out of the propaganda being published.

John was able to offer a response given from Councillor Dickson regarding the data that has appeared out of nowhere. @LambethLabour has told the Greens that the graph is:

“…an illustration of our view of the respective strengths of the three main national parties in this area.”

Which is Nu Labour speak for saying we simply made the figures up.

I was horrified to hear this. It is not illegal to tell lies in election literature. If @LambethLabour has admitted that false information has been published in the leaflets, what else is open to scrutiny?

The public consultation regarding the mutualisation of local government? The allegation that @LambethLibDems want to legalise kerb crawling? Free swimming for every resident?

John didn’t want to become embroiled in the whole seedy matter of @LambethLabour mudslinging, but to remain silent would be a betrayal of the electorate in Herne Hill. Vote Green, get Tories, appears to be the rally cry from @LambethLabour.

Um, not so

If the election results from 2006 are any indicator, vote Green, get rid of the Councillor who admits that the figures in a political leaflet have been made up, would seem more likely.

Meanwhile I rather enjoyed my afternoon of tea and political chat with John Hare. The Green candidate was keen to put over the policies of his party, something that has been missing from @LambethLabour in Herne Hill.

John is a realist, not a liar. He recognises that the Greens won’t hold political power in Lambeth come May 7th, but he is hopeful of building upon the first Green seat won back in 2006.

With both Herne Hill and Brixton Hill being central to the Green campaign, John confirmed that if elected, the Green Councillors in Lambeth would refuse to enter into coalition with any political party. Voting and support (or lack of it) would be positioned in line with local Green policy.

I recognised John’s observation that Nu Labour in Lambeth is now nothing but an election fighting machine. I supported his observation that the role of the Greens in Lambeth is to be the conscience of @LambethLabour (even if I got my words a little tongue twisted at the end.)

So yeah, lies, damn lies and @LambethLabour lies. And we didn’t even get round to talking about Lambeth Life…

Hatton Garden, EC1, The Way We See It.

“We’re off to the centre of London’s Jewelery trade this week – Hatton Garden. Named after Sir Christopher Hatton (a favourite of Elizabeth I) it has had a connection with Jewelery since medieval times. Today it’s home to the whole gamut of shops from the downright tacky to the strictly A-listers only. In a way it’s this mixture that makes it so fascinating.

From the tree lined up-market end, nearest High Holborn, you walk up a slightly barren part until you get to the wonderful Wren House, a former chapel and school.

The place is usually buzzing on a weekday, particularly at lunchtimes. If you’re into street photography, this is a great place. Don’t forget to pop in for an ale at Ye Olde Mitre as long as you don’t miss the subtle entrance to it!”

Surrey Vs Worcestershire, Day 4, match drawn.

Wondering who would want to purchse a whiskey from the trolley on the 11:54 train to East Croydon. Actually…

Timed Whitgift arrival just in time to see the fall of another @surreycricket wicket. 173-4. Interesting / boozey afternoon ahead. Chin chin

Luncheo at the Whitgift. @surreycricket have lead of 209. Enough to tempt Worcs for the slog and win? Off to invade the Whitgift wicket.

It occurs to me that I have brought my goggles to the cricket. No idea why. Then again, no idea why I bother to bring them to Brixton Rec.

I am starstruck. Mark Ramprakash is sitting behind me. Blimey. Might try some backwards footsy.

This is sweet. Mr Ramps has just given some batting advice to some Surrey old boys having a knock around the outfield. Great cricket pro.

Afternoon session of play underway at the Whitgift. 183-6 @surreycricket. Dig deep until tea, shake hands at 5.

Cracked open the first can of the Tennent Pilsner from the Thresher fire sale. At 10p a can, can’t really complain. More like washing liquid

200 up for @surreycricket. Bloke behind me (not Mr Ramps) rather enjoying rubbing sun cream into his nipples. Not sure where to look.

Disco nap at the Whitgift sun. Not so for @surreycricket. Making a go of match on 237-7. C’mon the ‘rrey!

