It’s today!  I am standing for election today as a UKIP candidate for the Brookside ward of Telford & Wrekin Borough Council, having been elected unopposed onto the parish council as only 8 people contested the 8 vacancies.

It should be an interesting one this.  There are two seats on the borough council up for grabs and five candidates – me, two Labour and two Tories.

The two Labour candidates are the chair of the parish council and a former borough councillor who found himself co-opted onto the parish council when he lost his seat.  They’re actually nice people considering they’re Labour!

The two Tories are one of the current borough councillors and an failed former Tory candidate from 8 years ago.  The sitting borough councillor has been invisible for the last 4 years and hasn’t been seen at the parish council offices once since being elected 4 years ago.  They put out a leaflet at the last minute full of lies, claiming credit for the work of the local residents’ group – ironically delivering these leaflets claiming one of the candidates to be “a very active member” (came to 2 meetings and then disappeared off the face of the earth again) while myself and the rest of the residents’ group were clearing up rubbish on our monthly litter pick!

The Tories are fighting a losing battle to keep control of the borough council after unseating Labour who have controlled it since the day it was created but haven’t been putting in all that much effort.  Labour are pulling out all the stops and will probably win control of the council back again which is worrying.  Locally, I don’t want to try and call it.  The feedback I’ve had has all been positive so I’m expecting at least double figures on my own merit!  I’m hoping the protest vote comes to me as well – disaffected Tories won’t cast a protest vote for Labour and vice versa so I’m the only alternative.  It really is too close to call here so I won’t try!