Battle of the Bush: Andy Slaughter MP re-elected

Andy Slaughter has been re-elected the new Member of Parliament for Hammersmith which includes Shepherd’s Bush. His majority is 3,549.

In a knife edge race, which saw its own clutch of dirty tricks and mudslinging from all sides, our sitting MP clinched the race to represent us. At the time of writing there is no clear winner on the national scene, with talk of coalitions swirling around the TV studios.

There will doubtless be battles and challenges ahead, but this isn’t the time to debate them.

I’m really happy to see Andy re-elected. Happy because I thought he was our best chance of avoiding some of the outcomes I could see coming locally courtesy of the Council but also pleased because he has been an excellent MP. A natural loyalist, standing down from his Ministerial post in order to fight his own government over Heathrow was not easy. Neither was the number of hours he put into local campaigns which gained him precious few votes but were the right thing to do so he did them. But he will also realise that nationally his party has failed to win many arguments and hardly won a resounding endorsement.

I do however feel sorry for Shaun Bailey. Throughout the campaign he’s actually talked a lot of sense – on jobs and the economy most notably. His campaign team, though at times not very impressed with my critiques of them, have always been good natured and the fact he was so high profile may have actually hurt him in the end. Most of all however I think his colleagues at the Town Hall cost him this seat with their ridiculous planning decisions taken against the wishes of so many residents, some of whom were clearly intent on taking revenge.

They just have. Although getting 17,000 people to vote for you is something he should be proud of.

He’ll be sitting at home soon wondering whether it was all worth it – he wouldn’t be human not to be. For those whose lives he improved in Shepherd’s Bush during the campaign it certainly was and for livening up the election locally we’re grateful.

Merlene Emerson promised much but when it emerged hers was a part time campaign she faded and actually lost 3% from where the LibDems came last time. In fact the story of the night locally and nationally is how the LibDems have flopped. A great big belly flop, the sort where you lose your trunks on the way into the water and emerge ashamed. Politically, you understand.

Here are the results in full:

Andy Slaughter Labour 20,810 43.9 +1.5

Shaun Bailey Conservative 17,261 36.4 +2.4

Merlene Emerson Liberal Democrat 7,567 15.9 -3.0

Rollo Miles Green 696 1.5 -2.6

Vanessa Crichton UK Independence Party 551 1.2 +0.6

Lawrence Searle British National Party 432 0.9 +0.9

Stephen Brennan Independent 135 0.3 +0.3

So that was that Bushers. I don’t know how many of us will still be here in 5 years time but one thing I do know is that W12 won’t look the same. I hope you voted and found some of the coverage here helpful in making up your mind. For now I’m looking forward to covering a summer of local events and all things non party-political; I hope you carry on reading.