Cripes. And there’s the @sureycricket declaration. 268 to win for Worcs. Back to one day game now. Legendary Surrey oik Lobby now behind me.

Gunter Nel launches an ambitious appeal with first delivery. Lasts all of 30 seconds.

Now then. Second ball from Gunter and he gets his man. Mr Lobby getting over excitable behind me. Rightly so. 0-1 Worcs.

Hearing whispers that Brian Lara is still in town, staying at the Dorchester apparently. @surreycricket signing story gone strangely quiet.

Had my doubts about Whitgift being in April. Misguided. Glorious Croydon sun, day 4 and game still on. Wicket cutting up, spin to win. 13-1.

Optimistic shouts of all over by tea. 13-2 Worcs. Blimey.

Starting to appreciate why Tennant’s Pilsner was priced at 10p per can. 28-2 Worcs. @surreycricket slips buzzing. Bit like me.

Surrey old boy Member next to me has sun cream in his ear. I’m reminded of There’s Something About Mary.

Bare chests, booze and Mr Ramps on the boundary. Blimey. Well worth the trip Croydon. Scoreboard malfunction at Whitgift, but I make it 48-2

Tea at the Whitgift. Which of course means more booze. 59-2 Worcs. Draw (and hangover) looks most likely.

Cripes. The portakabin toilets at the Whitgift are heated. Half expecting some old boy to wipe my backside. Game dead and buried. I think…

Ooh. Ooh. Wicket, wicket. 67-3 Worcs. Even with 41 overs remaining in the day, I reckon it is too late for @surreycricket.

Manic search for lost @surreycricket ball in the hedge at Whitgift continues. Old ball spinning, players want it back. Reinforcements sent.

Ah, having said that, wicket! 109-5. 28 overs remaining. Live the dream.

Blimey. Old spinning ball has been found by some kid in Whitgift hedge. Spin it to win it, @surreycricket.

Final hour of play, miniumum of 16 overs remaining. Five wickets needed by @surreycricket. “C’mon the Mr Hypen” is the war cry from Lobby.

@surreycricket over rate stepped up. Win now realistic.

Stil an abundance of bare chested males at the Whitgift. @surreycricket win slipping.

@surreycricket still appealing for everything at the Whitgift. And why not? Half expecting Mr Ramps to have a bowl.

Blimey. Went for a wee and missed a wicket. #lifelessons

Ten minutes, two wickets, um, two pints @surreycricket FTW, eh @cabbiescapital?

Entire @surreycricket balcony out for final over. Two wickets needed.

Whaddya know. Match drawn. Most entertaining, @surreycricket.

Mr Ramps signing autographs until the end. Top fella.

Would the last person to leave Brixton Rec please turn off the lights.

Oh, as you. Never mind the re-re-re-opening of the Rec - the temporary shoebox changing rooms didn’t have any electricity this morning.

Taking a shower with random strangers in the dark is more of a late night Saturday activity, rather than an 8am kick-start to your weekend. Still, at least the lack of light disguised the puddles of water forming in the ‘dry’ changing area.

It’s gone beyond ridicule now. As a fellow swimmer remarked to me as we fumbled around in the dark: “Swimming in Lambeth is now like a third world experience.”

I half expected to walk down the SW9 Stairs of Shame, hand over my swimming ticket and then be told that there is no water in the only remaining pool that is open in Lambeth.

Thankfully my misery was short-lived. Not by choice, but by the bonkers blowing of the whistle at 9am on Saturday morning to signal “Everybody Out!” Calling a pool ‘public,’ when it isn’t open beyond the absurd time of 9am at the weekend, is something of a misnomer.

Or even an election swindle.

We may not have electricity at Brixton Rec, but don’t fret - I have seen the light. Well - the illuminating art installation that will eventually light up the approach to the old red brick building. The work is “being delayed” (you don’t say…) but at least some form of light will eventually be returned to Brixton Rec.

You have to feel pity for poor old GLL - held up as a paragon of virtue for the doomed John Lewis style of local government, but then when the public service fails, all the political blame is shifted towards the stakeholder.

