The UK Local Elections 2006
Advice on How to Vote to Get Rid of Labour
This year's local elections have 3885 seats. Conservative Home gives details of the various targets. LD targets: Solihull, Kingston-on-Thames. C targets: Bury, Coventry, Croydon. 200 C gains in London (1861 up for grabs) puts them on ~40% of the national vote and within striking distance of a Westminster win.
Birmingham
Here's the ward-by-ward breakdown of Birmingham, with thoughts on how to Vote For Change. My basic premise: prevent Labour from regaining their overall majority, and prevent the Conservatives from taking one.
Terminology: the most marginal wards are those with split representation, the top three in 2004 were not drawn from the same party. Then comes those I've deemed vulnerable, which could easily change hands this year, then the moderately safe, which could change but probably won't. Those seats I've called safe I do not expect to change hands.
Acocks Green 3 x LD, safe. Vote LD.
Aston 3 x LD. Vulnerable to Labour challenge. Vote LD.
Bartley Green 3 x Con safe seats. No recommendation.
Billesley 2 x Con, 1 x Lab, Con defends. Vote Con.
Bordesley Green 2 x PJPLD, 1 x Lab, Lab defends. Vote LD.
Bournville 3 x Con, vulnerable to Labour. Vote Con.
Brandwood 3 x Con, vulnerable to Labour. Vote Con.
Edgbaston 3 x Con, moderately safe from Labour. No recommendation.
Hall Green 3 x LD, moderately safe from Con. Vote LD.
Handsworth Wood 3 x Lab, safe. No recommendation.
Harbourne 3 x Con, safe. No recommendation.
Hodge Hill 3 x Lab, marginal to LD, also presences for BNP, Con. Vote LD.
Kings Norton 2 x Con, 1 x Lab, Con defends. Vote Con.
Kingstanding 3 x Lab, moderately safe from BNP, UKIP, Con. Vote Con.
Ladywood 3 x Lab, moderately safe from LD. Vote LD.
Longbridge 2 x Lab, 1 x Con, Lab defends. Vote Con.
Lozells and East Handsworth 3 x Lab, moderately safe from LD. Vote LD.
Mosley and Kings Heath 2 x LD, 1 x Lab, Lab defends. Vote LD.
Nechells 3 x Lab, vulnerable to LD. Vote LD.
Northfield 3 x Con, vulnerable to Lab. Vote Con.
Oscott 3 x Lab, moderately safe from Con. Vote Con.
Perry Barr 3 x Lab, moderately safe from LD. Vote LD.
Quinton 2 x Con, 1 x Lab, Con defends. Vote Con.
Selly Oak 3 x LD, vulnerable to Lab. Vote LD.
Shard End 3 x Lab, safe. No recommendation.
Sheldon 3 x LD, safe. Vote LD.
Soho 3 x Lab, moderately safe from LD. Vote LD.
South Yardley 3 x LD, safe. Vote LD.
Sparkbrook 2 x LD, 1 x Lab, Lab defends. Vote LD.
Springfield 2 x LD, 1 x Lab, Lab defends. Vote LD.
Stechford and Yardley North 3 x LD, safe. Vote LD.
Stockland Green 3 x Lab, moderately safe from Con, LD. **Would like to hear from someone on the ground**. Pending clarification, vote Con.
Sutton Four Oaks 3 x Con, safe. No recommendation.
Sutton New Hall 3 x Con, safe. No recommendation.
Sutton Trinity 3 x Con, safe. No recommendation.
Sutton Vesey 3 x Con, safe. No recommendation.
Tyburn 3 x Lab, moderately safe from Con. Vote Con.
Washwood Heath 1 x LD, 2 x Lab, Lab defends. Vote LD.
Weoley 1 x Lab, 2 x Con, Con defends. Vote Con.
I don't know enough about the situation in Stockland Green to recommend the Con over the LD, or vice versa.
If you can help, please email 
. All sensible submissions will be accepted, published, and credited.
Coventry
This council is one of the Conservative's leading targets, as they require only one gain to take overall control. My premise: squeeze Labour out.
Bablake 3 x Con safe. No rec.
Binley and Willenhall 3 x Lab, vulnerable to Con. Vote Con.
Cheylesmore 3 x Con, moderately safe over Lab. No rec.
Earlsdon 3 x Con, safe. No rec.
Foleshill 2 x Con, 1 x Lab, Lab defends. Vote Con.
Henley 3 x Lab, vulnerable to Con. Vote Con.
Holbrook 3 x Lab, safe. No rec.
Longford 3 x Lab, safe. No rec.
Lower Stoke 3 x Lab, vulnerable to Con. Vote Con.
St Michael's 2 x Soc Alt, 1 x Lab, Lab defends. Need further research before recommending Soc Alt.
Radford 3 x Lab, moderately safe from Con and LD. Vote LD.
Sherbourne 3 x Con, vulnerable to Lab. Vote Con.
Upper Stoke 3 x LD, vulnerable to Lab. Vote LD.
Wainbody 3 x Con, safe. No rec.
Westwood 2 x Lab, 1 x Con, Lab defends. Vote Con.
Whoberley 3 x Con, vulnerable to Lab, LD has an outside chance. Vote Con if you can, LD if you can't.
Woodlands 3 x Con, safe. No rec.
Wyken 3 x Con, vulnerable to Lab and LD. Vote Con if you can, LD if you can't.
Solihull
This council is an outside LD target; they require seven net gains to become the largest party, but took the Westminster seat last year. My premise: provide accurate information; there will be few recommendations.
