WE are tempted to call this a tricky one.
For the first year, in a long long time, there is no Independent candidate.
For years, John Purkiss and Barry Palmer held sway with their grassroots politics.
Whatever you felt about them, they appealed to the people of East Tilbury. They looked as if they were tuned in.
We don’t know if anyone else has paid tribute to Barry Palmer but can we just say that we think he did a marvellous job. Yes, he walked around with a chip on his shoulder but (he who is without large plank..cast the first) but he always had something relevant to say.
We shall particularly miss him in planning meetings where nobody but nobody spoke more passionately about Thurrock’s Green Belt.
And now 2016. In 2015, UKIP won the seat with James Baker. He has had his ups and downs. We think he could be a councillor with potential but we just aren’t sure.
The UKIP candidate is local woman, Sue Sammons. We spoke to Mrs Sammons and asked her what attracted her to UKIP as opposed to the other parties. She declined to answer the question and referred us to their press spokesperson.
Mrs Sammons did say that if asked about her policies on the doorstep then she would detail them.
We also contacted the Labour candidate, Ellie Lowe but she has not replied.
The Conservative candidate is Paul Polley. There are a lot of Conservative voters down here and on has always felt that the Tories could do so much better.
It is all question of where are those 900 to 1100 Purkiss/Palmer voters going to go. That is a lot of votes.
YT prediction: UKIP gain-500