Heaven help us if education, health and housing head the way of mutualisation.

And so with all the local manifestos from the three mainstream political parties in Lambeth now analysed, what is the overall choice that is available to the electorate in South London in just under two weeks time? Four more years of @LambethLabour arrogance, a leap into the great unknown with @LambethLibDems, or even compulsory cycle training for all motorists, as argued by Lambeth Conservatives?

Cripes.

*This overview of the local political landscape was first published via Londonist*

The London Borough of Lambeth has thankfully moved on since the Loony Left days of refusing to set a rate. The political breeding ground that gave us Ken Livingstone in Norwood, plus John Major walking the mean streets of Brixton, is still very much a Petri dish for national political thought and ideas.

The local elections on May 6th are being used by the national Labour party to gauge the public reaction to the much-mooted John Lewis model of local government. The right of centre Labour led Lambeth Council decided to announce the mutualisation of local politics just two moths ahead of the local elections, gaining a Guardian front-page piece in the process.

This is a key election issue, both on the ground in Lambeth, as well within wider political discourse. Essentially it allows local people to run local services, taking away the financial burden from Council Tax payers. Critics argue that it also removes the democratic accountability under which we entrust our politicians with via the ballot box.

Lambeth Labour promised a consultation with residents throughout March. Come April, and there is still no sign within the borough that this has been rolled out. A Freedom of Information request asking what the savings have been to the public purse in a John Lewis style managed housing block, revealed that no savings have been made.

Housing is also a key issue in Lambeth for campaigning local politicians. The revelation that out of the entire count of empty homes in London, one in five are located in Lambeth, has shocked many locals who are stuck on the housing waiting list. The incoming head of Lambeth Living, the ultra Blairite Keith Hill MP, will be a busy man when he steps into his new role on May 7th.

The housing policy in Lambeth has been masked however by the complete meltdown of Leisure. Streatham Leisure Centre was closed because the Council couldn’t afford to pay for essential repairs. A private developer closed Clapham a few months later. The only other pool in the borough, Brixton Rec, introduced a 7am - 9am only public swimming session, whilst a refurbishment to the changing rooms took place, less than two years after a £2.7m similar project.

But it’s all about events dear boy, events. The Labour group finally managed to seal a deal with Tesco in Streatham, after almost a decade of political and corporate dithering. Just weeks ahead of the local elections, Tesco has been give planning permission for a new superstore, in return for re-building the leisure facilities.

Likewise in Clapham, the bulldozers have moved in this month to build a (reduced size) pool, plus of course the private residential property on council land as the corporate paymaster payback.

Housing, leisure and Petri dish politics aside, the Labour group in Lambeth have managed to freeze Council Tax for the past two years. This compares to the massive 40% hike by the LibDems when they held power four years ago. Not surprisingly, Lambeth Labour leads heavily with this in its election manifesto. One would imagine that the other twenty-four local authorities that have also frozen Council Tax in London ahead of May 6th are also keen to talk about this on the doorsteps.

The high profile, twittering @mayoroflambeth has been a genuine success story in the past twelve months. Taking a sabbatical from his Labour party duties in the Clapham Town ward, Councillor Wellbelove has worked wonders in trying to unite the borough. The introduction of a Youth Mayor of Lambeth is also to be applauded. Over 10,000 Lambeth youngsters took part in the democratic process to elect Darren Tenkorang last month.

The challenge for the LibDems in Lambeth is to not only come up with a credible alternative to the John Lewis form of government, but also to actually get their message heard. Cuts in the public sector are the driving force for the Petri dish experiment in Lambeth. Whoever takes control of the borough will need to make massive savings.

It is unclear if the LibDems have any grand plans to manage the “financial tsunami” that has been spoken of, or simply if they are poor at communicating their ideas to the public. The slogan of “only the LibDems can beat Labour” is still rolled out, conveniently overlooking the fact that the LibDems in Lambeth will actually need the support of the Tories to take back power in the borough.