Bickenhill 1 x Indep, 2 x Con, Con defends.
Blythe 2 x LD, 1 x Con, Con defends.
Castle Bromwich 3 x Con, safe.
Chelmsley Wood 3 x Lab, vulnerable to BNP, Con. Vote Con, or Lab if you must.
Dorridge and Hockley Heath 3 x Con, ultra-safe.
Elmdon 2 x Con, 1 x LD, Con defends.
Kingshurst and Fordbridge 2 x Lab, 1 x Con, Con defends.
Knowle 3 x Con, ultra-safe.
Lyndon 3 x LD, safe.
Meriden 3 x Con, safe.
Olton 3 x LD, moderately safe from Con.
Shirley East 3 x LD, vulnerable to Con.
Shirley South 3 x Con, moderately safe from LD.
Shirley West 3 x LD, vulnerable to Con.
Silhill 3 x Con, safe.
Smith's Wood 3 x Lab, vulnerable to Con.
St Alphege 3 x Con, safe.
Dudley
Currently Conservative - 3 defeats will remove overall control.
Amblecote, safe C. No recommendation.
Belle Vale, C vulnerable to Lab. Vote C.
Brierley Hill, 2 C, 1 Lab, C defends. Vote C.
Brockmoor and Pensnett, 2 Lab, 1 C, Lab defends. Vote C.
Castle and Priory, Lab vulnerable to BNP. Vote Lab.
Coseley East, Lab moderately safe from BNP, C. Vote C.
Cradley and Foxcote, Lab vulnerable to C. Vote C.
Gornal, C vulnerable to Lab. Vote C.
Halesowen North, C vulnerable to Lab. Vote C.
Halesowen South, safe C.
Haley Green and Cradley South, safe C.
Kingswinford North and Wall Heath, safe LD.
Kingswinford South, C vulnerable to LD. Vote LD.
Lye and Wolloscote, C vulnerable to Lab. Vote C.
Netherton Woodmore and St Andrew's, Lab vulnerable to C, LD. Vote LD.
Norton, C vulnerable to LD. Vote LD.
Pedmore and Stourbridge East, safe C.
Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood, Lab moderately safe from C. Vote C.
Sedgley, safe C.
St James', LD moderately safe from Lab. Vote LD.
St Thomas', safe Lab.
Upper Gornal and Woodsetton, C vulnerable to BNP, Lab. Vote C.
Wollaston and Stourbridge Town, 2 Con 1 LD, Con defends. Vote LD.
Wordsley, 2 Con 1 Lab, Lab defends. Vote C.
Sandwell
Lab needs to lose 17 seats to lose overall control, and is defending 16.
Abbey safe Lab.
Blackheath 2 Lab 1 C, C def, Vote C
Bristnall 2 Lab 1 C, C def, Vote C
Charlemont with Grove Vale safe C.
Cradley Heath and Old Hill Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
Friar Park Lab moderately safe from C, Vote C
Great Barr with Yew Tree safe LD, Vote LD
Great Bridge Lab vulnerable to BNP, Vote Lab
Greets Green and Lyng safe Lab
Hateley Heath safe Lab
Langey safe Lab
Newton safe LD
Old Warley C vulnerable to Lab, Vote C
Oldbury safe Lab
Princes End 1 BNP 2 Lab, Lab defends, Vote Lab
Rowley safe Lab
Smethwick safe Lab
Soho and Victoria safe Lab
St Paul's 2 C 1 Lab, Lab defend, LD close. Vote C
Tipton Green safe Lab
Tividale Lab vulnerable to BNP, Vote Lab
Wednesbury North safe C
Wednesbury South Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
West Bromwich Central safe Lab
Walsall
C hold power, will lose on 5 losses. This is something of a totemic council in local, but not national, politics.
Aldridge Central South safe C
Aldridge North and Walsall Wood C vulnerable to UIP, Vote C
Bentley and Darlaston North Lab moderately safe from C, Vote C
Birchills Leamore Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
Blakenall Lab vulnerable to Dem Soc All. No rec
Bloxwich East 2 C 1 Lab, Lab defends, Vote C
Bloxwich West C vulnerable to Lab, Vote C
Brownhills 2 C 1 Lab, C def, Vote C
Darlaston South 2 Lab 1 Ind, Ind def, vote Ind (Bott).
Paddock safe C
Palfrey C vulnerable to Lab, Vote C
Pelsall safe C
Pheasey Park Farm C vulnerable to LD
Pleck 2 Lab 1 C, Lab def, Vote C
Rushall Shelfield C vulnerable to Lab, BNP, Vote C
Short Heath safe LD
St Matthews' C moderately safe from Lab, Vote C
Streetly safe C
Willenhall North safe LD
Willenhall South safe Lab
Wolverhampton
Lab needs to lose 11 to lose overall control; the party is defending 13.
Bilston East safe Lab
Bilston North Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
Blakenhall safe Lab
Bushbury North Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
Bushbury South and Low Hill safe Lab
East Park safe Lab
Ettingshall safe Lab
Fallings Park Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
Graiseley Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
Heath Town Lab vulnerable to LD, Vote LD
Merry Hill safe C
Oxley Lab moderately safe from C, Vote C
Park Lab vulnerable to C, Vote C
Penn safe C
Spring Vale safe LD
St Peters' safe Lab
Tettenhall Regis safe C
Tettenhall Wightwick safe C
Wednesfield North 2 Lab 1 C, C defends, Vote C
Wednesfield South 2 C 1 Lab, C defends, Vote C
If you can help, please email . All sensible submissions will be accepted, published, and credited.