Friends, family and neighbours

To round up the election position, my niece got a very respectable 641 votes in her ward in the Merton council elections. I'm really proud of her and I hope she'll have another go when there's no general election on at the same time, when there will be more likelihood of the Greens' voice being heard.

Keith came third in his parliamentary seat, which isn't surprising, but he did increase the libdem share of the vote, which isn't a bad achievement on a thoroughly disappointing night for his party.

In Lewisham, it's pretty much labour all round. Most of the green councillors have gone - pushed out by the high turnout. I also clearly have not been paying attention, since I only just noticed how many wards were cut in 2002; there used to be a Grinling Gibbons ward for example. And of course fewer bigger wards means the Conservatives find it harder to get councillors elected than ever. There used to be pockets of middleclassness, like St Mildred's or St Margaret, which were small enough to be tory strongholds. Not any more. Now, to my immense surprise, Grove Park ward, where I grew up, is their only hope. The result there is still not declared, pending a recount which will presumably happen on Monday.

Whatever the result there, the Council will be overwhelmingly labour. This isn't good, and shows that even on a local level first past the post disenfranchises a lot of people. If I can be bothered, once the final figures are in I'll have a look at the number of votes each party needs for a councillor.