Which brings up nicely to the Lambeth Conservatives. It is very difficult to have any feelings either way to the blue rinse mob in the borough. The Bullingdon toffs of Dave and his Notting Hill set are a far cry from the leafy Lambeth Tory stronghold of Norwood and West Dulwich.

Lambeth Conservatives are equally as nice as they are wet. They are almost universally liked, probably safe in the knowledge that they will never gain any real political power in the borough.

The Greens in Lambeth are defending their current seat held in the Herne Hill ward, as well as targeting Brixton Hill as a possible coup. Toppling council leader Steve Reed in his own backyard would be a significant scalp.

Elsewhere in the borough and The Oval ward looks like being a key battleground. Labour have set their sights on the current three LibDem seats. The policy of putting forward a candidate who lives outside of the ward, not to mention simultaneously having serious Westminster ambitions down in the East Hampshire constituency, is sending out a confused message to locals at The Oval.

Campaigning by all parties is now in full flow. Labour is dominating the agenda, thanks to high profile online activities, using twitter, Facebook and youtube. Lambeth Labour has posted some incredibly vile and vulgar videos to youtube leading many sympathetic voters to look elsewhere come Election Day.

Lambeth Life, the council funded newspaper, is seen by many in the borough as simply being the mouthpiece of the ruling Labour Group. The continuation of the council newspaper has also become a major election issue in itself. The Labour group is currently involved in a stand off with the South London Press. This has become highly personal, with the chief SLP reporter for Lambeth having been cautioned by police for the common assault of the Lambeth cabinet member for Community and Safety.

The council has pulled all statutory local authority advertising from the local paper, conveniently placing it in Lambeth Life instead. The justification is that the SLP carries ‘escort ads,’ something that doesn’t sit too well with a local authority that has put in place a prostitution strategy.

The end result is a hostile local newspaper to council reporting, and the Chief Reporter now having a ban on entering Lambeth Town Hall. Democracy and accountability have been lost somewhere in between.

The national picture in Lambeth is not nearly as exciting as the local picture. Kate Tally Hoey is a shoe in for Vauxhall, despite a risible 46% turn out by the electorate back in 2005. Streatham is slightly more interesting. The youthful Chuka Umunna is taking over from Keith Hill as the Labour PPC. With some truly preposterous expectations placed upon Chuka (“A Barack Obama for Britain,”) the Streatham boy is up against Chris Nicholson for the LibDems.

The departing Streatham MP, Keith Hill, cowardly used his Parliamentary privilege to make allegations about the funding of Nicholson’s campaign. The LibDem has been transparent in his funding; yet still the local Labour group continue to repeat the allegations.

To his credit, Umunna has not made any political capital out of the issue. He has actually made efforts to distance himself from the right wing members of his own local Labour party. Despite the clean-cut, vibrant youthful image, Umunna is actually a left of centre Labour candidate - something of a rarity in Lambeth.

And so the choice for Lambeth voters on May 6th is to sign up for participation in a Petri dish style of local government under an ultra right wing Labour administration, or leave it to chance with the unknown policies of the LibDems.

Tally Hoey will be returned to Westminster via Vauxhall, whilst Streatham voters have the choice of a high profile left wing rising star, or a credible LibDem who is not afraid to fight back.

Battle lines have been drawn, let the voters decide…

Did you hear about the local Vauxhall MP who opened up a fancy new election office in Kennington, but somehow overlooked the prolonged time period it takes to get broadband up and running?

Whoops.

I’m hearing that Tally Hoey has been cut off from the outside world (figuratively speaking) with no modern interweb to engage with the electorate in Vauxhall.

You can’t beat face-to-face debate with your constituents ahead of you shoe in back to Westminster on May 6th. But online engagement is also good for democracy.

To be fair to Tally Hoey, she was one of the few Labour MP’s who spoke out against the railroad approach taken to rush through the Digital Economy Bill during the fag end of the last Parliament.

The humiliating climbdown for Nu Labour was to let the 50p broadband tax be dropped, in favour of a witch-hunt for criminalising file sharers.

But with other PPC’s in the ward managing a decent balance between an online and offline campaign, Vauxhall would have been served better if the sitting MP was able to actually get online.

