Huge congratulations to Anood on winnning the riverside by-election up in  the Bermondsey ward of Riverside.  She didn’t just win either but achieved a swing towards the Liberal Democrats. Usually, you’d expect a swing away from the party defending the seat as the opposition exploit a chance to campaign they might not normally have.

Right from the start of the campaign, Labour were bullish about the election and the Labour leader said the election would be fought on the council’s regeneration  policies. Bermondsey Spa is a key regeneration programme in the ward where hundreds of new affordable homes are being built - a key part of Anood’s appeal to the electorate.   Many new homes have been completed but there is still much work on going which brings disruption to everyday life.  To receive this endorsement during the process of change is a real boost.

The other area of policy disagreement was on the issue of how we spend planning gain - or section 106 - money. This is money given to the council by developers to lessen the impact of new developments and to ensure that in areas of growth we can provide the facilities that make for a sustainable community – like youth centres, or health facilities for example.

The Labour leader has argued that this money should be directed to areas that do not have such large developments.

 We argue that it is absolutely right that this money should be focused on small local projects providing the infrastructure required to support our growing communities and relieving pressure where that pressure exists – be it in Bermondsey, Walworth or Camberwell.  To suggest that money given in respect of a development in one area should be spent instead on unrelated projects somewhere else would be both unfair and illegal.

So the Labour leader has been caught out.  He invented an illegal policy of ‘redistributing’ money gained through section 106 from big development to fund his pet projects in his own patch in Camberwell. Back then, he was desperately trying to shore up support in his own backyard. The Riverside  by-election result shows that Labour’s idea of transferring this money out of the areas affected by development was deeply unpopular. 

I am pleased that they were not able to get away with saying contradictory things to different people in different parts of the borough. 

I spent Saturday afternoon helping at the Goodrich School Christmas Fair and as always there was a wonderful atmosphere with staff, parents,  children and former pupils  all having a great time. 

I had volunteered as a mulled wine assistant, but my talents were quickly recognised and I was promoted to Mulled Wine maker.  A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon!

It’s not often I use this blog for mattters of national politics but since everyone else has a view, I thought I’d express mine.

After the last general election, there was a general consensus in the Liberal Democrats that, whilst we had many popular policies, we had not communicated well enough a vision - or ‘narrative’ - of what a Liberal society and a Liberal Democrat led government  would look like.

So I have been struck that Nick Clegg has gone about this election not by listing a load of policies designed to appeal to party activists but by seeking to articulate his vision.   

In contrast, Chris Huhne has decided to portray himself as the authentic voice of radical liberalism by listing a number of policy positions that touch the activists buttons - trident, public services, the environment. I am sympathetic,  but I don’t think that is what this election is about.   

As Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary (not the easiest of jobs!),  Nick Clegg has shown that he can articulate a liberal approach to tackling crime effectively.  I was very impressed when he came to campaign in East Dulwich in 2006 to open our local police station 24/7.  We were in the throws of a viscous campaign in which Labour were attacking us for being ’soft on crime’ and ‘on the side of criminals’.  I think he understood that having a policy of  attacking crime effectively is critical but that joining the other party’s dutch auction on ‘toughness’ would be  both unprincipled and politically pointless.

Nick Clegg has a clear Liberal vision and and fantastic ability to communicate it.  I am sure that under his leadership we willl be able to continue our habit of confounding the critics by winning more votes and more seats at the next election.