Kensington and Chelsea Liberal Democrats

LIB DEM LINDA WADE WINS EARL'S COURT BY-ELECTION

Campaign which put residents first leads to historic victory

Councillor Linda Wade signing in after the count

Outside of North Kensington, the Conservatives had never lost a Council seat in their heartland - the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

Not, that is, until Thursday 16th September, when a hard-working and compassionate local campaigner stunned the Conservative hierarchy by stomping to a convincing victory in Earl's Court.

Lib Dem Linda Wade won 703 votes, the Conservatives dropped to 594 and Labour came third with 151.

Linda thanked all her supporters, saying: "Our diverse community has spoken loud and clear and they said it was a time for a change. I am well aware that the hard work starts here. It's time we got a better deal for Earl's Court."

At first - they were not planning on counting the Tory votes

So sure were the powers that be that this election was just a formality to re-elect the Conservatives that when the Election Agents from the various parties arrived at the Count, they were told that the votes of the 'non-Conservative' candidates would be counted first. This number would then be subtracted from the total number of votes cast in order to save time and discover the size of the Conservative majority.

This plan was quietly dropped during the Count.

Earl's Court Exhibition Centre development plan - who will stand up for us?

Earl's Court goes to the polls this week in the by-election to replace the Conservative councillor who resigned for using the Council's email system to send emails containing lewd captions about young children. But a scandal of a very different kind is at the forefront of voters' minds as they head to the polls: the poor consultation on the part of the Conservative-controlled Council for the plan to demolish and redevelop the Earl's Court Exhibition Centre - turning SW5 into London's biggest building site for a decade.

Read the full story

Simon Hughes MP: "Linda can win in Earl's Court"

Simon Hughes MP in Earl's Court with Linda Wade and dozens of supporters

In a high profile endorsement, Simon Hughes MP, the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, has thrown his support behind Linda Wade's campaign to WIN the Earl's Cout by-election on 16th September.

Dozens of supporters flocked to Earl's Court on Saturday 4th September to welcome Simon Hughes and listen to him declare that Linda had a great chance of winning the election.

"The campaign to win the seat in Earl's Court is clearly firing on all cylinders," said Simon Hughes. "The level of support from party members and supporters is hugely encouraging and the positive response from people in Earl's Court should encourage everybody to maximum effort in the remaining days of the campaign. This is a seat that can be won. I hope everybody able to help make it happen will find some time to do so."

With Labour out of the race in a poor third, the by-election on 16th September is shaping up to be a remarkably close fight between the ruling Conservative party and local champion Linda Wade.

September 16th is the day we can get a better deal for Earl's Court

Linda Wade has lived in Nevern Square for over 20 years and has long been a vocal campaigner on local issues, often working with council officials on residents' behalf.

The election on September 16th is to elect a new councillor for Earl's Court following the resignation of a Conservative councillor last month for sending sexually suggestive emails about children using the Council's email server.

Residents all over Earl's Court are backing Linda Wade to be a strong, independent voice for the neighbourhood on the Conservative-run Borough Council. Linda said: "Here in Earl's Court, we have a unique local community and a village atmosphere that local people value. Sadly our Tory councillors aren't always the best people to promote this. We need a councillor who remembers that they are there to serve local people and fights to get a better deal for Earl's Court."

As well as chairing the largest Residents' Association in Earl's Court, Linda has been active in helping local residents with issues around housing, health services, the environment, licensing and planning.

Linda is Earl's Court's local champion.

More about Linda

Linda Wade writes to local residents:

"After an exciting few weeks meeting residents all over Earl's Court, I have now been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate in the forthcoming council by-election for Earl's Court. I am no career politician. So why do I want to be our new local councillor? It's because I care passionately about our area and I believe we deserve a far better deal.

"I became chair of the Nevern Square Conservation Area Residents' Association in the early '90s. It's the largest residents' association in Earl's Court. I have also been a board member of Response Community Projects. With other directors of Response, I re-instated the Earl's Court Fayre, which has since gone from strength to strength as the Earl's Court Festival.

"In the early 90s, with another colleague, I went to the local Primary Care Trust to ask for a review of GP services. I demonstrated the need for an additional surgery, and suggested the Old Sorting Office in Hogarth Road as a suitable site. This has now become a reality, and the new Surgery with GP and Dental services will open early next year.

"I was on the Notting Hill Housing Trust area group committee for many years until it was disbanded, and am a shareholder in the Trust. I am in regular contact with the area managers of the other housing associations in the area and have fought hard to get social housing tenants a better deal. Sadly they are all but ignored by our sitting Conservative councillors, which is very short-sighted of them. I believe the wider community is enriched if people have decent housing. If people take pride in their home, they become more active and productive members of our community.

"I initiated the Late Night Café Licensing Group, which brought together the different eateries and established a litter patrol roster to help them understand the impact of their stores on the neighbourhood. This group was taken over by the Council but sadly they let it peter out. I am delighted that in early September, we learned that the group is going to be reinstated, this time with the help of the Environmental Health department.

"I have always promoted inclusiveness within our diversity local community. If I am fortunate enough to be elected at the by-election, I will take care to serve all residents. Many Conservative voters are backing me this time because they feel let down and taken for granted. Our area should not be a dumping ground for controversial schemes and plans. I am fighting for the interests of residents to be placed firmly centre stage.

"Labour are in a poor third and are out of the race in the Earl's Court by-election. It's only the Liberal Democrats who can stand up for residents and hold the Conservative-led Council to account."