The lack of online access has already been trotted out by Tally Hoey as a poor excuse for not yet signing up to the Vote Bike manifesto, as put forward by the CTC.

Vauxhall may be lacking in a decent general election campaign, but it is certainly not lacking in cheap internet cafes. Perhaps the lack of broadband for Tally Hoey in Kennington explains why her site is still borked?

No modern interweb may be the excuse for the delay in supporting cyclists, but it doesn’t explain the non-appearance at the Stop the War hustings in Brixton this week. Tally Hoey did kindly leave an email address for constituents to contact her, but given her offline status, I’m not holding out for a reply.

I don’t quite buy into the idea of the online election. Witness the power of the Leader’s Debate, and the traditional power base still held by mainstream media.

Still, if other local (ish) PPC / prospective Oval ward Councillors are able to get online around my little patch of South London, then I wonder what is wrong with Tally Hoey?

Now there’s a blog post waiting to happen…

About those Lambeth Conservatives…

Cripes.

Unlike Dave and his Bullingdon Toff’s, it is rather difficult to feel any sentiment either way with regards the blue rinse mob in the Rotten Borough.

Sure, the estate agent style Tory signs along Fentiman Road are an invitation to release an unpleasant odour as you walk past each evening. But Lambeth Tories are actually rather *shhh* nice.

They are as harmless as they are wet, safe in the knowledge that they will never be able to gain any real political power within Lambeth. A LibCon coalition may be a possibility after May 6th, but apart from the leafy suburbs of West Norwood and West Dulwich, Lambeth Conservatives are about as dangerous as a cold cup of tea.

Bless.

And so as I enter into the arena of the unwell by opening up the Lambeth Conservatives manifesto, it is with some surprise that the LibDems don’t feature in the Wordle above.

The Tories in Lambeth are the sting reaching out from the tentacle of the LibDems. Both parties are aligned to one another, not so much in policy, but more so in political reliance. You would have thought that more would have been made of this special relationship in the blue rinse manifesto.

In the absence of the LibDems, the Tory Wordle draws out Norwood, Streatham and Clap’ham. Coldharbour is not on the Conservative map.

And what of the prominent Worlde ranking of Community? I thought that there was no such thing as community over in the land of the free market?

But anyway - time to seek out the substance at the end of the LibDem tentacle sting.

The front page is titled: Changing Lambeth for the Better.

Sounds good to me. Can we just leave it at that, rather than look at the detail that lurks within?

“Lambeth, in the heart of London, is home to many national and international institutions and companies. Lambeth Palace, Brockwell Park, The South Bank, The Imperial War Museum, Shell, Clapham Commom,… the list is endless.”

So there you go: Vote local Lambeth Tory, prop up a multi-national oil company with a very dubious track record on protecting local communities. What the hell is Shell doing being name checked in a Lambeth local election manifesto?

“Why is it that a borough that is home to so many talented, public-spirited people is so badly managed by the Council in its housing, environment, leisure, and schooling?”

Ah, now you’re talking my Lambeth language of love. @LambethLabour‘s complete meltdown of housing and leisure has been documented extensively elsewhere on m’blog.

However the environmental record of @LambethLabour isn’t that bad, and school results have continued to improve under Labour.

“The policies here are based on Conservative principles, namely: freedom, efficiency, tolerance and community.”

All sounds fine, but I would like to ask whose freedom, whose tolerance and whose community?

Freedom to protest locally in our community against multi-nationals such as Shell? Tolerance for the thriving gay village springing up around Vauxhall? And would the Lambeth Tories support immigrants coming into our area, escaping persecution elsewhere and wanting to become part of the larger Lambeth community?

