Brent Central

Brent Central is close. Just 1,345 votes separated Labour and the Lib Dems, around 3% or about 1.5 voters in every 50. Would Brent Central Lib Dem voters punish Sarah Teather for a Lib/Con pact? In a briefing paper published today by the Fabian society, Brent Central is listed as a constituency likely to swing back to Labour at a second general election in 2010. “As this table shows, there are 15 Lib Dem seats that would fall to Labour if just one-in-five of their voters switched to Labour....

The voters of Brent have returned Lib Dem Sarah Teather with a majority of 1,345, a swing of 11% from Labour, and Labour’s Barry Gardiner with a majority of 8,028, loosing 2.5% of the vote to the Conservatives (+2.2%) and other parties. I was at the count on Thursday night tally marking for the Lib Dems and in-between boxes of ballot papers talking with candidates and journalists about the political economy of Brent as a borough....

Sarah Teather was returned to parliament by the voters of Brent Central. <th scope="col"> Party </th> <th scope="col"> Votes </th> <th scope="col"> % </th> <th scope="col"> </th> <td> Liberal Democrats </td> <td> 20026 </td> <td> 44% </td> <td> Elected </td> <td> Labour </td> <td> 18681 </td> <td> 41% </td> <td> Not elected </td> <td> Conservative </td> <td> 5067 </td> <td> 11% </td> <td> Not elected </td> <td> Green Party </td> <td> 668 </td> <td> 1% </td> <td> Not elected </td> <td> Christian Party </td> <td> 488 </td> <td> 1% </td> <td> Not elected </td> <td> Respect </td> <td> 230 </td> <td> 1% </td> <td> Not elected </td> <td> Independent </td> <td> 163 </td> <td> 0% </td> <td> Not elected </td>...

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