Here is what Putney residents think will swing the election Post Reply

[Community Editor]

Yet another election is underway, and seats like Putney could see a new political party in charge.

Former cabinet minister Justine Greening is popular in the area, which also includes Southfields and Roehampton, but she is standing down after criticising Boris Johnson’s government and the Conservative party’s stance on Brexit.

Councillor Will Sweet will be standing for the Conservative party instead, but faces competition from vocal Remainers, Labour Councillor Fleur Anderson and Liberal Democrat Sue Wixley.

This week, Mr Sweet was criticised for not mentioning Brexit when writing to constituents for donations, instead focussing on Labour taxation policy including “a garden tax that will hit families in Putney the hardest.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service went down to Putney to speak to residents about what they think will swing the election and who they will be voting for.

Tony Smith is 70 years old and says he is “sick to death” of hearing about Brexit. 

“I haven’t bought a newspaper for two weeks,” he said.

Tony thinks there will be a hung parliament because people have such different views.

“I don’t really know who to vote for, I’ve never heard of the candidates, but it will be on Brexit.”

Unusually for a Putney resident, he voted to leave, but he is now less sure about his decision and could be easily swayed by any of the parties, showing it’s all to play for in the area.

“I’ve never thought about voting Liberal, but anything could change my mind. I did vote for Brexit, but I’m not so sure now. I do think the NHS is being weaponised in the election though.”

Daniel Baker, 44, worries that voting for the Lib Dems will split the remain vote in the borough:“I wouldn’t want to vote for Labour, but they came second last time. So with tactical voting I will probably have to go for Labour,” he said. 

Vivien Fowler, 76, admitted she was “confused” by the candidates’s different stances on Brexit:“It’s a predominantly remain area, so I will vote for someone who wanted to remain, but I’m not up to speed on it.

“I did like Justine Greening a lot, but I think the new Conservative guy is going to struggle. I am keen to see what they are all going to say and what their personalities are like.”

But others are much more certain.

David Savage, 73, has previously voted Conservative, but will now vote for the Liberal Democrats. 

“I think it’s quite straightforward. I think the Liberal Democrats will get in. 

“We had a very good MP in Justine Greening. She’s not standing which is a great shame. She was an excellent person.

“The Prime Minister can’t be trusted and the Labour leadership are out of touch with reality,” he said.Others aren’t even sure if they can vote at all.

Ilaria Canelli, 29, is an EU citizen. She says she has not been told if she can vote:

“I have not heard that much, but I definitely don’t want to see the Tories get in though,” she said.But others are much more apathetic, with one resident admitting they had “zero interest” in politics, while another said they weren’t bothering with reading any of the campaign literature.

With all to play for in this marginal seat, the race is on.
 

[ConcernedMum]

Well, I'm not attached to any political party but I do know that the Conservative candidate, Will Sweet, was the man in charge of slashing vital Autism services in the Borough which were keeping many families together and vulnerable children safe and able to go to school. This was just a couple of months ago and he refused to listen to parents who begged him to rethink. Since the decision was made the whole Autism service has fallen apart with families and mainstream schools trying to cope on their own with a very much reduced service. Very upsetting that he wants to just move on now leaving us on our own.

[dequacivis]

Echoing the previous poster, this has nothing to do with Political leanings.
Greening’s PR was very good at convincing the locals of her good works and concerns, but like the rest she deliberately avoided taking on the obvious corruption in the planning department and street works. She was given all the evidence, but conveniently quashed it. Remember how Putney rallied against all the high rises on URR around 2014/5 and fought the school/apartments on LRR? Well, she was given the evidence on corrupt practices, but you never heard it from her right?
Fleur Anderson was also provided with it all around last local elections. To be fair to her, she was concerned until the Party Whip made it clear that their record in Brent, Lambeth and Southwark was not worth taking on the Tory party over!
So please everyone, know where the priorities of these candidates lie... not with you or Putney!

That said, Sweet is a particularly amoral type of chappy. As member and then Chair of the Plannibg committee, he was fully informed of the horrific tax and social crimes of some of the applications, yet he made the choice of furthering his own political career over destroying communities and reallocating resources from old people and low income housing, to overseas Billionaires without the requisite tax.
Editor:- we have spoken on this, and we know you’ll be contacted immediately to have this post removed. That is up to you, but we know you to have Wandsworth’s best interests first.
You have been talked through the evidence held, and you know it is extensive.
You just need them confirm that 3-5 Nightingale Lane is not a smoke and mirrors tax dodge to Saudi and Bahrain?
Ask them how the specialist Dementia facilities are getting on? Or the conditions of ownership? Better still, the important restrictions on transport for pollution control etc? Did Sweet procide over the committee that tried to stop this obvious corruption, or did he procide over the one who tried to have the whistleblowers arrested?

You will be aware of the pollution concerns and spats of deaths from concrete trucks? Well everything you see in this video, is illegal, against the Planning permission, is contrary to what the LONDON Plan dictated on the borough, yet Sweet procided time and time again to prevent any enforcement. Afterall, didn’t want to upset the boroughs favourite contractors and funders!

Btw! The cabin structure on the bus stop and pavement are also illegal, and have caused thousands per day to walk in street and stand in rain, all ok’ed by Sweet!
Hope this is reflected in the votes for him!

https://vimeo.com/295744922/9b93f155dd