BNP also standing

The official list of candidates was published at noon today.

As can be seen the BNP is standing. They seem to prefer North London. The last time we clashed directly with them, in the Kentish Town ward in Camden in 2010, they got 180 votes; we got 113.

The Islington Gazette phoned for details this afternoon. We sent them the manifesto, some details of the candidate (but no photo) and this soundbite:

Democracy won't mean much until we can actually run our own community,and that won't be possible until we collectively own and control the wealth of the world. That's why the Socialist Party is putting me up as a candidate in this by-election.

Let's see what appears on Friday.

The other candidates

The list of candidates won't be officially announced till Tuesday but we know from the local electronic press who they are likely to be:

Junction ward – Axing gyratory an issue

• Labour hopeful Kaya Makarau Schwartz said: “This election is an opportunity to back Islington’s Labour fairness agenda, which is making a difference to the lives of local people, despite unfair Tory-led government cuts of £4,000 for every household in the borough.”
Born at cuts-threatened Whittington Hospital, she said: “It’s always provided the vital health services we all need.” A governor at Yerbury Primary School, Ms Makarau Schwartz works for a mental health charity.

• Lib Dem candidate Stefan Kaspryzk was mayor in 2008-09 when he raised a record £40,000 for the charity Islington Kids Afloat in association with Islington Boat Club. Mr Kaspryzk, who lives near Archway roundabout, will campaign to have the gyratory traffic system removed. “Archway is a wonderful community, but has its problems with threats to small shops and the rise of gambling outlets,” he said.

• The Greens’ Mick Holloway, 60, is a lay minister at his local church. A qualified civil engineer, he has worked on homeless and ex-offender projects and was instrumental in setting up Union Chapel’s homeless shelter. He said: “The big issues are traffic and air pollution, which is very high. I believe the gyratory must be removed as has been promised by successive administrations.”

The Tory candidate is Patricia Napier.

The by-election was caused by the resignation of one of the LibDem councillors for the ward. The result last time in the 2010 borough council elections was (top 3 elected):

BURGESS (Lab) 2338
WOOLLEY (LD) 2125
GRAVES (LD) 2182

KASPRZYK (LD) 2071
PARKER (Lab) 1899
SCHWARTZ (Lab) 1878
BINEHAM (Green) 713
WRIGHT (Green) 597
COLEMAN (Con) 556
CAMPBELL (Con) 533
BURGESS (Green) 529
KERBY (Con) 480

The turnout was 64% but that was no doubt because the election was held on the same day as the general election. It is likely to be much less this time.

We're off again

We're contesting the by-election in the Junction ward of Islington council on 21 March. The nomination papers for Socialist candidate, Bill Martin, have just been handed in and accepted. We don't know if there will be any other candidates apart from the usual suspects (Labour, Liberal, Tory, Green).

The ward is a stone's throw from Highgate Cemetry but Marx won't have a vote.