Cyclist elected in Walthamstow!

The only local parliamentary candidate known to cycle won an overwhelming victory in Walthamstow. Too bad she never mentioned cycling in her campaign literature, but then it’s probably sensible not to remind the electorate you participate in a minority fringe activity widely regarded with incredulity or hostility. Ms Creasy, said her first priorities in the constituency are to help the youth and the regeneration of the town centre.

Whoever the youth is, he’s a lucky lad. As for that regeneration, this blog will be watching to see if it includes replacing the twelve cycle stands which have vanished from the High Street area in recent years. And we know the power of this blog, because Stella got the light fixed in the Town Square in 24 hours, and two cycle stands have recently appeared near the Labour Party office on Orford Road.

As far as the three parliamentary constituencies in Waltham Forest are concerned, it’s a case of No Change. Iain Duncan Smith predictably kept Chingford blue and won more than half of the votes cast. In Walthamstow, Stella Creasy did much, much better than I expected, and the Lib Dems dismally failed to benefit from that feverish media phenomenon known as Cleggmania. Leyton & Wanstead remained Labour. The smaller parties were routed, and the Greens did badly, coming behind UKIP in all three constituencies.

I can only attribute these fantastic local Labour Party victories to the persuasive power of my photograph and I am currently working on my invoice according to the finest New Labour consultancy fee principles. For use in a campaign leaflet, £25,000. For display in the Labour Party office window, £40,000. Personal risk involved in cycling to Chingford to take the photo: £85,000. It’ll be in the post tomorrow, comrades.

The only Conservative victory that cheered me up was Reading West, where Labour lost the seat, which serves them right for selecting the inept and nakedly ambitious Naz Sarkar, who will not be missed as a Waltham Forest councillor.

The results for the Council won’t be known until this evening. By the sound of it we’re in for another four years of a Labour/Lib Dem coalition, unless the splits within the local Lib Dems result in an overall Labour majority. If that happens, I think there are going to be some very, very unhappy Lib Dems. It’s not looking good for the Greens and independents either, even though Waltham Forest desperately needs some alternative voices in the Council chamber.

Nationally, the road ahead currently looks uncertain. Which won’t trouble cyclists, as this is the natural condition of British cycling.