The administration, the opposition, the smackdown

With two months until local elections, things are heating up

We are only two months away from local elections in Medway, at a time of great political uncertainty, both locally and nationally. As such, I publish a monthly update setting out where we are in the election campaign, and where we appear to be heading. Join me as I try to unpack exactly what is happening in our local politics.

The administration

Usually, I begin these election dispatches with an assessment of how the campaign is going for each of the political parties. This month, the Medway Conservatives have saved me the effort by doing whatever the hell this is:

Cllr Siju Adeoye @sijuwadeade

Young hearts runs free only with #Gillingham #Rainham @MedwayTories #LocalElections #May4th Putting Hope Back into your high streets 💙

I have so many questions. Clearly, the party were campaigning in Rainham, but why have they seemingly brought some kind of PA system? Why are they doing a bit of karaoke in the town centre? Is this technically anti-social noise? Are they so certain that the ship is sinking that they are just giving up and dancing their worries away?

As metaphors for the state of a political campaign go, it’s all a bit on the nose really.

But let’s look beyond this entirely baffling incident. Or at least try to.

The Conservatives do indeed seem to be doing a little bit of campaigning now, but little is the operative word. There’s been sightings in Rainham, Hempstead, Princes Park, Strood, and a couple of other places. It does all feel incredibly low key though, and in many places, very defensive.