“In Lambeth, the past four years have been grim. Under the current Labour administration, Lambeth Council has:

Imposed the largest rent rise in England

Shrunk local housing offices

Frozen all but emergency housing repairs

Matched the largest Council Tax rise in London [and then frozen Council Tax for two years]

Hammered leaseholders through service charge increases

Doubled Home Help charges for the elderly and ill

Failed to build schools alongside new, long-planned housing

Abolished Area Committees where residents previously had a voice

Closed leisure facilities throughout the borough [no arguments here]

Placed a dustcart depot in a residential area [nimby-ism]

Wasted millions of pounds on propaganda [I smell a political hot potato]

Awarded Labour (“Cabinet”) councillors huge pay rises” [note the rise of a the Lambeth career politician, currently trousering just under £40k per year.]

The Tories then outline how Lambeth will move forward under a blue banner. More school places, parent-promoted schools (as favoured by @LambethLabour) and supporting Faith schools, all appear to be at the base of the argument.

Education, Education, Education etc.

And we all know what kind of folly that turned out to be from the last PR friendly politician who was elected largely on a manifesto based on learning.

In a borough that is as rich in diversity as it is poor in economic terms, Faith schools have no place within Lambeth. They are divisive and breed irrational fear of other ways of life. You can see why the Tories are so fond of them.

The bullet point list for improvements continues with:

“Improving parks and consulting more fully with Park “Friends” groups” [identical policy to LibDems - planning ahead together?]

“Supporting local libraries, “as libraries” as well as their being community hubs” [blimey - make your mind up. A library is a library is a library. A Hub is a failed political policy, usually delivered by @LambethLabour.]

Speaking of which…

Progressing work on leisure facilities in Clapham, Streatham and
Norwood; we will make sure Streatham Hub gets built” [nice mention of Norwood - very Tory friendly. Whatever happened to the promised pool at Waterloo, as pledged by @LambethLabour?]

“Supporting the Upper Norwood Joint Library: this library, operated jointly by Lambeth and Croydon, is an ideal model for local control of community assets throughout the borough” [um, what about the not very Tory friendly area of South Lambeth and the much needed support required for the South Lambeth Library?]

Minimising rents by moving costs from the Housing budget to the general budget, where it is proper to do so” [boiling balancing the books.]

Nine key policy areas are then outlined in detail, covering children and young people, housing, environment, community safety, transport and roads, senior citizens, council tax, health and community well-being and democracy and our town centres.

It’s a breathless, and somewhat exhausting further twenty-three pages of reading. I came close to packing it all in on p5, where I found a photo of oik George Osborne.

Still, it has to be better than the Joy Division style symbolism, as featured on the website for the Conservative PPC in my Vauxhall ward. Would you seriously vote for this man?

The education section states:

“We will support parent-promoted schools – we know this can work because in Lambeth it has already done so [by @LambethLabour] at The Elmgreen School, Norwood.”

The Conservative support for a @LambethLabour policy tells you more about the right wing credentials of the current Nu Labour cabinet than it does about fresh ideas within the Tory party at a local level.

And what if the parent-promoted schools attract a passionate and supportive parental base, but then once one generation of pupils have left, who is to say that the next wave of parents will be prepared to carry on with the responsibility of the management of the school?

Like the @LambethLabour much mooted (and ridiculed) John Lewis form of local government, *and* the @LambethLibDems “resident led” council - mutualisation appears to be the answer from all three mainstream parties to address financial cuts.

Remove local government responsibility and accountability, and let the Little People of Lambeth sort out the mess created the council. And you all expect me to vote for you?

Shifting the balance of blame is also on the agenda for the Lambeth Tories when it comes to housing:

“Houses boarded-up with brown shuttering are a symbol of Labour’s failure. We will lease out these properties to “factor” companies: they will invest in the houses, fill them with tenants from Lambeth’s waiting lists, take the initial rent and then share the rent with Lambeth.”

Which is a polite way of saying let the free market look after council housing stock (much in the same way that ALMO’s do with @LambethLabour) and allow the private sector to take home half the profit.

Not so wet after all, then…

There’s more:

“Ensure tenant control over home ownership and management. Conservatives agree with tenant leaders that the ballot on the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) which established Lambeth Living was gerrymandered.”

The mere mention of gerrymandering in a local Tory election manifesto is sufficient to remind me why the Tories can never be trusted, or even allowed to take control of local authority housing stock ever again.

Shameful.

As one would expect from a party with green Dave (yeah, right…) as the leader, the environment features heavily in the manifesto. Underneath all the political re-positioning to try and claim the green ground in mainstream politics, Lambeth Conservatives come rather close to cutting it for me.

Councillor Whelan (female variety) has a decent record in defending green spaces in Lambeth. She campaigned heavily to defend the disgraceful betrayal by @LambethLabour in losing green space at Brockwell Park, simply to gain extra pavement. I was personally very impressed with the policies that the good Councillor argued during the hustings organised by Lambeth Cyclists.

Crime and Punishment Community Safety from the Lambeth Conservatives is centred around the idea that:

“Lambeth can only reduce crime in a sustainable manner if it works with the police and the Greater London authority and Mayor’s Office.”

I wonder if that will still be the case mid term when there is the very real possibility of a non-Tory toff Mayor sitting at City Hall?

The manifesto then becomes interchangeable with @LambethLabour, as right of centre ideas are banded about, all centred around more state control of the citizen:

“Utilise mobile CCTV, close down irresponsible bars, punish irresponsible dog owners…”

I wonder if leafy West Dulwich and West Norwood will get this snooping style of Community Safety?

Under Transport, Lambeth Tories pledge to:

“Scrap the huge, ugly ‘Welcome to Lambeth‘ signs erected by Labour at huge cost and find real ways to engender civic pride.”

This is hardly a lifestyle changing policy, but I would wager that it would get the support of 99% of the electorate. You can’t create civic pride by simply putting up road signs. You need individuals such as (Labour’s) brilliant Mr Mayor to actually bring the community closer together.

Council tax is for the cut under the Tories in Lambeth. I wonder what else will go with it? The manifesto states that:

“We will seek to cut the Council Tax year on year. For 2010-11 the Conservative shadow budget proposed a 2.1 per cent cut in Council Tax or £20 off the basic Band D rate.”

Something has to give, as our blue borough friends over in the neighbouring Wandsworth have found out to their cost.

Health and Community Wellbeing (urgh - just call it leisure) is addressed extensively in the manifesto. This is also the case for @LambethLabour, but we all know what a sorry state our leisure centres have been left in after four years of @LambethLabour neglect.

Not surprisingly, the Tory heartland (arf) of Norwood is at the top of the agenda:

“See the Norwood Hall site in West Norwood regenerated for community use. Leisure facilities are needed in the area. We have concerns that Labour have not properly costed the current plans and has failed to ensure that they are affordable and best suited to local need.”

It’s not exactly gerrymandering, but yeah, look after yer own…

“Get Streatham and Clapham swimming again. Despite Labour’s promises the proposed leisure hubs at Clapham and Streatham have failed to move forward and the only remaining place for swimming is the Brixton Rec. We will conduct an urgent review of these projects to get Lambeth swimming again.”

I’m actually getting bored of blogging about the meltdown of leisure in Streatham and Clap’ham. The buggers have won. I have been disenfranchised. Someone *please* just sort the whole sorry mess out.

The manifesto then takes on more of a #hyperlocal approach. Fine policies are put forward locally. It is more telling to see which areas of the borough that the Tories are targeting, and more specifically by implication - the ones that they are neglecting.

It’s good news if you live in Herne Hill, Streatham, Norwood, Clap’ham, Vauxhall and Kennington (fine points addressing Lilian Baylis and the Beaufoy.)

Back in Sunny Stockwell and it seems that I am buggered if I vote blue.

I wouldn’t recommend that you sit down and read the entire twenty-eight pages of the Lambeth Conservative manifesto in one sitting, toilet reading, or otherwise. It’s a hefty, policy-packed read. Our blue friends in the borough should be congratulated for this.

Unlike @LambethLabour and @LambethLibDems, the publication is ideas heavy. Political mudslinging is in short supply.

But is Lambeth *really* ready for change?

Given the right wing nature of the current administration, most definitely so. But swapping right wing Nu Labour for wet Conservatism?

We live in strange political times.